Karnataka - Belgaum

College comes up in army firing area

DANGER AREA: The Angadi Institute of Technology and Management campus has come up in the notified firing range of Indian Army in Belgaum.

Belgaum: The Belgaum-based Suresh Angadi Education Foundation has established its new educational institute, the Angadi Institute of Technology and Management (AITM) allegedly in the danger zone of weapons firing range of the Indian Army on Savagaon Road, thereby affecting the training of the army personnel.

The Maratha Light Infantry Regimental Centre (MLIRC) has served separate notices to the Deputy Commissioner and the Belgaum Urban Development Authority seeking clarification on the matter.

When contacted, Additional Deputy Commissioner Vijay Kumar Torgal on Friday confirmed receipt of the notices.

The institute, approved by All India Council for Technical Education, came into existence in the current academic year 2009-10 and offers undergraduate engineering courses in four disciplines and a postgraduate MBA programme. The foundation, established as a trust last year, is headed by second time Bharatiya Janata Party MP (Belgaum) Suresh C. Angadi with his close family members as trust members.

In the notice issued to the Deputy Commissioner, MLIRC’s Officiating Administrative Commandant Col. R.K. Mishra said that college complex had been built in Survey No. 72/73 “which lies in danger zone of weapon firing in the Baghdad-Asmara field firing ranges”.

Further, he said that as per the Karnataka Gazette Notification of February 10, 1981, the area in question has been notified as “firing range”. “It is not understood as to how construction has been allowed without obtaining ‘No Objection Certificate’ from the local military authorities keeping in view of the safety of students and civilians moving in and around the college complex.” He said the firing of weapons had been stopped, which was detrimental to the training of Army personnel.

Col. R.K. Mishra has requested the Deputy Commissioner to clarify on the matter at the earliest so as to enable him to intimate the same to higher military authorities.

When asked, Dr. Torgal said the Deputy Commissioner had replied to the notice assuring that he would personally inspect the site.

In the event of the MLIRC’s claims being correct, the district administration would rescind permission granted for conversion of the land to “non-agricultural” purpose immediately, which will follow further action.

But Deputy Commissioner G. Ravishankar is yet to inspect the site.

Interestingly, Mr. Angadi told The Hindu that he was not aware of any such notice and claimed that the college complex had been built only after obtaining permission from the competent authorities.

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