The vice-chancellor of Jadavpur University has appealed to students, teachers and non-teaching staff to cut down on energy consumption as the university is “passing through serious financial constraints”.

Interim VC Bhaskar Gupta has said in his written appeal: “If we plan properly, we can save around Rs 80 lakh per year. As we are passing through serious financial and energy availability constraints in our campuses, I request all of you to take appropriate ways at the unit level so that the energy can be conserved and money can be saved.”

The VC has said the university spends Rs 50 lakh each month in the summer months to pay electricity bills and blamed the indiscriminate use of power for the ballooning cost.

“While I believe this misuse is not deliberate, but shows a sign of carelessness,” says the appeal.

The VC has mentioned in the appeal that an advisory committee on electrical infrastructure has pointed out in its report that lights, fans and air-conditioners were found to be on even when there was no one in the vicinity of the appliances.

“It is estimated that this may account for as high as 10 to 12 per cent of our total energy consumption…. A sharp trend of rise in the bill is now visible again,” the appeal says.

A separate committee, constituted by JU in September 2022 to look into the
“huge gap’ in its income and expenditure and suggest measures to bridge the chasm”, had identified power expenses as one of the reasons behind the spiralling rise in expenditure.

VC Gupta told The Telegraph: “The indiscriminate use of power is a matter of concern for us, given the fact that the university is encountering serious financial constraints. Even if we can save Rs 80 lakh each month by consuming power judiciously, it will mean a lot. As we consume power judiciously at home, the same approach should be adopted on the campus.”

This, he said, will lead to reducing energy footprint.

This newspaper has reported on several occasions that the university is encountering funds constraints owing to depletion in support from the state and the central governments.

The VC has written in his appeal: “This again will help us to reduce the energy footprints of our university, showing our concern for the environment.”

A member of the committee that was set up in September 2022 said there were instances that a section of the teachers and officials did not switch off ACs, lights and fans after leaving rooms.

“We cannot afford to be careless at a time when the university is reeling under a funds crunch,” he said.

“We have to bring down the costs, using the facilities sensibly and judiciously. The university authorities are required to put up posters to sensitise everyone about this.”

This newspaper reported on September 18, 2022, that a panel constituted by the university’s finance committee had flagged concerns about “the precarious fund situation and acute shortage of money”.

The funds crunch that Jadavpur University is reeling under has become so
acute that the university is increasingly appealing to former students for financial support.

A JU official said since the university did not want to raise student fees, static since 2000, it was focusing on cutting costs wherever possible.