Environmentalist R.K.
Environmentalist R.K. Pachauri, who went on leave on Thursday from Teri University after students refused to receive degrees from him, on Friday proceeded on leave from the organisation and its governing council.
A Teri statement said: “R.K. Pachauri, who had been at the head of the institute since 1982, will be on leave from Teri, Teri Governing Council, and Teri University till this is reviewed by the governing council given the sub judice nature of the matter.”
Teri said the organisation looks forward to the leadership of Ashok Chawla and inducted the new D-G, Ajay Mathur, as a member of the council. Mr Mathur will operate with full executive powers, a move that will strip Mr Pachauri of any executive powers he may have enjoyed when he was appointed executive V-C earlier this week, said sources.
When asked whether Mr Pachauri was forced to go on leave or took the decision voluntarily, Teri declined to comment. “Our version has been made clear in our statement. There is no connotation to it,” said a Teri official. Teri had on Thursday claimed that Mr Pachauri’s role in his new capacity was to ensure a “smooth transition” for Mr Mathur.
TERI said the process for the replacement of Mr Pachauri as D-G had culminated in the appointment of Mr Mathur as D-G with full executive powers on July 23 last year. “However, as Mathur was able to join only on February 8 this year after he was finally relieved by the government of India, the governing council effected various interim arrangements so as not to destabilise the operations of the institute,” the statement said.
The concerns of students regarding posts held by Mr Pachauri have been passed on to the green body’s governing council, TERI University said on Friday while asserting that its process and systems go “beyond dependence” on a single individual. Acting vice-chancellor of the university Rajiv Seth held two separate interactions with the students’ body as well as with faculty. The move came after some alumni of the 2013-2015 batch had written to Mr Seth saying the recent “inaction” of the board of management at TERI University with respect to Pachauri “deeply saddened” them.
The women activists who demonstrated outside the TERI office on Friday also submitted a memorandum demanding the sacking of the former TERI chief.
