By TwoCircles.net Staff Correspondent,
Kochi: The first phase of land acquisition for the regional centre of the Aligarh Muslim University in Kerala will be completed by November 15, informed the special office authorities. The land chosen for the campus is at Chelamala which lies in Perinthalmanna, Elamkulam, Anamangad and Pathayikkara villages in Malappuram district.
The 124 acres of land, for which survey has been conducted and is now owned by 63 persons, will be acquired in the first phase. A Purchase Committee has also been formed chaired by the district Collector for the acquisition. The government has offered Rs 8,250 per cent for the land after discussions with the land owners as per the negotiable fast track purchase method. About 16 land owners have reportedly informed their willingness to transfer the land to the government at the rate so far. This will amount to about eight acres.
The preparation of the draft map and details of land owned by persons coming under each survey number are going on in the Aligarh Special Office. The officers are codifying the details of the land owners which were collected along with the first phase of survey.
If land owners are not willing to hand over the land as per the negotiable fast track purchase method, the government can acquire the land according to a notification. When acquiring in this way, a cent will fetch only around Rs 4,000. The person will also have to pay taxes and cess. But such payments need not be made if the land is handed over through the negotiable fast track purchase method.
Kerala is one of the five states chosen by the Aligarh Muslim University to set up its regional off-campus centres. The state government has chosen around 400 acres of land at Perinthalmanna in Malappuram district for the purpose. However, the land acquisition procedures are going on even now. There have been problems in the selection of land. And now that the land is selected, the new problem lies with some of the land owners approaching the court against the acquisition.
However, if the campus comes into existence in Malappuram, it will indeed add to the educational development of not only the district or Malabar area but the whole state.