PDKV asks police to book co for using its land without permission

Nagpur: Dr Panjabrao Deshmukh Krishi Vidyapeeth (PDKV) has lodged a complaint with Wadi police accusing a private company JP Enterprises of encroaching its land along Amravati road. The university has also sent a legal notice directing the company to vacate the land.
TOI on March 19 had reported PDKV executive council approving renting out 2,000 sq.mt land to JP Enterprises for industrial use despite the space is meant for agroforestry and comes under Futala lake’s catchment area.

The council took the decision overlooking the state’s agriculture department and also Maharashtra Agriculture Education and Research Council (MAERC) norms prohibiting allotment of agriculture universities land for non-forestry use.
National highways division of state’s public works department (PWD) had appointed JP Enterprises for concretization of Amravati road from Variety Square to Wadi police station, excluding part of two under-construction flyovers.
Sources alleged that the company started using PDKV’s land six months ago and the university officials here were aware of it.
After TOI’s report, PDKV officials at Akola headquarters directed associate dean Prakash Kadu to initiate action.
From Kadu’s complaint to Wadi police, dated April 10, it has come to fore that JP Enterprises is yet to sign a memorandum of understanding (MoU), pay charges and obtain permission from the university for using the land. “JP Enterprises had sought the land for parking of vehicles and temporary accommodation of labourers. Though MoU is pending, the company has started using the land. It is an illegal act so action should be taken against JP Enterprises, Shivaji Nagar, as per law,” the complaint reads.
In the complaint, PDKV has mentioned one Vijendra Sharma from JP Enterprises as non-complainant. Sharma did not respond to TOI’s call and message.
PDKV officials told TOI that a legal notice has also been served to the company asking it to vacate the land.
TOI had reported how the company in nexus with local PDKV officials is using more land than approved by the executive council.
It has been over a week after lodging police complaint and legal notice, the company continues to use the land unauthorizedly.
Raising the issue, NGO Swachh Association has demanded inquiry against concerned PDKV officials.
PDKV executive council had given the land use approval citing government resolution (GR) issued by revenue and forest departments on March 3, 2007. As per legal experts, the said GR is not applicable to PDKV. Also, the university comes under agriculture department and not revenue and forest departments, they say.
As per city’s development control regulations (DCR), industrial use cannot be allowed on land meant for agroforestry. Also, the area lacks sewage network for disposal of waste being generated as labourers are staying put there.
Citing lack of funds for maintenance of its properties, PDKV is allowing non-agriculture use of its lands though it has far less space available for carrying out agriculture research.
Green crusaders have suggested the PDKV to seek funds from the government for maintenance of its properties as the university has been set up only for education and research purposes and not to make money.