SGU Syndicate raps land de-reservation

SURAT, Oct 3: The South Gujarat University syndicate has passed a resolution condemning the state government's decision to de-reserve 158...

SURAT, Oct 3: The South Gujarat University syndicate has passed a resolution condemning the state government8217;s decision to de-reserve 158 acres of university land. The syndicate, which met on Tuesday, unanimously resolved to move the court to challenge the government decision.

All syndicate members will go to Gandhinagar to meet the governor and chief minister to force them to reconsider their decision, syndicate member Prof Suryakant Shah told Express Newsline.

Sometime in the 1970s, the land on the Udhna-Magdalla road was reserved by the state government and the SUDA. However, some farmers whose land was reserved moved court and got a stay order against the reservation.

The stay was vacated recently, but the government did not inform the university. Instead of giving possession, the government has decided dereserve the land, to which the university fraternity has reacted sharply.

8220;Tuesday8217;s meeting had a one-point agenda : how to force the government to rethink its decision8221;, says Prof Shah.

University sources said the state government summoned Vice-chancellor Prem Sharda to Gandhinagar on October 27, where he was asked to explain how he was going to utilise the excess land.

As he was unprepared for the question and had not consulted syndicate members and the engineering department, he reportedly could not give a satisfactory answer. The Vice-chancellor could not be contacted for his comment.

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Syndicate members will take up the matter with the state government. They will also seek senior high court advocate Bhaskar Tanna8217;s guidance in this matter.

Besides, the university will also seek guidance from retired supreme court chief justice P N Bhagwati and retired supreme court justice D A Desai. The Registrar will file a writ petition on behalf of the South Gujarat University to seek a stay order against the state government8217;s move.