Newspaper section of Hardayal Municipal Public Library, Delhi may face closure

NEW DELHI: It has been four months since the staff of the Hardayal Municipal Public Library was paid its salary. With the trifurcation of MCD earlier this year, there was initially some confusion over the jurisdiction of this library with 31 branches across the city. The Chandni Chowk region, where the central library and the head office are, falls under the North Delhi Municipal Corporation . The official NDMC budget estimate lists "Grant-in-aid to Hardayal Mpl. Public Library" as Rs 3 crore for 2012-13 .

The honorary secretary of the library, Yashpal Arya, says he will have to shut down the newspaper section by next month if he does not receive funds. HMPL's newspapers section that subscribes to 31 newspapers from the English, Hindi and Urdu press is open to all. "There are so many students who have done their PhDs from here. I only have hope until the end of August," says Arya.

The staff have submitted a memo to chief minister Sheila Dikshit asking for release of provisional funds for salaries and other expenses. A copy of the memo bearing the CM's handwritten note to NDMC commissioner PK Gupta is with TOI. "There are audit problems. We are looking into it," said Gupta.

More News at: http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2012-08-29/delhi/33474637_1_central-library-ndmc-yashpal-arya