Arunachal: HC accepts PIL addressing NIT Jote irregularities

Itanagar: Social activist Payi Gyadi stated on Friday that the High Court branch in Itanagar has accepted the Public Interest Litigation (PIL) addressing irregularities within the National Institute of Technology (NIT) in Jote, Arunachal Pradesh. Subsequently, a notice has been issued to the relevant authorities.

Addressing the media at the Press Club here, Gyadi said that the primary impetus behind initiating the PIL was to safeguard the allocated land for NIT from potential encroachments. He disclosed that while the original allocation designated 301 acres for the institute, approximately 200 acres remain unaccounted for. The NIT Director had formally reported this matter to the District Collector (DC) in Yupia.

Gyadi underscored that this issue had previously been brought to the attention of the authorities, with records dating as far back as 2012 when the NIT Director initially apprised the DC in Yupia. The Institute’s Registrar had also duly documented the matter, but to date, it remains unresolved.

“In light of a Right to Information (RTI) inquiry, we uncovered notable inconsistencies in the land allocation for NIT. Significantly, there exist two land allotment documents for NIT: one, a 301-acre allotment without any signatures from the issuing authorities, and the other, a 352-acre map complete with all requisite signatures,” he said.

He further elucidated that these irregularities have been formally presented before the High Court.

Gyadi recently visited the NIT campus and engaged with both students and authorities who voiced concerns regarding various irregularities and a lack of fundamental infrastructure.

He emphasised that his objective remains centered on ensuring that students from across the nation who come to study in the state encounter no impediments.

Notably, the institute currently lacks a dedicated playground, proper drinking water facilities, reliable internet connectivity, electricity, and essential administrative infrastructure.

“It is imperative for people to comprehend that the provision of these amenities hinges on securing adequate land for the institute. Even with an abundance of financial resources, land serves as the foundational cornerstone for comprehensive development,” he reiterated. Furthermore, Gyadi alluded to the registration of a First Information Report (FIR) with the State Information Commission (SIC) pertaining to missing files related to appointments within NIT.

However, as per the SIC’s clarification, NIT falls under the purview of the central government, and consequently, the matter will be exclusively addressed by the central authorities. The SIC has formally transmitted the complaint to the central government for a thorough investigation.

“I have also raised this matter with the state Lokayukta board, but their jurisdictional response was a declination, citing that NIT’s funding emanates from the central government, thereby placing it squarely within their purview. I have been doggedly pursuing this matter, spanning from the state to the corridors of power in New Delhi. It is abundantly clear that the establishment of a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) office within the state, coupled with fortifying the Lokayukta body, constitutes an imperative step toward addressing significant cases,” Gyadi said.

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