The dream of Jammu having an Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) is coming true. This is a notable event for the promising students of Jammu regionwho will not have to go to far off cities in the country in search of admission in a technical institute to obtain degree in different branches of engineering and technology. The creaming of the cake is that the institute in making will be of the highest standard parallel to all other IITs in the country.
The fact is that the IIT Jammu has had chequered history. Many hiccups had to be overcome before arriving at the last leg of the journey. Based on the deliberations of FAC, the transfer of land was approved by the Governor on January 27, 2016 and the same was communicated to the Forest Department by the General Administration Department.
The last hurdle has been overcome and a formal letter has been issued by the Forest Department transferring 159 hectares of forest land to the Department of Higher Education for the purpose of establishing the IIT. The site finally approved is in Nagrota. Nitty-gritty of transfer of forest land was amicably settled. The Forest Department finally agreed to cut about 50 trees and remove about a thousand poles. However, the receiving agency has agreed to bear the cost of compensatory afforestation.
The good news is that there is no need for the Department of Higher Education to obtain clearance certificate from the Union Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change because the Chief Wildlife Warden J&K has communicated to the Government that as per the Notification dated June 9, 2015 of Union Environment Ministry, educational institutions have been exempted from obtaining prior environmental clearance under the provisions of EIA Notification. It may be reminded that in the case of Patnitop Ropeway project it took the Department of Tourism nearly four years to obtain the clearance from the Union Ministry of Environment. However, exemption from obtaining clearance certificate does not mean that normal rules and conditions that are applicable for maintaining ecological balance and avoiding environmental pollution will not be adhered to. These have nothing to do with the clearance and have to be observed at any cost. Yet there is something more encouraging in this case. Generally centrally sponsored projects face slow release of funds leading to slowing down the process of completion. But in the case of Jammu IIT, partial release of funds has already begun and even the service departments like PDD and PHE have been given part payment. Therefore in the matter of funding, it is hoped there will be no delay. The transit campus aspect has also been taken into account and hopefully the first batch of students will begin their regular studies from the month of August 2016.
Perhaps IIT Jammu is the first example of timely and perfect planning of a big project in the State. All aspects of the project seem to have been meticulously considered and a sensible decision taken. If the planning takes place according to the desk book schedule, we should hope that in next two years, IIT Jammu will come up fully equipped and regulated to join the rest of the IITs in the country. We have great expectations from the youth community of State. It is a community of exceptionally intelligent and hard working youth who will find an opportunity of showing how much talent lies dormant with them and if given proper exposure, what achievements it can make.
The last word is an appeal to the prospective student community that will be seeking admission in the IIT in August. Jammu region has suffered long deprivation and backwardness. This is despite great sacrifices the people of the region have made in terms of ensuring sovereignty and territorial integrity of the motherland. They have a responsibility of bringing honour to the country. They must ensure that the institution of learning is not turned into the institution of subversion as we see around these days. Let the student community of Jammu region become the role model for the entire student community of the country.
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