Hubballi: The ambiguous stand of the state government over the venue of the proposed Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) has cast a cloud of uncertainty over the functioning of the premier institute from the next academic year.
The Dharwad district administration has not yet received any communication from the higher education department about the space required for establishment of the institute. Due to this, the officials have not taken up renovation of the Water and Land Management Institute (WALMI), where the institute will come up though nearly two months have passed after the Central government approved the IIT for Dharwad. The State government has incurred the wrath of people of Hubballi-Dharwad after the CM wrote to the Centre requesting it to consider Raichur as a location for setting up the IIT. Trying to downplay the controversy, Mr Siddaramaiah had said that he will stand by the decision of the Centre on the venue.
But BJP leaders contend that the CM has not given clearance to the files sent to him by the higher education department to enable the Dharwad district administration take up renovation of the space required for the transit campus in WALMI. “The principal secretary, higher education department, has sent files to the CM. Mr Siddaramaiah has to give approval before action is taken on the renovation of WALMI building. The human resource ministry needs at least 8 months to make preparations including appointments to start the institute. The state government's attitude will not only delay the process to start IIT, there is a chance of losing the institute,” said Arvind Bellad, MLA.
