Experts upset over proposed Shimoga UAS not being made an integrated university

Updated on: Thursday, December 01, 2011

The decision of the State Government to merely set up a university of agricultural sciences (UAS) in Shimoga instead of opting for an integrated agricultural university that takes care of agriculture as well as allied sectors has drawn flak from renowned agricultural experts of the State.

Amendment

The State had proposed to set up a university headquartered in Shimoga to take up research on crops specific to Malnad region, among other issues. Such a proposal needed an amendment to the University of Agricultural Sciences Act and the University of Horticultural Sciences Act as the subject of research to be taken up by the proposed university would cover the issues coming under both the legislations.

However, the Government on Tuesday issued a notification appointing UAS-Bangalore's Research Director P.M. Salimath as special officer to the proposed university without amending any laws. This notification refers to the new university merely as UAS-Shimoga.

Taking exception to this, the former Vice-Chancellor of the UAS-Bangalore and renowned entomologist G.K. Veeresh told The Hindu: “Merely carving out a new agricultural university — at a time when the need of the hour is to integrate agriculture and allied activities — will only help a few persons to get good posts, but will not help farmers. In the present context, agricultural university can focus only on research on agricultural crops. But Shimoga has horticultural crops.”

Experts' opinion

He felt that the Government should have consulted experts and amended the relevant laws to provide for setting up of an integrated agricultural university instead of hurrying with the appointment of the special officer.

Jurisdiction

The geographical jurisdiction of the UAS-Shimoga, which will be carved out of UAS-Bangalore, will have seven districts of Shimoga, Hassan, Chikmagalur, Davangere, Kodagu, Udupi and Dakshina Kannada.

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