Rs 30 cr not given to Forest Dept, Central University of Himachal Pradesh's work delayed

Tribune News Service

Lalit Mohan

Dharamsala, September 1

The construction of the north campus of the Central University of Himachal Pradesh (CUHP) at Jadrangal in the Dharamsala Assembly constituency of Kangra district is getting delayed.

The reason for the delay is that the state government has not deposited Rs 30 crore for the transfer of 55 hectares of forestland in the name of the university for the construction of the campus. The Kangra district administration had in July forwarded to the state government the case for the transfer of forestland to the CUHP.

Sources said that the government was yet to deposit Rs 30 crore with the Forest Department for the transfer of land despite hectic lobbying by the CUHP authorities. The construction of the south campus of the CUHP in the Dehra constituency of Kangra district was going on at full swing.

The CUHP wants the work on its north campus to start immediately as many important buildings, including the main administrative block, have been planned at Jadrangal.

The Forest Department has evaluated Rs 30 crore as the cost of 55 hectares of forestland at Jadrangal. In June, the Union Ministry of Environment and Forest had given clearance for the transfer of 55 hectares to the CUHP.

Two campuses of the CUHP were proposed in 2010, as per the government recommendation. While the south campus was to be set up in Dehra, the north campus was proposed in Dharamsala. About 200 hectares of forestland in Dehra was transferred to the CUHP during the stint of the previous BJP government.

The CUHP has already awarded the contract for the construction of the Dehra campus. Many citizen groups in Dharamsala has been holding protests alleging a conspiracy to shift the proposed campus out of Dharamsala.

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