Hyderabad-based Institute of Chartered Financial Analysts of India (ICFAI), which has planned to pump in Rs 150 crore for its university in Odisha, has hit land hurdle.
In a letter to the State’s Department of Higher Education (DoHE), Member New Initiatives Group of ICFAI Samad Noorus has expressed his commitment to set up a university but said they are facing hurdles in taking possession of the land identified on the outskirts of the capital city.
The ICFAI has acquired 34 acres of land at Similipatna and Anlapatna under the Chandka police station for its proposed university, which would have an intake capacity of about 1,500 students and offer courses in various disciplines like engineering, management, law, science and humanities.
Though the ICFAI authorities have purchased the land, they have to confront problems for its physical possession. Noorus’ letter has stated that when attempt was made to demarcate the land and erect a boundary wall, certain individuals and their henchmen put spanner in the land takeover.
Then ICFAI authorities had sought help of the city police to take possession of the land. The ACP-cum-Executive Magistrate clamped Section 144 of CrPC against the persons who were trying to obstruct possession. To counter the ICFAI’s move, these persons had filed a criminal revision petition in the Court of District Judge, Khurda, but it was dismissed by the court.
Several other persons also filed four petitions in the Additional Deputy Commissioner of Police-cum-Executive Magistrate Court to pass a prohibitory order against the ICFAI from entering into the land. The case has kept its order reserved till date.
In the meantime, the ICFAI has also filed civil suit in the Court of Civil Judge at Bhubaneswar for a permanent injunction against the people creating problems for land possession. The suit is still pending adjudication.
The ICFAI has made a representation seeking to acquire an additional 15 acres of land to make a 50-acre contiguous patch for the university as per provisions of the Act passed in the State legislative Assembly. The ICFAI University Bill was approved by the Assembly in 2009 after the ICFAI inked an MoU with the State Government in March 2007. However, the slow progress of the university project has worried the DoHE authorities, which have asked the ICFAI authorities to clear their stand.
DoHE Principal Secretary Gagan Kumar Dhal would soon convene a meeting to sort out the issues and, accordingly, the ICFAI authorities have been asked to present their case, said sources.