Tewari takes up Pbi varsity land transfer with Patil
Thursday, 31/10/2013
http://www.tribuneindia.com/2013/20131031/punjab.htm#1
Patiala : Union Information and Broadcasting Minister Manish Tewari has written to Punjab Governor and Punjabi University Chancellor Shivraj Patil urging him to look into the varsity’s decision to transfer 5.75 acres of its land to the state government free of cost.
The Democratic Teachers’ Front (DTF), Punjabi University, had sought Tewari’s intervention to prevent handing over of the prime land to the state government when the varsity itself was facing a paucity of space.
The land -- estimated to be worth over Rs 400 crore – has been transferred to the state government free of cost for setting up of a model school. According to the DTF, the land — adjoining Urban Estate on the Chandigarh-Bathinda National Highway — is being given to a private company for setting up the school.
Tewari questioned how the university, itself short of space, could afford to give 5.75 acres of prime land to the state government for setting up of a school by a private company.
Quoting from the forum’s representation to him, Tewari said, “Punjabi University Patiala, in its syndicate meeting on September 24, decided to transfer 5.75 acres of prime land of the university to the Government of Punjab. The land is to be handed over, forever, to the government free of cost for opening one school in the district of Patiala (as part of the state government’s scheme to open six model residential schools for meritorious poor students). The school would be established and operated by a private concern.”
Tewari said he was told there was an acute shortage of on-campus accommodation for students, particularly women, and about half of them stay outside campus. Married women research scholars, too, have to stay outside campus because of lack of residential accommodation. A girl student living as a paying guest was attacked by an auto-driver some days ago.
Case file
On Sept 24, 2013, Punjabi University decides to transfer 5.75 acres of its prime land to the Punjab Government free of cost
The land, estimated to be worth over Rs 400 crore, is to be used to open a model residential school for meritorious poor students
Teachers’ body slams move, says university grappling with shortage of both funds and space
