The Osmania University Teachers' Association (OUTA) has alleged that a piece of land owned by the university was being given away to the Telangana government for building a 100-bedded super speciality hospital. On Saturday, August 19, the Association, in a press release, condemned the move.
Professor B Manohar, President of OUTA, informed that the said piece of land is situated in Hyderabad's Manikeshwar Nagar, near Vaddera Basthi. According to him, the proposal for the hospital was given by T Padma Rao, Deputy Speaker, Telangana Assembly, who also sanctioned Rs 140 crore to Osmania University (OU) for infrastructural development.
"An administrative building and two boys' hostels are being constructed on the campus, while a road is also proposed to be laid. We, the faculty members, have come to the conclusion that there is a tacit understanding between the speaker and our VC over these developments and the consent given for the hospital," Professor Manohar alleges.
The association has urged the teaching and non-teaching staff, as well as the students of OU, to "come forward to protect the university land", as per the press release.
The faculty members have also urged the state government not to take over the land, keeping in mind the future requirements of the students and staff. They have suggested that the OU Health Centre be transformed into the proposed 100-bedded hospital instead, by appointing more doctors and improving the infrastructure.
Quick flashback
The OUTA press release also highlighted that the O Chinnappa Reddy Committee, appointed in 1994, also prohibited the university land from being given away. "In this report, he mentioned that the Syndicate of the University, in the meeting held on 26-12-1986, resolved that the practice of allotting University land to outside agencies of either Educational/Research nature or otherwise be dispensed with totally," the press release says.
According to Prof Manohar, O Chinnappa Reddy was a retired judge of the Supreme Court, appointed to enquire into all important matters pertaining to the land of OU. At the time, there was a dispute over the university land being given to the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Hyderabad.
OU VC's statement
Moving back to the present matter, when EdexLive contacted OU VC D Ravinder Yadav, he denied the allegations made by OUTA. "We have not given any land to anyone. There is only a proposal. If we receive any official communication, we will think about it," he stated.
