The Tamil Nadu government on Friday, February 25, issued a notice of eviction to the Shanmuga Arts, Science, Technology and Research Academy (SASTRA) Deemed-to-be University in Thanjavur. The notice came after the government rejected SASTRA's plea for the assignment, alienation or exchange of lands at the Tirumalaisamudram village.
The district’s Revenue Department had accused the university of encroachment in 1985, and had issued an eviction notice to the institute at the time as well. However, SASTRA officials had challenged this, and a long-drawn out legal battle between the parties ensued. In 2018, the Madras High Court had ruled in the favour of the government, and had ordered that an eviction notice be sent to SASTRA. The university had challenged this as well, but the High Court had dismissed the plea and issued a Government Order against the assignment of land to SASTRA.
On Friday, Thanjavur revenue officials entered the university and stuck the eviction notice on its gates. According to the notice, over 31 (31.37) acres of government land were encroached upon by SASTRA, and it ordered that the premises of the university be vacated on or before March 24. “Therefore you, SASTRA deemed university are called upon to vacate the said encroached lands on or before 24.03.2022 failing which the possession of the said lands will be taken over by the Undersigned (the Thanjavur Tehsildar), at your costs and risks.
The Thanjavur Revenue Department first served the notice to the university three decades ago after it found the institute guilty of encroachment. The institution decided to challenge it by taking the legal route.
In 2018, one of the High Court judges hearing the case had said, “Viewed from any angle, their respondents who claim to do public service, have also done public disservice. In the present case, the respondents have enjoyed 20.62 acres of land for the past more than 30 years without paying single naya paisa.” The High Court had at the time directed the government to send a eviction notice to SASTRA, ordering the vacation of the premises in four weeks’ time.