Major setback to varsity planned at a cost of Rs 15,000 crore
Vedanta Group's ambitious plan to set up a world class, multi-disciplinary university at an estimated cost of Rs 15,000 crore on the Puri-Konark marine drive today suffered a major setback. The Orissa High Court termed the land acquisition process for the proposed university 'illegal and void'.
A two-member bench, comprising Chief Justice V Gopal Gouda and Justice B P Das, quashed the government's land acquisition notification and directed the Anil Agarwal Foundation, promoter of the university, to return the acquired land to the owners. The court verdict, running into over 100 pages, found the project faulty on 17 counts.
Two public interest suits and seven individual petitions were filed in the high court, challenging the setting up of the proposed university on several grounds, including that of a faulty land acquisition process, which contravened the provisions of Land Acquisition Act, 1894, Land Acquisition (Amendment) Act, 1984, and Land Acquisition (Companies) Rules, 1963.
The petitioners had contended the project would have an extremely debilitating impact on the eco-system and varied bio-diversity of the locality. They had also challenged the status of the Anil Agarwal Foundation, which was changed to a 'public company' from a 'private company', Vedanta Foundation, in June 2006, for acquiring land.
State Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik said, "We are yet to receive a copy of the verdict. Once we get the copy, we will certainly see what needs to be done."
More From This Section
Debi Prasad Mishra, the state minister for higher education, said, "We have not received a copy of the Orissa High Court's judgment. After we get a copy of the verdict, it will be scrutinised by the law department."
"All procedures of the Unitary University Bill have been complied with in passing the Vedanta University Bill. Besides, additional provisions have been incorporated to safeguard the interests of the state." Asked if the verdict was a setback to the government, Mishra said, "I can comment only after going through the verdict."
In April, the Orissa Lok Pal ordered a vigilance probe into the land deals and recommended a moratorium on the project till the Anil Agarwal Foundation complied with the legal provisions pointed out by the Union Ministry of Corporate Affairs for conversion of its status from private to public company.