E-Paper
Land acquisition for Jharkhand Central University delayed, land owner moves court
The land acquisition process for the university was started by the Jharkhand government in 2011 to build the university’s permanent campus, over a kilometre from the Ring Road. The state government was to provide 500 acres of land.
With the land acquisition process for the permanent campus of the Central University of Jharkhand getting delayed, one of the land owners has now moved the Jharkhand High Court seeking directions for payment against land acquisition and immediate stalling of wall construction by the university administration at the upcoming campus on the outskirts of the capital.
The land acquisition process for the university was started by the Jharkhand government in 2011 to build the university’s permanent campus, over a kilometre from the Ring Road. The state government was to provide 500 acres of land. The university was given 319 acres of government land, while the rest was to be acquired from private owners across three neighbouring villages. The petitioner, Ratanlal Mahto, is a resident of Manatu village, where private land is being acquired for the university besides two other villages Cheri and Sukurhutu.
“We are not challenging the acquisition per se. The university administration has started construction of the boundary wall but the private land owners are yet to get due compensation. Besides construction of a wall would obstruct the right of way of the villagers and also obstruct the water flow to their adjoining fields. So we have prayed to stop the construction till the acquisition process is completed,” said Amit Kumar, counsel of Ratanlal Mahto.
Construction has started on the allotted government land, but the process is complicated with a few villagers now claiming their right even on a portion of the allotted piece of land.
On the other hand, the process of payment against acquisition of private land is yet to begin. The compensation amount meanwhile has risen manifold---due to a rise in the circle rate as well as the Land Acquisition Act, 2013----from the time the site was proposed, sources said.
Now one of the land owners has moved court, seeking compensation, stoppage of wall construction by the university administration and other demands including access to religious places that are located on the allotted land.
“We have been conducting several of our religious practices on the allotted government land. We want our access to such places to be continued. Also the wall construction would block 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 has to be done by the state government, the university administration is constructing the wall on the allotted land.
“As per the agreement between the Centre and the state governments, the state had to provide land, electricity and 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 over it,” said Harikumar.
On the issue of a wall construction, the registrar said that is being done on the allowed land and that too in patches. The wall construction would not affect any villager, he added.
The Jharkhand government’s land and revenue secretary L Khiangnte said complaints about the objection over the government land have been noticed by government officials.
“We are looking into it. Prima facie the claims look illegal as some applicants have claimed they used to practice agriculture, but 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 is concerned, only the higher education department would be able to update on its status,” said Khiangte.
Higher education secretary KK Khandelwal refused to comment on the issue. “Will comment on it only after I see what is being demanded in the petition,” he said.
The CUJ is currently operating in parts, both from a rented as well as from the under-construction campus. While 13 of the 24 academic departments are operating from the rented property in Brambe, the rest 11 academic and administrative departments are functioning from the new campus.
