Govt tells RGUHS to shift campus immediately

Despite the syndicate’s decision to shift the university phase-wise, the govt wants RGUHS to be moved to Ramanagara; the cost has to be borne by the varsity

BENGALURU: The state government issued an order on Thursday directing the Rajiv Gandhi University of Health Sciences (RGUHS), Bengaluru, to shift to the Ramanagara campus immediately. This, despite the university syndicate’s decision to shift the university phase-wise, starting with the engineering department. A month ago, the university had communicated this to the government.
Referring to the university’s communication, the government order said, “Proposal submitted by the university to shift the engineering department first has been verified, and university has been directed to shift to DC’s office provided at Archakarahalli in Ramanagara district and university must start shifting process immediately” (sic).

The order also mentions that the cost of shifting has to be borne by the university using its funds.
University authorities have decided to approach the government again regarding this. Dr K S Ravindranath, Vice-Chancellor of RGUHS, said, “It’s not possible to shift immediately. We will write to the government in detail about the issues we will face if we shift without proper arrangements.”
He added, “What they have given at DC’s office is just an empty building. We can’t run a university in a hall. Everything needs to be in place. Being a responsible institution, we are answerable to lakhs of students and as exams are going on now we can’t cause any inconve nience.”

A political issue
The shifting of RGUHS from Bengaluru to Ramanagara has over the years become a political issue. It started in 2007 when H D Kumaraswamy was in power.
He had taken a decision to construct a new campus in Ramanagara and acquired over 70 acres of land. Farmers who gave up their land were provided compensation as per 2007 regulations. Since then, it has turned into an issue of prestige for political leaders from Ramanagara constituency.
The farmers later moved the Supreme Court, demanding compensation as per 2011 guidelines. Following this, the then authorities of RGUHS requested the government to provide an alternative site. Dr K S Sriprakash was the Vice-Chancellor at that time. However, alternative land was not provided and recently the issue with the farmers was resolved with an out-of- court settlement.
Since the settlement, the present state government has been keen on shifting the campus, putting pressure on the university.

The university had also passed a resolution in the syndicate saying it would go for a global tender since its funds were being used to construct the new campus. But the government took a decision to continue with the company which got tender in 2008. The syndicate members had alleged that the state government was forcing the university to buy land which was under litigation.
The present district in-charge minister, D K Shivakumar, has been insisting that the university shift the campus, even setting a November 1, 2016 deadline to shift the administrative block.
D K Suresh, Shivakumar’s brother and MP, also visited the campus and met the Vice-Chancellor, insisting that the shifting process be initiated.

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