By TwoCircles.net Staff Correspondent,
Kochi: Kerala Education Minister MA Baby visited the proposed site for setting up the regional centre of the Aligarh Muslim University in Malappuram district yesterday. The visit has come prior to the visit of the AMU team led by VC PK Abdul Azeez on Wednesday.
The whole land that has been surveyed for the campus will be acquired on fast track system by giving just rates to the land owners, said Mr Baby. He also reportedly directed the officers concerned to accelerate the land acquisition work. This was Mr Baby’s first visit to the site and he opined that the area was apt for an academic ambience.
All the procedures including the survey for acquiring the 398 acre land have been completed, said the minister. He added that the government has reached an agreement with the land owners regarding the land for transportation facilities. Three land owners, namely Hamsa, Alavi Haji and Velayudhan, handed over letters of consent for handing over 10 acres of land for the campus. The minister praised the act saying that the handing over of land for development projects in Malappuram district was a good model. He assured them that the government would do the necessary to provide them immediately the value and compensation for the land (which was being used for agriculture).
The VC will give details regarding the beginning of classes in the temporary centre at Cherukara this year itself, added Mr Baby.
Mr Baby attended the analysis meeting of officers held in the Taluk office before visiting the campus site at Chelamala near Perinthalmanna. In the first phase, notification procedures will be completed and 150 acres acquired in a month, said MC Mohandas, Malappuram district Collector, who accompanied the minister. He added that the rest of the land would be acquired by December 31.
Special Acquisition Officer Dr Lalithambika, V Sasikuar, MLA, Special Tehsildar PV Ramadas, Tehsildar Joy John, Special Officer Dr K Vijayakumar, Taluk surveyor Musthafa, the Panchayat authorities of Alipparamba and Revenue officers accompanied the minister.
The state government plans to acquire 394.76 acres of land for the AMU campus. The land is now possessed by 420 persons, among whom three have voluntarily handed over the land to the government. The voluntary surrender of land is a rare act and an excellent sign, said MC Mohandas, district collector.
The AMU has planned to set up regional centres in five states including West Bengal, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh and Bihar. The opening of regional centres is said to be a landmark in the history of the AMU. The centres are expected to address the social and educational backwardness of the districts.