A proposed transfer of 196.22 acres of Bharathiar University land to the Tamil Nadu Industrial Development Corporation (TIDCO) for non-polluting industries has triggered opposition in Coimbatore, with the BJP demanding that any government order enabling the move be withdrawn.
Coimbatore city district BJP president J Ramesh Kumar said in a statement on Friday that land acquired for Bharathiar University should remain dedicated to education and research. He also raised concerns that the proposed land parcel could include elephant movement corridors and said wildlife and environmental protections must be ensured before any transfer is implemented.
According to the statement, around 925.84 acres were acquired for Bharathiar University between 1978 and 1986. The university land was acquired from original landowners, and the Tamil Nadu government has initiated steps to provide Rs 164.28 crore to resolve the long-pending compensation issue, Kumar said.
The dispute follows resolutions passed at the Bharathiar University Syndicate meeting on January 31 and the empowered committee meeting on February 2. These resolutions concerned the use of an amount paid by TIDCO to compensate people who had given land to the university.
A higher education department order issued on April 14 states that 196 acres of Bharathiar University land will be handed over to TIDCO for non-polluting industries. The order also provides for 77 acres near Marudamalai to be reserved as an elephant corridor. The document surfaced recently in court, according to the report.
Kumar said the BJP did not oppose the use of university land for the expansion of educational institutions, including Anna University, because that would remain within an educational purpose. He argued, however, that transferring land acquired for education to an industrial development agency would change the original objective for which the property was obtained.
The proposed arrangement places several public functions on the same land decision: compensation for former landowners, expansion of industrial activity, the management of university property and protection of an identified wildlife movement route. The source report does not specify the proposed industries, the development timeline, the terms of the transfer or the safeguards that would apply to construction and operations.
The order’s provision for a separate elephant corridor near Marudamalai indicates that wildlife movement is part of the land-use framework. However, the report does not provide details on the boundaries of the corridor, the findings of any environmental assessment or the authority responsible for monitoring compliance.
Kumar said the BJP would launch a legal public interest campaign if the government proceeded with the transfer. He said the campaign would seek to mobilise farmers, educators, environmentalists and members of the public against the proposed change in land use.
The immediate administrative question is whether the government order will be implemented, modified or withdrawn. The report does not state that industrial construction has begun or that a final project schedule has been announced. Further proceedings in court and the government’s response to the objections are the next reported developments to watch.
