Property on sale but college to enroll students
Mangalore Today News Network
Udupi, May 31, 2015: Flexes and hoardings are put up prominently at many places by Jnana Ganga, private pre-university college in Nellikatte in Mudubelle, inviting students for enrolment. This in spite of the controversy of selling land and college building being in the law courts. The founder/proprietor has gone to court urging its intervention, against the decision of selling, taken up by General Insurance Employees Cooperative Credit Society, Ajjarkadu, which owns the college.
The founder proprietor Mattu Gopikrisha Rao, who quit the General Insurance Employees Cooperative Credit Society Board, has appealed that land and college structure should not be sold, as it would create problems to students.
The two year course offered by the college should have authenticity to guarantee completion of the course. But, this private college is unable to offer an assurance. It must be pointed out that the society should have issued notice not less than one academic year to Pre University Education Board indicating their intention to closing down the college as per Sec 105 of Karnataka Education Act, 1983.
Further, the society has not taken permission of PUE Board for selling the property in contravention of Sec107 of KE Act. The question is the prospects of the students taking up the programme, if the society sells the college.
The advertisement for the selling of the college structure and land was given on November 15, 2014 in all the leading Kannada dailies. The students from North Karnataka region like Gulburga, Bidar and Bagalkot are studying in the college.
Social Activist Rama Rao told media that the college has started enrolment for current academic year. However, parents and students are in the dark about the facts. The decision to sell the college structure and land was taken in May 2014 after Gopikrishna Rao resigned from the post of president.
The college was started during the year 2011-12. Another interesting fact is, that, as per advertisement, minimum price is fixed at Rs 5.5 crore, but as per Para 33 of Objection Statement of the Society, the market value of the property is Rs.6.92 crore. The intention of the society in selling the property was questionable. The demand value at present is Rs ten to eleven crores and buyers are hankering to purchase the property.
In midst of controversy, the society management has appealed against Rao requesting for permission to sell the property in the court, he added. He said as per Objection Statement filed by the society before the Court of 2nd Additional Civil Judge, Udupi in OS No 2/2005, Society Managing Director Prabhakara Devadiga stated that, Para 31 - As far as compliance of provisions of K E Act is concerned, he said requirement would be complied in due course.
General Insurance Employees Cooperative Credit Society Managing Director Prabhakar K S said henceforth the college would be a separate entity. Earlier, the cooperative society and college were single body. At present, as the cooperative society is running a loss, members have threatened to walk out, if the college is not alienated with other education trust. He said the cooperative society is running loss since inception, as the college is associated with it as part of social cause.
The proposal to create a separate entity for the college was delayed and needs to be decided. Tax is exempted for cooperative societies. However, the college is a taxable institute. The accountability is a question pending. The stay order brought by the former president is vacated in the district civil court and his appeal is rejected. A proper course needs to be charted in this matter legally.