Sambada on Vedanta University and not messing up an opportunity that may not come again in 100-200 years
December 6th, 2008
Thank you Sambada.
Following is a translation of the initial part of the article:
Today in the state assembly two private university bills will be discussed; Sri Sri University bill and Vedanta University bill. Orisssa’s higher education future rests on these two bills. In regards to the first university bill, so far, there has not been any controversy, but for whatever reason the proposed Vendanta University is embroiled in controversies. Opposition to land acquisition for the project, court entanglement, reports in police station, and similar issues have tied down the project. For two years there has not been much progress in the ground. The situation is such that like the Singur Nano project in West Bengal there is apprehension that this world class project may withdraw from Orissa. If that happens Orissa’s dream of being a top higher education location in the world will be shattered. In the past several assembly members have opposed the Vedanta University project. The reason for their opposition! Doubt. There is opposition to the land acquisition in the proposed project area. Few days back there was a struggle in that area. The reason for that was also doubts. May be Vedanta will withdraw from the university project after acquiring the land; May be the people will lose their livelihood; May be Vedanta will renege on its obligations; several such doubts are fueling the opposition. The opposers say that Vedanta plans to loot Orissa in the name of the university. But what is the basis of these doubts and it is not clear how does one loot by establishing a university. This project does not need mines or forests; the government does not need to spend a paisa. It only needs to help in providing land where 15000 crores is aimed to be invested to establish a world class university. Eminent educationalists says that such opportunities come once in 100 or 200 years. If such small issues are used to throw away this opportunity then Orissa’s higher education aim for the next century will definitely become unsure. In reality, states like Gujarat, Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka are eying the Vedanta University project. The land acquisition problem in Orissa has resulted in Gujarat and Andhra Pradesh sending proposals to Vedanta. But planning and design of the project has progressed so far that Vedanta does not want to leave Orissa. Vedanta Chief Anil Agarwal has given $1 Billion (Rs 5000 crores) of his own money to the project and has mentioned this to the Prime Minister Manmohan Singh. The main built-up area of the university will be spread across 2000 acres. The Ayres St. Gross company of the US has designed the master plan of this university. This company has developed the building design for many top universities of the world. Vedanta has decided to establish a medical college and hospital in the first phase. This college and hospital to be built in 34 acres has been designed by the world famous firm Perkins and Will. The medical college program will be designed and its equipments will be supplied by Jensen partners. The curriculum of the various colleges of the university and the kind of faculty to hire for such programs have been discussed in conferences organized by Vedanta in Paris and Washington. After all these to doubt that Vedanta will cheat and go away is baseless. Eminent NRO professor CRB says that losing Vedanta will be like kicking a humongous wealth. With IIT, NISER and AIIMS being established Bhubaneswar, if Vedanta University is established it will make the Puri-Bhubaneswar-Cuttack area an heaven for high quality higher education and Orissa’s place in the world will rise significantly. No other industrialist in Orissa has spent that much money on education. If Vedanta wants to spend 15000 crores, why should we throw it away? The top educational institutions in India, the IITs and the IIMs rank 300-400 in the world. Vedanta aims to be in the top 50. He says, if that happnes Orissa will be among the tops in the country. The government should take meausers to resolve the issues related to land acquisition in a war footing. For such a university the sacrifice of the local people should be adequately respected and compensated by the government, he adds.
Entry Filed under: Bhubaneswar-Cuttack-Puri- Khurda area (1),Rally, petitions and articles in its support,Rebuttals to opposition arguments and unsubstantiated rumours,Vedanta University, Puri
7 Writeup
1. kuna | December 7th, 2008 at 4:41 pm
Vedanta University is really a life time opportunity. We must make it a reality. All progressive Oriyas must support this prestigious venture. It wll surely do a lot of good to our state and country.
2. Umashankar | December 12th, 2008 at 2:10 am
This opportunity will bring Orissa in the forefront of education. Also, the compensation policy is not bad at all..They are being paid 2 lakh per acre at a minimum where actual value of land there will never cross Rs. 40,000(maximum).
The facilities for the displaced people seems very good..I think, all opposition should consider how useful this will be for Orissa’s future..
3. Gopal Chandra Das. | August 22nd, 2009 at 3:43 pm
Vedanta university is a legendary that the history will always remember, it will definitely bring a new and bright era to orissa,
Please do not oppose it or we are surely going to miss something very great.
4. Priyabrata Das | August 22nd, 2009 at 3:48 pm
A university with a strength of 2 lakhs of students will definitely going to literate the entire orissa one day, please dont debarred yourself from such an oppertunity
5. vedantavirodhi | August 24th, 2009 at 2:11 pm
Sub: – Urgent attention required: Atrocities suffered by farmers and villagers on the hands of Vedanta University authorities and local political authority.
Dear Sir/Madam,
We would like to bring your attention to the plight of hundred of people suffered because of Vedanta University project in Puri, Orissa and the irregularities associated with this project .
The so-called university is planed to build over an area of 6000 acres of land around 40 Kms from Bhubaneswar, Orissa.
First of all the intention of sponsor of Vedanta university is very suspicious. This is being executed by Anil Agrawarl foundation of Vedanta resources. This company has a no track record of doing any philanthropic activities in tha past and always been in news for controversial mining ventures and violating environmental causes in its minig projects .Though there has been various protests against this company, there has been no remediation measure for pollution caused in mining project in Lanjigarh, Orissa project or any other venture. This is the same organization which was in limelight because of the unfair BALCO dealing days back .Even its own shareholders has protested against the wrongful mining activities in Orissa to only a deaf ear .
The proposed land is being handed over to the company at throw-away prices. Around 2000 acres of land which belonged to Sri Jagannath Temple ( Built before 600 years ) has been handed over for free to the foundation .The total cost of land comes to around 1 billion INR for the foundation considering free lands and forced land acquisition from local farmers with help of Orissa government . Please note that in Singur, West Bengal farmers were paid average 12 lakh per acre whereas here it is only 2.5 lakh .The same piece of land costs at least 60 billion INR in Puri town which is 5 kms away from the project and will cost 600 billion INR in Bhubaneswar which is 40 Kms away from the project site. Hence there is a greater possibility of this land being converted to a small township and sold at very high profit margins. Please note that as per the bill passed in Orissa assembly , there is no clause which will prevent this as long as this is named as an university .Also I would like to highlight that no other university in the World has more than 3000 Acre campus .
Though in various media reports it is highlighted the project is being constructed over less fertile and sparsely populated land, I would like to highlight that 30 Thousand tones of rice is produced from this land every year by local farmers and this project is directly replacing over 2000 habitats and at least 8000 people are losing their farmlands .There are two small rivers crossing this land which makes it highly irrigated whereas many parts of Orissa are still not irrigated. We personally feel there are many other places in Orissa which will not cause this damage for acquiring the land. Like in KBK district because of draught every year it will make more sense to build this university.
Various clauses in the Vedanta University bill makes it impossible to accept for the local population. One of the clauses says there cannot be any construction or selling / Buying of land without nod from Vedanta university within the 5 Km radius of the campus. This is like running a small government in that area .Even with all anti-people clauses this was approved and billed in Orissa assembly which make it very clear that there has been large scale kick back involved in this project.
So far there has been one private university in Orissa named KIIT which was made on its own without any govt help and without any forceful land acquisition .But in case of Vedanta University, bribed authorities from top to bottom are helping the notorious project even though the project has made it clear to be self-governed and student-financed .There has been 100 engineering colleges in India which all are self-financed and make money from the students .As per the project proposal it is not going to be anything different than making profit out of student money . So why is so much expenditure from public money on this? Why govt. and private lands are being handed away so cheaply? Why are govt forces being utilized to acquire land for a private organization? Orissa government argues that the land is being acquired at market prices and hence no cause of concern .IF somebody still thinks that it is OK to acquire land forcefully for any private or govt venture I will just ask one question. Can you sell 200 years old family house at markets price ? Can the chief minister sell Naveen Nivas at market price if KIIT want to open a classroom there? Can the local MLA sell his ancestral home in Puri at market price if SCS College wants to open a library there? If not how can they force local people to vacant there ancestral house of more than 200 years and go somewhere else.
Now authorities have started forcefully acquiring the land .The local political authority is running a gang of local criminals to frighten and acquire land .All noted criminals in the region has been released from jail recently and they are given hefty packets just for accompanying the builder to the project site. They are even paid daily wages for this job .All this is believed to be sponsored by local authorities and in turn by the parent organization Vedanta foundation .Though there has not been any notable development in the region in the last 20 years of Current MLA tenure he is unexpectedly in a hurry to develop this university . This makes everybody doubt that there is huge bribe involved in this.
To all the people of Orissa it seems to very good project because of the heavy promises and hence nobody is coming in support of protestors. Everyday there is war like situation on the project site because of confrontation between the local farmers and the so-called supporter cum contactor cum criminals backed by the local political authority. Also the local newspapers are not publishing any report of protests being intimidated by the local authorities.
I would like to bring to your notice that the foundation has made it clear not to employ any local in the university, no reservation or concession of any kind for anybody.
Being one of the farmers of the region and being a responsible citizen of Orissa I would like to request your help and support in stopping this project immediately considering the following reasons.
Large-scale kickback involved in land acquisition of 6000 acres of land for a private venture using govt forces.
Many other places in Orissa are more suitable for this project
Forcefully replacing local habitats and acquiring high fertile agricultural lands from farmers .This is am important issue considering the days of food security ahead.
Lot many irregularities and anti-people, anti-Orissa clauses in University bill passed in Orissa assembly.
The project is criminalizing the whole area which may in turn help in creating lot many extremists in Orissa which is already plagued by this problem.
2000 acres of Land of Sri Jagannath which is once treated as the ruler of Orissa is being freely handed over to a private enterprise.
The parent organization has been in the news always for anti-people reasons and there is no way to stop it from using the land wrongfully once it is acquired and a boundary wall is built around it.
It is my basic right to decide whether I want to sell my home / land or not.
We are few and we need your strength to fight against the atrocities of Orissa govt and Vedanta. We need everybody to understand our cause and join us in our effort .This is an appeal from us to make our cause understood.
Vedanta Virodhi Manch
Beladal, Puri, Orissa-752002
6. Chitta Baral | August 24th, 2009 at 7:47 pm
The above comments supposedly from Vedanta Virodhi Manch is being sent from an IP address in Singapore.
Regardless, it is good that they are trying the pen route. If only they would stop their illegal blocking of access to land that Vedanta has already bought from people that have willingly sold them I would be more sympathetic to them. They have all the rights to protect their own land and protest against forced land acquisition but no right to stop someone who has already bought land to enter the land they have bought.
That illegal act of physically and illegally blocking access to land that has already bought, makes me less sympathetic towards Vedanta Virodhi Manch.
In a democracy like India everyone has rights. Many people have sold their land willingly to Vedanta University Project. These people also have rights. Vedanta University has rights to the land it has bought. When Vedanta Virodhi Manch stops others from exercising their rights it crosses the line.
7. Chitta Baral | August 24th, 2009 at 8:30 pm
Lets analyze some of the lines in the letter supposedly by Vedanta Virodhi Manch.
1. “This is being executed by Anil Agrawarl foundation of Vedanta resources. This company has a no track record of doing any philanthropic activities in tha past..”
This is not true as I have read about various philanthropic activities by Vedanta University Project in Puri as well as Vedanta Resources (or its subsidiaries) in Lanjigarh.
2. “The proposed land is being handed over to the company at throw-away prices. Around 2000 acres of land which belonged to Sri Jagannath Temple ( Built before 600 years ) has been handed over for free to the foundation.”
This land was occupied by people who did not pay anything to the temple. Vedanta University project did not get it free. They contributed a significant sum for this land, which is now put in a trust to be used by the temple.
3. “Hence there is a greater possibility of this land being converted to a small township and sold at very high profit margins. Please note that as per the bill passed in Orissa assembly , there is no clause which will prevent this as long as this is named as an university.”
The Vedanta University plan and web page clearly states about development of townships around the university. But the money made from these will go to the university and is needed to make the university compete with top universities like Harvard which have annual expenses of $3 Billion and endowments of more than ten times of that.
4. “Also I would like to highlight that no other university in the World has more than 3000 Acre campus.”
This is false. There are many universities with more land.
5. “One of the clauses says there cannot be any construction or selling / Buying of land without nod from Vedanta university within the 5 Km radius of the campus.”
I could not find this clause in the bill. The bill (before amendments) is at http://www.orissalinks.com/archives/2885 . Please point out where this is said.