Utkal University's 400 acres await a manager

BHUBANESWAR: Utkal University which is entangled in a land row with RD Women's University, does not have an officer to manage its sprawling 400 acres of land.
"The post created for the management and upkeep of varsity land has been lying vacant for the past six months," said the university authorities. The varsity has a sanctioned post, namely 'Estate Officer', to look after and manage the land. The post seems very crucial now as around 50 acres of land has been encroached upon by outsiders.

Though the university authorities put the encroachment figure at 30 acres, unofficial sources said at least 50 acres of land remain under the illegal possession of slums dwellers of Patharbandh and some retired employees of the institution. Some group-D employees have not yet vacated the quarters allotted to them after retirement, said sources.

"It is the job of the estate officer to keep a record of the used land, unused land and encroached land. The officer takes up the issue with the state government when s/he notices any illegal settlement in the varsity land," said a senior professor.

The sources said around 247 acres of land inside the campus has been used for different purposes. Another 60 acres of land will be used for different upcoming projects including a convention centre, playground and department buildings. "Apart from the encroachment issue, the officer will look after the judicious use of varsity land. So the institute needs an estate officer now," said the professor.

Soumendra Mohan Patnaik, vice-chancellor of Utkal University, said he will definitely communicate the issue to the state government. "We will request the government to appoint an estate officer in our university. We will also urge the government to send a serving officer instead of a retired one," he added.

Higher education minister Anant Das said the state government is taking steps to free the encroached land of the university. "We know outsiders have encroached on a portion of the university land. We will appoint an estate officer soon through the general administration department. He will look after the management of university land," he added.