Odisha Govt to Return Land Acquired for Vedanta’s Puri University Project to Original Landowners

Bhubaneswar: The Odisha government has announced its decision to return land originally acquired for Vedanta Limited’s proposed world-class university in Puri to its original landowners. This move follows years of legal battles and a recent Supreme Court order upholding an earlier decision by the Orissa High Court. Revenue and Disaster Management Minister Suresh Pujari confirmed the decision, signaling an end to a protracted controversy over the project.

According to Minister Pujari, Vedanta Ltd changed the university’s name several times throughout the land acquisition process, initially calling it Sterlite Foundation, then Vedanta Foundation, and finally Anil Agarwal Foundation. These frequent name changes raised questions about the credibility and intentions of the proposed institution, which aimed to transform Puri into a global education hub.

The land acquisition initially sanctioned by the state government spanned 22 villages and included both privately owned and government land. Out of the 4,178.84 acres of privately-owned land approved for the project, Vedanta received 3,342.53 acres. The company had also applied for 692.02 acres of government land for lease, of which 509.27 acres were sanctioned, and 494.98 acres were handed over, with lease deeds finalized for 57.21 acres.

The controversy surrounding the project began shortly after a 2006 Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between Vedanta Ltd and the state government. Displaced residents raised objections, leading to petitions filed by nine affected households in the Orissa High Court. These petitions questioned the legitimacy of Vedanta’s vision for a world-class university and the fairness of the land acquisition process.

In 2009, the Orissa High Court ruled in favor of the petitioners, finding irregularities in the acquisition process and subsequently nullifying the land acquisitions for the project. In 2023, the High Court directed the state government to return the land to all original owners, regardless of whether they had filed legal cases. Vedanta’s appeal to the Supreme Court was dismissed, upholding the High Court’s decision.

Minister Pujari has confirmed that government land leased to the Anil Agarwal Foundation will also be reclaimed. For privately-owned land, the original owners will need to return any compensation they had received before the land is fully restored to them. The Revenue Department will oversee necessary updates to land records as part of the restoration process.