BHUBANESWAR: Universities in the State may be facing a tough challenge to upgrade their curriculums to enhance employability of students but a non-academic crisis that haunts everybody is encroachment of university land by outsiders.

Discussion on land disputes was on the top of the agenda on Monday when Governor and Chancellor Rameshwar Thakur took an interim review meeting attended by vice-chancellors of 10 universities of the state here at Raj Bhawan.

Initiating the grievances on land encroachment, Utkal University Vice-Chancellor L. N Mishra said over 1,000 people had encroached about 8.5 acres of university land which was the major source of indiscipline on the campus.

As many as 241 families have been identified to be illegal occupiers of the university land. However, eviction could not be carried out all these years as the State Government was yet to come out with an alternative rehabilitation plan.

When Estate Officer of General Administration tried to link the problem with general encroachment in the city, Mr. Thakur exhorted to single out the issue and prepare a rehabilitation package as soon as possible.

But when turn of Berhampur University came, the land issue appeared multi-dimensional. As many as 15 cases involving 122 acres of university land were filed in different courts. Of the 122 acres, about 28.06 acres was identified as village forest. Thus, the university authorities cannot take up developmental activities until they obtained clearance from Ministry of Environment and Forest.

Revenue Secretary G.V. Venugopal Sarma, however, assured that a comprehensive forest diversion proposal would be prepared within three months.

Sambalpur University was too dogged by land encroachments. Vice-Chancellor P.C. Tripathy said though the problem had been identified and discussed in threadbare with revenue divisional commissioner, district collector and local tehsildar, no revision petition had been filed on behalf of the state government.

Similarly, 31 families have encroached about two acres of North Orissa University. It has been decided to construct boundary wall to prevent further encroachments. Its contemporary Fakir Mohan University had its share of the problem.

While local inhabitants around the university want passage through the campus, it has been facing shortage of land to execute development programmes assigned during 12th Finance Commission.

Sri Jagannath Sanskrit University, however, seemed to be relaxed as it informed that Puri Municipality recently decided to withdraw its claim on patch of land that fell inside the campus area.

Guidelines

Among other issues that figured in the discussion include amendments in guidelines for career advancement of professors, disposal of pending certificates and fund utilisations for development works.

Finance Minister Prafulla Ghadai, Law Minister Biswa Bhusan Harichandan, IT Minister Surya Naraya Patro, Chief Secretary Ajit Kumar Tripathy and other departmental heads also took part in the meeting.

Printer friendly page  
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail