Indore: Varsity land for court leads to stir, green activists join in

The MP government’s decision to allot 20-acre land of Rajmata Vijayaraje Scindia Krishi Vishwavidyalaya (RVSKVV) in Indore for construction of a modern district court complex triggered a protest on Wednesday.

The MP government’s decision to allot 20-acre land of Rajmata Vijayaraje Scindia Krishi Vishwavidyalaya (RVSKVV) in Indore for construction of a modern district court complex triggered a protest on Wednesday.

Activists, alumnus of Agriculture College, lawyers protest construction of modern district court complex on 20 acres of Agriculture College campus in Indore on Wednesday. (Arun Mondhe/HT)

At least 250 people, including students, alumnus, agriculture scientists and social activists, gathered on RVSKVV campus for a dharna. The government last month allotted the land for the proposed court complex.

“This is a renowned institute for agriculture in the country and known for developing ‘Indore method of composting’, which is accepted as an ideal system of preparing organic manure world over,” said Dr Akhilesh Sarraf, the president of RVSKVV alumni association.

“It is very unfortunate on the part of the state government and the district administration to snatch land meant for agriculture research for other purposes,” he said.

TGK Menon, an environmentalist and Padma Shri awardee, said: “British botanist and pioneer in organic agriculture techniques, Sir Albert Howard, conducted a survey of entire Malwa region and selected this piece of land as best suited for agriculture research and set up this college in 1924.” Earlier, construction of a modern district court complex adjoining to Pipliyahana Lake faced opposition from environmental activists and residents, forcing the government to rollback its decision.

The Madhya Pradesh high court recently proposed construction of 1,300 cubicles that can accommodate 4,000 advocates and sought support from lawyers in construction of a modern district court complex.

Majority of lawyers are in favour of construction of the court complex in the existing district court premises near Gandhi Hall.