KSU removes signboard of Agricultural college at Kyrdemkulai

Syllad | The Rising MeghalayaJune 21, 2019

SHILLONG: The Khasi Students’ Union (KSU) today replaced the signboard of the College of Agricultural in Ri Bhoi District, as a mark of protest against the attempt to deprive Meghalaya of having its own full-fledged Central Agricultural University (CAU).

Activists of the KSU on Friday went and removed the signboard of the College of Agricultural, which is affiliated to the CAU, Imphal at Kyrdemkulai and replaced it with a new one which read as “Central Agricultural University, Meghalaya”.

The activists were also seen putting up banners and flexes in the different places of Ri Bhoi district and also in Shillong.

“200+ acres for a full-fledged university and not a college,” read one of the banners.
The decision was also taken after the state government has failed to take up the matter with the Centre.

It may be mentioned that a proposal to establish the Central Agricultural University in Meghalaya was initiated in 2010.

A land measuring 226.37 acres at Kyrdemkulai in Ri-Bhoi District was handed over on December 4, 2014 to the vice-chancellor of Central Agriculture University, Imphal, Dr SN Puri for the purpose of establishing the CAU.

However, instead a Central Agriculture College is being constructed at Kyrdemkulai, but not a university. Presently, the college is functioning from the campus of the College of Post Graduate Studies at Umiam.

KSU general secretary Donald V Thabah also informed that the Union has decided not to allow the college of agricultural to function from the land at Kyrdemkulai since it is for the setting up of the university.

“The Centre cannot just bulldoze our rights when it has promised us a university not a college,” he said.