Set up barely two years ago, the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) in Bhubaneswar has run into trouble with the HRD Ministry’s Vigilance department.

The institute, one of the six new IITs set up across the country, allegedly bought equipment worth crores of rupees for its laboratory from a single agent, skipping the mandatory tender-based bidding process.

Following complaints, the Vigilance department has asked the IIT to submit a report on the same.

Director IIT Bhubaneswar, Prof Madhusudan Chakroborty, confirmed this.

“We are setting up a new laboratory and are purchasing a variety of equipment. It is true that we have got some complaints on some of the purchases made. The HRD ministry’s CVO has also written to us on the issue. Accordingly, I have ordered an inquiry into the issue,” Prof Chakroborty told The Indian Express.

The IIT, sources said, bought Continuous Surface Wave System, used for soil testing, Ground Penetrating Radar Sensors and software from M/s AIMIL.

Shake tables used for seismic research were also sourced from the same firm on proprietary basis despite the fact that there are 10-12 manufacturers of the equipment.

The pile testing equipment was bought from Holland-based Profound TNO and non-destructing testing equipment worth Rs 4-6 crore was bought from Copenhagen-based Germann Instruments through AIMIL although there are about 15 manufacturers of the equipment.

Material testing equipment was also sourced on proprietary basis through AIMIL though there are 30-40 Indian and foreign manufacturers of the equipment, the sources said. Cyclic Triaxial Testing Machine was sourced from UK-based GDS instruments through AIMIL.

http://www.indianexpress.com/news/IIT-Bhubaneswar-under-HRD-scanner/676507