Social impact agency submits report on horticulture institute
Will be evaluated by high power state committee set up by the govt
Neha Saini
Tribune News Service
Amritsar, April 24
The Social Impact Assessment Agency, comprising of Dr Rajesh Kumar, Principal project coordinator, and six subject experts’ team, set up by Guru Nanak Dev University, completed a SIA-PGIHRE study report for land acquisition for setting up of Post-Graduate Institute of Horticulture Research and Education (PGIHRE).
The project was announced five years back by the Centre and the ambitious institute was to be set up as an international centre of excellence in agriculture research and development.
The PGIHRE, a project for government-administered, government-aided educational and research schemes or institutions, will be established in Chhiddan village, Ajnala. Under the new regulations executed under Section 4.1 of the Right to Fair Compensation and Transparency in Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement Act, 2013, it was mandatory to carry out social impact assessment report before the land acquisition. Dr Rajesh said the report had been submitted and a high-power state committee, that stands appointed, will review it in few days.
GNDU Vice-Chancellor Dr Jaspal Singh Sandhu handed over the report to Nodal Officer Dr Gurinder Singh Dhanjal, Deputy Director, Department of Horticulture, Punjab Government. Dr Sandhu has been of the view that Punjab being an agricultural state needs an institution of research and education which focuses on undertaking basic and applied research for developing strategies to enhance productivity and utilisation of crops.
“Such institutions will serve as repository of scientific knowledge and act as a centre to upgrade scientific manpower in modern technologies for qualitative production. The study report is of the view that the setting of the PGIHRE seems to carry the potential of making favourable impact upon the socio-economic landscape of the area. Hereafter, the report will be evaluated by the high power committee set up by the government,” he said.
Dr Rajesh said 32 acres of land was under acquisition and the long due project would materialise this year.
When the project was announced, it had given a hope to farmers of the region of diversifying their crops. Few months back, the Department of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare had issued a notification for the commencement of social impact assessment to purchase over 32 acres of land. A chunk of 100 acres was transferred in the name of the ICAR at Attari village in 2015 and three years later, a site selection committee of the ICAR had approved the site at Chhiddan village, which is situated 10-km from the Attari-Wagah Joint Check Post and nearly 12-km from the holy city.
