MAHABUBABAD: The state government’s plan to relocate tribal University proposed to be set up near Mulug in Bhupalpally district is being opposed by the people of Mahabubabad district. Locals allege that though the Centre had selected Mahabubabad for setting up the tribal university, however, tourism minister Azmeera Chandulal, who belongs to Mulug, was trying to shift it to his place.
A team of officials from the Union ministry of human resource development and state government had already inspected a site near Gattamma temple in Mulug close to National Highway 163. In fact, the Union government has announced `10 crore for the varsity in current fiscal year budget.
With the central team reportedly satisfied with the site identified near Mulug for setting up tribal University, the people of Mahabubabad are agitated. Even the political leaders of the district including TRS are unhappy with the move and are blaming minister Chandulal and Mahabubabad MP Seetharam Naik for the relocation of the university.
Recently, CPI and BJP leaders organised a huge rally protesting against the government’s move to relocate the tribal university in the town. They claimed that it was being done at the behest of Chandulal and Naik. The locals are also unhappy with the silence maintained by TRS MLA Shankar Naik and other leaders from the ruling party.
Meanwhile, the opposition parties threatened to organise a huge protest if the government does not stick to the original plan. The people of the district are planning to take the matter to the notice of the chief minister. It is learnt that about 487 acres are available in Mulug for setting up the tribal university. Of the total land available, 273 acres is state land and rest belongs to the forest department.The first move for tribal varsity was made in 2008 by the then chief minister YS Rajasekhara Reddy.
He then proposed to establish the varsity in Bhadrachalam Agency. Despite the fact that an expert committee of Indira Gandhi National Tribal University (IGNTU) led by then registrar Ashok Singh visited the Agency in 2011, the proposal did not make any headway thereafter.
Later, the Union government accepted to establish the varsity in Telangana as per the AP Reorganisation Act-2014. But finally, KCR announced that varsity would come up in Warangal (undivided) district. Since then, the government was on look out for suitable land. The requirement is said to be around 500 acres for the varsity.
Opposition parties threaten to protest
The opposition parties threatened to organise a huge protest if the government does not stick to the original plan. They argue that as the density of tribal population was high in Mahbubabad, hence, the university should be set up in the district.