KSU seeks intervention of Union Agriculture minister over CAU issue

Syllad | The Rising MeghalayaJuly 15, 2019

SHILLONG: The Khasi Students’ Union (KSU) has sought the intervention of the Union Agriculture & Farmers’ Welfare Minister Narendra Singh Tomar to ensure that the proposed setting up of the Central Agriculture University (CAU) in Meghalaya becomes a reality. 

“…the KSU would like to appeal to your good office to kindly intervene for the setting up of the proposed Central Agricultural University in Kyrdemkulai (Umiam), Meghalaya…(We) sincerely urged you to kindly address this matter and ensure that the promised and proposed Central Agricultural University in Meghalaya will become a reality,” KSU chief Lambok Starwell Marngar said in a memorandum submitted to Tomar recently. 

He informed that as per information acquired through the Right to Information (RTI) Act by one Arju Dkhar, it was observed that since 2010 there was a proposal to set up an autonomous CAU in the state of Meghalaya by the Government of India which would cater to the aspirations of the students’ community in the state of Meghalaya. 

Accordingly an agreement was reached between the Central Government and the Government of Meghalaya under Entry 64 of the Union List I in the same year whereby a plot of land measuring 200 acres was acquired by the Government of Meghalaya in Kyrdemkulai, Ri-Bhoi District for the setting up of the said University. 

Subsequently, he said on October 16, 2014, in a letter (D. O. No. 5-7/2008-CAU) from Dr S Ayyapan the Secretary of the Department of Agricultural Research & Education and Director General of Indian Council of Agricultural Research to the then Chief Secretary of Meghalaya, PBO Warjri, it was conspicuously mentioned that the acquired land was for the establishment of a new CAU. 

On the October 28, 2015 a meeting was held under the chairmanship of Dr S Ayyapan with the officials of the Government of Meghalaya, Nagaland and Department of Agricultural Research in New Delhi to discuss on the various issues for the establishment of the CAU in Meghalaya. 

“However to the utter dismay of the people of Meghalaya, this year, it was found out that instead of a full-fledged University, a College of Agriculture was established in the said acquired land which is affiliated to the Central Agricultural University headquartered in Imphal, Manipur,” Marngar said. 

“This development had shattered the hopes and aspirations of the people of Meghalaya especially the students’ community, and the people felt that they were duped by the Central Government,” he added. 

The KSU chief further claimed that even the landowners who willingly part with their lands for the establishment of the proposed University felt dejected after they learnt that a College would be set up in the acquired land. 

According to him, this was expressed during a protest demonstration on the premises of the said land on the June 21, attended by the students’ community, the local elders, the landowners, the mother’s associations and the concerned citizens of the state. 

In this protest demonstration, many expressed their shock and dismay as the sudden change of decision by the Government of India without proper consultation with the people of Meghalaya which are the main stakeholders. 

Everyone was unanimous that the state needs a full-fledged and an autonomous Central Agricultural University with powers vested in the proposed headquarters in Kyrdemkulai, Ri-Bhoi District, Meghalaya and not merely a college with affiliations to a headquarter outside the state, he stated.