Land acquisition for J’khand central varsity in limbo, landowner moves HC
RANCHI: Amid the delay in the land acquisition process for the permanent campus of the Central University of Jharkhand, one of the landowners has now moved the Jharkhand High Court seeking directions for payment against land acquisition and immediate stoppage of wall construction by the university administration at the upcoming campus on the outskirts of the state capital.
Petitioner Ratanlal Mahto is a resident of Manatu village where private land is being acquired for the university, besides Cheri and Sukurhutu villages.
“We are not challenging the acquisition per se. The university administration has started construction of the boundary wall but the private landowners are yet to get the due compensation. Besides, the construction of the wall would obstruct a pathway and the water flow to adjoining fields. So we have prayed to stop wall construction till the acquisition process is completed,” said Amit Kumar, the counsel of Ratanlal Mahto.
The land acquisition process for CUJ was started by the state government in 2011 for the university’s permanent campus, over a kilometre from the ring road. The state government was to provide 500 acres of land. However, the university was given 319 acres of government land, while the rest was to be acquired from private owners across three neighbouring villages.
Construction has started on the allotted government land, but the process has got complicated with few villagers now claiming their rights even on the portions of the allotted piece of land.
On the other hand, the process of payment against the acquisition of private land is yet to begin.
“We have been conducting several of our religious practices on the allotted government land. We want continuous access to such places. Also, the wall construction would block the flow of water channels to our fields so it should be stopped till the acquisition is completed,” said petitioner Ratanlal Mahto.
Reacting to the development, CUJ registrar SL Harikumar said while the acquisition and payment have to be done by the state government, the wall is being constructed on the allotted land by the university administration.
“As per the agreement between the Centre and the state governments, the state had to provide land, electricity, water connection and approach road to the campus. We also want the acquisition to be completed at the earliest as the delay is hampering our expansion. We have been in touch with the state government regarding the matter,” said Harikumar.
On the issue of wall construction, the registrar said that it is being done on the approved land and that too in patches. The wall construction would not affect any villager, he added.
State government’s land and revenue secretary L Khiangnte said complaints about the objection over the government land is in the notice of the government.
“We are looking into it. Prima facie, the claims look illegal. Some applicants even said they used to practice agriculture on the land.. However, it does not look possible as the entire stretch is rocky. The concerned district officials are looking into it. As far as the land acquisition and payment are concerned, only the higher education department would be able to comment on its status,” said Khiangte.
Higher education secretary KK Khandelwal refused to comment on the issue. “Will comment on it only after I see the demands in the petition,” he said.
The CUJ is currently operating in parts, both from a rented as well as the under-construction campus. While 13 of the 24 academic departments are functioning from the rented property in Brambe, the other 11 departments are working from the new campus. Meanwhile, the compensation amount has risen manifold since the site was proposed due to the rise in circle rate and Land Acquisition Act, 2013, sources said.