Date:02/08/2007 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2007/08/02/stories/2007080261061000.htm

Andhra Pradesh

College told to cough up Rs. 2.6 cr.

Shastry V. Mallady

MADURAI: Five years after its inauguration, the Madurai Kamaraj University College at Andipatti in Theni district is in a fix. The Tamil Nadu Housing Board is now demanding Rs. 2.6 crore towards the cost of the 17-acre land it allotted for the college in 2002.

MKU sources told The Hindu on Wednesday that the varsity authorities had expressed their inability to pay the huge sum that includes 18 per cent interest.

The college, which offers four undergraduate courses, has 1,200 students. It was one of the promises made by former Chief Minister Jayalalithaa, who represents the Andipatti constituency in the Assembly, during her election campaign in 2001.

“We wrote to the TNHB to write off the amount or at least accept the guideline value that comes to about Rs.6 lakh,” a senior university official said.

According to MKU authorities, the TNHB assigned the land for the college and the then Government sanctioned Rs.1 crore to complete the project.

“More than 50 per cent of our students are girls and the MKU College is catering to the educational needs of those hailing from poor families with a rural background,” a college official said.

The university pointed out that the Andipatti college was serving a social cause, and it did not have sufficient funds since only the fee stipulated by the Government was collected.