Stop the Government of Orissa from Being a Facilitator for Supporting Private Universities and Education Monopolies at the Cost of State Run Universities and the Common Masses
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The Chief Justice, Supreme Court India, International Human Rights Organizations, Civil Society Organisations, Mass Movements Political Parties in India, People of Orissa, Citizens of India, and the Government of India
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To
The Chief Justice, Supreme Court India, International Human Rights Organizations, Civil Society Organisations, Mass Movements Political Parties in India, People of Orissa, Citizens of India, and the Government of India
Dear All,
As you are aware, the Government of Orissa has made legislations for establishing a few private universities in Orissa, which is unprecedented in the history of Orissa. Most of the existing government run universities (that serve the higher educational needs of the most of the students in Orissa) are starving for funds, lack of adequate infrastructure, unfilled vacancies and so on. On the other hand, the private universities are prospering with tacit and direct government promotion as well as huge donations and fees charged from the students. It is also lamentable that the private higher educational and technical institutions in Orissa are practicing illegal resource mobilization policies without any paper work in the name of management seats. All the money generated through these management seats go directly to the promoters of the educational institutions as black money and the Government does not get a single rupee as tax out of this money. There are 12 government run higher education institutions of university status in Orissa which are in precarious condition due to lack of adequate resources both human and financial. The only Cultural University in Orissa, which is first of its kind in the entire Asia namely Utkal University of Culture which was established through a former Chief Minister from the Tribal Community is suffering from government apathy, rampant corruption and it is often alleged that the problems in this government institution is instigated by the educational lords of the State. The fees collected from each student from private educational institutions in a poor State like Orissa is so prohibiting that in certain instances it reaches Rs. 2 crore per student in medical education seats. While there is a need to put a control on these institutions, the present move by the government to have separate legislations for establishments of two universities such as the Vedanta University and Sri Sri University needs specific attention from the perspective of the future of education in the state. Higher education has become a privilege of a few in Orissa.
In the most recent initiative, the Government of Orissa has promoted two Private Universities namely, the Vedanta University and Sri Sri University through two separate legislations in the State Assembly. The Vedanta University has been given permission to operate on a huge area of 6000 acres of land which is more than the geographical area covered by all the government run universities in the State taken together. Again, quite undemocratically, the government of Orissa has also issued a notice to prohibit people to undertake any construction and other work within a distance of 5 KMs surrounding the allocated 6000 acres of land. Permission to a private university to run on such a huge area has threatened the local biodiversity and displacement of local people from their ancestral homes and land they had been tilling from centuries over generations. The Vedanta University authorities have also gone a step ahead with eviction of people from their homes by employing criminals and goons who enter into the villages and torture the inhabitants.
This is to appeal to you to speak out against such injustice and private enrichment at the cost of unprecedented distress of the common masses and to take appropriate steps at your level to stop such injustice.
The full text of the Vedanta University Bill 2009 and Sri Sri University Bill 2009 can be accessed at http://www.nsa.org.in/Important\%20documents/importantdocument_contents.htm
The Chief Justice, Supreme Court India, International Human Rights Organizations, Civil Society Organisations, Mass Movements Political Parties in India, People of Orissa, Citizens of India, and the Government of India
Dear All,
As you are aware, the Government of Orissa has made legislations for establishing a few private universities in Orissa, which is unprecedented in the history of Orissa. Most of the existing government run universities (that serve the higher educational needs of the most of the students in Orissa) are starving for funds, lack of adequate infrastructure, unfilled vacancies and so on. On the other hand, the private universities are prospering with tacit and direct government promotion as well as huge donations and fees charged from the students. It is also lamentable that the private higher educational and technical institutions in Orissa are practicing illegal resource mobilization policies without any paper work in the name of management seats. All the money generated through these management seats go directly to the promoters of the educational institutions as black money and the Government does not get a single rupee as tax out of this money. There are 12 government run higher education institutions of university status in Orissa which are in precarious condition due to lack of adequate resources both human and financial. The only Cultural University in Orissa, which is first of its kind in the entire Asia namely Utkal University of Culture which was established through a former Chief Minister from the Tribal Community is suffering from government apathy, rampant corruption and it is often alleged that the problems in this government institution is instigated by the educational lords of the State. The fees collected from each student from private educational institutions in a poor State like Orissa is so prohibiting that in certain instances it reaches Rs. 2 crore per student in medical education seats. While there is a need to put a control on these institutions, the present move by the government to have separate legislations for establishments of two universities such as the Vedanta University and Sri Sri University needs specific attention from the perspective of the future of education in the state. Higher education has become a privilege of a few in Orissa.
In the most recent initiative, the Government of Orissa has promoted two Private Universities namely, the Vedanta University and Sri Sri University through two separate legislations in the State Assembly. The Vedanta University has been given permission to operate on a huge area of 6000 acres of land which is more than the geographical area covered by all the government run universities in the State taken together. Again, quite undemocratically, the government of Orissa has also issued a notice to prohibit people to undertake any construction and other work within a distance of 5 KMs surrounding the allocated 6000 acres of land. Permission to a private university to run on such a huge area has threatened the local biodiversity and displacement of local people from their ancestral homes and land they had been tilling from centuries over generations. The Vedanta University authorities have also gone a step ahead with eviction of people from their homes by employing criminals and goons who enter into the villages and torture the inhabitants.
This is to appeal to you to speak out against such injustice and private enrichment at the cost of unprecedented distress of the common masses and to take appropriate steps at your level to stop such injustice.
The full text of the Vedanta University Bill 2009 and Sri Sri University Bill 2009 can be accessed at http://www.nsa.org.in/Important\%20documents/importantdocument_contents.htm
56 Signatures
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Ratneswar Sahu
- Comments
- I oppose private role in education in any form. it creates unequala access to this basic service
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RAKTIM MUKHOPADHYAY
- Comments
- No people should be evicted from their traditional home.
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Arun Kumar
- Comments
- We need more Universities but not like this
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Nandan Nawn
- Comments
- It is atrocious! So much land for a private University, which is more than 4 times the size of JNU!
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ravindr
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Biswa Swarup Misra
- Comments
- Education is a public good having lots of positive externalities. Governmnet can't shy away from its basic responsibilty.
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Pranab Jyoti Neog
- Comments
- We don't oppose private participation in education. But such a huge area of land acquisition and subsequent forced displacement of indigenous people must be stopped with immediate effect.
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Jandhyala BG Tilak
- Comments
- This is sheer private enrichment and public pauperisation!
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Rukmini Sen, NUJS, Kolkata
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Harbans Mukhia
- Comments
- Looks like a criminal misuse of public resources like land.
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Prafulla Ratha
- Comments
- No development activity should be promoted ignoring people's interest. If Govt. feels to improve the quality of higher education in the state, what is bad in improving the quality of existing Utkal University, Revenshaw Collage, Berhampur University, OUAT atc. and putting mechanism in place to ensure accountability. These private companies will never look at the interest of the Oriyas and moreover, Vedanta does not carry a good name globally. The Govt. should respect the verdict the people of Orissa have given them in last election or else these common people can change the fate of any uncommon personality.
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badri raina
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Shankar Venkateswaran
- Comments
- While I dont oppose privatisation per se, I am opposed to large land acquisitions in Orissa given their appalling record of rehab. Despite Orissa's much touted R&R policy, the poor are impoverished even more through these land acquisitions.
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S.Janakarajan
- Comments
- I find it outrageous. Local people's livelihoods cannot be destroyed in the name of promoting higher education. The Hon. Supreme Court shoud intervene in order to restore justice to the afecetd people who are absolutely defenseless.
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sushil kumar singh
- Comments
- it should be stopped
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pankaj
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aparna
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Dr John Dayal
- Comments
- Monopolies and good life for higher education forthe poor?
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Prabodh Jhingan
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sachin kumar singh
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anjaneya singh
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anant pratap singh
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amrendra shekhar singh
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vipin kuamr singh
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Rashmi singh
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monalisa
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Ram Sewak
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S Sabbarwal
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Sharanya
- Comments
- Why does the Orissa Government need a company that has a proven track record of exploitation and fraud to provide education to its citizens ? What kind of education can an exploiter provide to people ? How to cheat poor tribals and armtwist a Government to pay through its nose for its profits ?
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Aditi Nath Sarkar
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Bijay Kumar Das
- Comments
- Stop Privatisation
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Kundan Kumar
- Comments
- Its a shame that a company blacklisted by Norway Government and a host of other organisations, and well known for its shoddy human rights and environmental record is being provided 6000 acres of land in one of the most densely populated areas of Orissa
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Saint
- Comments
- Orissa govt's 6000 acre project for universities is insane in the normal world but those involved in this project are casteists and looters of public properties, Orissa is trying to loot the public property in the name of Vedanta or Sri Sri. There is so much problems with the existing universities and instituitions, there are no proper funds or faciltiy in the existing educational system and it is ridiculous to spend money and extravagant land allocation for yet another university especially in the most backward and poorest of India's state Orissa, people in Orissa and around India should make sure this project does not go forward and stop it right away.
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Arjun Dev
- Comments
- This is disgraceful.
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Arjun Dev
- Comments
- This is disgraceful.
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R.Ravi Kumar
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Mrutyunjaya Nayak
- Comments
- It is abrutal act and slow poision to the democracy. It gives aclear picture this government is the most irresponsible and corrupted rather than be sensitive to local needs. The land given to Vedanta is more than oxford university. We request let the government update and upgrade the existing universities rather than give extra faver to private parties. It is another form of commercialising the education. Stop this or let the government quit.
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Mrutyunjaya Nayak
- Comments
- It is abrutal act and slow poision to the democracy. It gives aclear picture this government is the most irresponsible and corrupted rather than be sensitive to local needs. The land given to Vedanta is more than oxford university. We request let the government update and upgrade the existing universities rather than give extra faver to private parties. It is another form of commercialising the education. Stop this or let the government quit.
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Prof Ashok Thakorbhai Amin
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brajesh jha
- Comments
- it is distressful to learn
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Rakesh Ranjan
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victor
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Ashok Rath
- Comments
- In the name of University ,they want to misguide the common people,with well designed propaganda.
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Steph
- Comments
- Civil society and ProVedanta University in Orissa must be made aware of the greatest disaster being caused by Anil's Vedanta Alumainain Orissa.No need to preach in University when you do not practice in Industry.You must not take Beaurocratic led Orissa for granted.Who stops you taking full Kandhmal/Kalahandi for making world class dream projects? Anil/Ravi must start with a national model school for all Indians to see before thinking of a University for International community.
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Minati Mallik
- Comments
- please stop to acquaire public land
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Premananda Mohanty
- Comments
- State Govt. not to allow so much of land for future ill intention
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Mansi Sarkar
- Comments
- The efforts made by Network for Social Accountability (NSA) and its Director Siba Sankar Mohanty is appreciable. I believe that because the people of Orissa and for that matter, people of India are not united to resist such a loot of public resources, There sohould be efforts to unite and organise people on this. unfortunately, even the mainstream left parties in orissa are not opposing the government from doing this. Instead they have joined hands with the government in forming the govt and doing only some half hearted noises to show that they had responded. Vedanta opening a university is not only funny to hear its ridiculous that the government has allowed so much land to them for the purpose. This should be stopped. I am with the appeal to stop Vedanta. Its a criminal group. it should be banned and Mr. Anil Agarwal should be hanged for the crime he has committed in other parts of the state, in Lanjigarh etc in snaching away livelihood and happiness from the faces of thousands of people
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suresh nautiyal
- Comments
- i agree with the content of the petition.
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gayatri patnaik
- Comments
- В
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R. S. Bora
- Comments
- I oppose the Govt. Orissa efforts
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56
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