UoH student union protests against alleged land grab activities on campus

Hyderabad: The University of Hyderabad's Student Union has alleged that some people, ostensibly with the support of local politicians as well as government officials, were making continuous illegal attempts to encroach upon the university land.

In the latest incident on Thursday, over 100 feet of the university compound wall was demolished near the Indian School of Business, an action the students claim was done without prior notice or any information to the university authorities.

The issue has been a longstanding one, with several complaints lodged by the university on the matter over a decade. Last year, the student union said, there were two major land encroachment attempts, allegedly supported by the state government officials. The students now demand support from the university management to find a permanent solution to the issue.

Explaining the issue on an administrative level, Prof. Vinod Pavarala said, “This is not a new issue. It has been going on for years now, between the university management and the district administration. The land practically belongs to the government, leased out to the university for a period of 99 years. But we cannot let it be taken away at any point without negotiations with the university.”

He added that even as the university has been in touch with the district administration and both state and central government authorities to resolve the matter, the district administration has suddenly ordered the laying of a road on university property. “This has now forced the University to approach the High Court to intervene in the matter,” said Prof. Pavarala.