Site selection for central varsity in process: HP Minister

Reacting to criticism over the delay in setting up of Central University in Himachal Pradesh (CUHP), state Urban Development Minister Sudhir Sharma today asserted that the government was in the process of selecting the site for the varsity.
Terming opposition's allegations as false and baseless, Sharma said the site chosen earlier at Indru Nag (Dharamsala) was under review.
"The earlier recommended site at Indru Nag (Dharamsala) has not been rejected by site selection committee, as being claimed by BJP leaders of the state. The Indru Nag site is under observation review," he told PTI.
Besides this, in a fresh proposal sent to Union HRD Ministry, 4-5 sites in and around Dharamsala have been recommended, including in Narwana and Jadrangal.

The decision in this regard was taken last week after the HRD Ministry reportedly wrote to the state granting approval to the proposal sent during the previous BJP government to set up the campus at Dehra.
The new decision triggered opposition by BJP, whose workers took out rallies in the state and Hamirpur MP Anurag Thakur blamed the "adamant attitude" of the Virbhadra Singh-led government for the delay in setting up of CUHP.

He had said that the previous BJP government had proposed a split campus of the varsity with 70 per cent at Dehra and 30 per cent at Dharamsala, and it had been cleared by the then UPA government at the Centre.

"I am not against Dehra. A few colleges of the Central University can be established in Dehra too," Sharma, who represents Dharamsala constituency in the Assembly, said.
He also pointed out that more than 160 hectares of land is available in Dharamsala, as against 81 hectares in Dehra, and most of the land in Dharamsala does not require clearance from the environment or forest ministries.
He said that the land in few localities of Dharamsala require some formalities to be completed before transferring it to the Central University. As soon it is done, the foundation stone shall be laid.
He further added that when a project is given to a state by the Centre, "it is the prerogative of the concerned state to select the site and area for its setup, and that is what Himachal government is doing.