The Vedanta University project in Orissa, which is facing problem over land acquisition and other issues for the past two years, has got a shot in the arm with the Union ministry of environment and forests (MoEF) giving its clearance for the project. The project promoted by the Anil Agarwal Foundation (AAF), a non-profit organisation, has also got the CRZ (Coastal Regulatory Zone) clearance.
Earlier, the AAF had submitted all the required reports and documents like the questionnaire, Environment Impact Assessment (EIA), Environment Management Plan (EMP) and additional clarifications to the MoEF.
The ministry gave its nod after conducting a thorough appraisal of the documents submitted by AAF and considering the importance of the project keeping in view the socio-economic development of Orissa.
AAF has a plan to set up a multi-disciplinary university of international standards on the Puri-Konark marine drive at an investment of Rs 5000 crore. The university which will have an intake of 100,000 students will be spread over 6892 acres with a total construction area of 273.68 lakh sq metres.
The university will have provision for quality higher education and cutting-edge research facility in 95 academic disciplines. Within the planned construction area, 1500 acres is earmarked for academic block, 1200 acres for R&D centre and research work and 1092 acres for green belt and open spaces.
Besides, a township will be built over 2100 acres for the faculty and other staff of the university. A sports complex spread over 100 acres and an exhibition centre on 100 acres of land are other features of the proposed university project.
The state government is in the final stages of transferring about 4,000 acres of land, said a VUP release. In the first phase of the university project, a 500-bed multi-specialty hospital will come up on 37 acres at a cost of Rs 400 crore.
Besides, plans are afoot to set up a medical college which would offer under graduate, post-graduate, doctoral and post-doctoral courses and also courses for practising doctors.
