Puri: Construction work for the proposed Odia University at Satyabadi is yet to begin even though the foundation stone for the educational institution was laid around two years ago.
The inordinate delay in the establishment of the Odia University has invited criticism from social activists as well as intellectuals.
The heritage cabinet of the state government, formed to propagate and preserve the heritage and culture of Odisha and enrich Odia language in 2017, had decided to set up the university at Satyabadi where Satyabadi Vana Vidyalaya had been established by the famous Panchasakha – Pandit Gopabandhu Das, Acharya Harihar Das, Pandit Nilakantha Das, Krupasindhu Mishra and Godavarish Mishra.
The proposed university would offer postgraduate courses in Odia language and promote research.
Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik had laid the foundation stone for the proposed university at Satyabadi ‘Bakulabana’ on the occasion of Utkalamani Gopabandhu Das’s 141st birth anniversary October 9, 2018.
It was then decided that the university would be set up on the land of Satyabadi Gopinath Deb for which 28.74 acre land at Phula Alasha mouza was earmarked.
Since the owner of the land is Satyabadi Gopinath Deb, the state government had applied before the Endowment Commission to buy the land. The application was made in accordance with Section-19 of Odisha Hindu Endowments Act. But the residents of Satyabadi opposed the move as Bakulabana has been deeply associated with rituals of Sakhi Gopal temple and Srimandir in Puri. They had requested the Puri Collector to save Bakuklabana.
Subsequently, a meeting was convened and it was decided that Bakulabana would be excluded from the original layout and the university would be set up on the remaining 9.60 acres of land.
Last year, the Higher Education department had purchased the land from Satyabadi Gopinath Dev temple trust at a cost of Rs 11, 33, 58,000, sources said. The state government had also appointed an officer on special duty (OSD) for the proposed university. However, the construction work for the project is yet to be started by the state government.
It is learnt that Higher Education department Commissioner-cum-Secretary Saswat Mishra has recently written to his Works department counterpart seeking the latter’s intervention in providing an architectural plan for the proposed Odia University.
In his letter to the Works department Commissioner-cum-Secretary, Mishra pointed out that the Higher Education department had urged the Chief Engineer (buildings) October 14 last year to provide an architectural plan and design for the university. However, the Higher Education department is yet to receive the architectural plan, said the letter.
“We had thought that the Odia University at Satyabadi would work to promote our language and culture. Now, we are very much skeptical about the proposed university. We are unable to understand the reason behind delay in the construction of the institute. The state government should look into the issue and take immediate step to begin work for the proposed Odia University,” said retired teacher and former student of Satyabadi Vana Vidyalaya Banamali Behera.
Puri Collector Balwant Singh said the required land for the proposed university has been acquired after settlement of all issues in this regard. “Nothing related to the construction work for the Odia University is pending with us,” he clarified.