District administration seeks agricultural research land for private healthcare project
Scientists say the 34-year-old wilt-sick plot at ZARS is at the centre of growing concerns over the proposed land diversion
The Azim Premji Foundation plans to construct a 500-bed hospital in Kalaburagi city, necessitating the acquisition of 12 acres of land from the Zonal Agricultural Research Station (ZARS) in the campus of Krishi Vigyan Kendra. This land allocation has sparked controversy among agricultural scientists, who argue that the land cannot be deemed surplus as it is crucial for crop research and student education.
The ZARS, established with the support of the AICC president Mallikarjun Kharge, comprises 55 acres dedicated to research, while the Krishi Vigyan Kendra (KVK) and the college occupy 50 and 25 acres, respectively. Additionally, around four acres are occupied by buildings and gardens. Scientists stress that the land under ZARS is not vacant or surplus, as it supports long-term experiments, specialized crop research, and field-based activities for approximately 350 agricultural students.
One particular 34-year-old plot at ZARS, suffering from wilt disease, is of significant importance. Consisting of 900 pulse entries, this plot is pivotal for pulse research, particularly for red gram and chickpea, which are vital for the region due to their role as a major rain-fed pulse and source of protein and farm income. The researchers emphasize that the unique environment of this plot, developed over decades through public investment, cannot be replicated within a short period.
Thus, the diversion of 12 acres from ZARS raises concerns not only about the immediate loss of land but also about the potential loss of critical agricultural research infrastructure.
Written by urgent.news from The Hindu's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
