Failed project site to house new varsity

BOLPUR: Chandranath Sinha, the Bolpur MLA and state fisheries minister, said that land for the proposed university at Shibpur in Santiniketan, barely 6km from Rabindranath Tagore's Visva-Bharati, has been identified.
Around 300 acres adjoining Bolpur-Illambazar Road was acquired in two phase in 2000 in Sibpur mouza of Raipur-Supur village panchayat by West Bengal Industrial Infrastructure Development Corporation, a state government undertaking, to set up the Bolpur Industrial Development Centre (BIDC).But when the project failed to attract entrepreneurs, WBIIDC formed a joint venture company a couple of years ago to use the land for some other purpose.
The announcement of the proposed university, meanwhile, has fuelled enthusiasm among academics in the south Bengal town.
Though a private university was set up near Santiniketan a couple of years ago, the response from students has been poor. But the new institution christened Visva Bangla Visvavidyalay had led to curiosity and expectation of better opportunities among teachers.
Will the new university run parallel to V-B or will it be something different? These are the twin questions doing the rounds.
Artist and Trinamool Congress Rajya Sabha MP Jogen Chowdhury felt the proposed university would be different from V-B to which he was attached for a couple of decades. "Another university in Bolpur should not be a problem. I hope it is not a replica of V-B but offers alternative opportunity for modern and advanced subjects."
V-B vice-chancellor Swapan Dutta welcomed the decision. "V-B is founded on the ideals of Tagore and is unique. We hope the new university that comes up is also in line with Tagore's ideals," he remarked.
When the BIDC project failed to take off, it fuelled agitation among land losers who wanted industries to be set up or paid higher price for the land. They had even threatened to forcibly reoccupy the land.
Now, though, they have hailed the proposal. Mojammel Hauque, who was leading the protests, said: "When the proposal to set up a university was discussed at a meeting with district administration, we extended our support with the hope that locals would find jobs. We only want the remaining compensation to be paid before construction begins."