Nagpur: A Public Interest Litigation (PIL) has been filed in the High Court by Anusaya Chhabrani of Swachh Association, challenging the allocation of Punjabrao Deshmukh Krishi Vidyapeeth (PKV) land to private entities for commercial and non-agricultural use in Nagpur.
After the hearing on Wednesday, a bench comprising Justice Nitin Sambre and Justice Vrushali Joshi issued notices to the State Government’s Forest Department, the State Agriculture Department, Punjabrao Deshmukh Krishi Vidyapeeth, the State Agricultural Education Commission, the District Collector, the Indian Air Force, the Trust, and Nagpur Municipal Corporation (NMC), directing them to submit their responses.
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Thursday 27 Feb. 2025
The petitioners were represented by Adv. Sumeet Bodhalkar and Adv. Parth Malviya, while Assistant Government Pleader Ghodeswar appeared for the State Government.
Land reserved for agricultural research
The petitioner’s counsel argued that the State Government had allocated the land to PKV University specifically for agricultural research and education. Through notifications issued on July 30, 2004, and May 30, 2011, the Maharashtra Agriculture Department recognized PKV’s land as the “lungs of Nagpur,” emphasizing that it should not be used for commercial or non-agricultural purposes. Its protection is essential.
Ready-mix concrete plants on PKV Land
The petitioners further informed the court that PKV had allocated portions of this land to private entities like J.P. Enterprises and D.P. Jain & Company for setting up ready-mix concrete (RMC) plants and other commercial activities.
After hearing arguments from both sides, the court issued notices to the respondents and ordered private entities to halt all commercial or non-agricultural activities on PKV land until the final verdict on the petition.
