Decks cleared for SAMEER project

Land dispute ends as a compensationof Rs. 65 lakh is paid to farmers. Centre for Electromagnetic Environmental Effects (Centre for 3Es) will be set up at Gambheeram shortly.

With the revenue officials paying nearly Rs.65 lakh as compensation to 17 farmers, the Department of Electronics and IT (DeitY) under the Ministry of Communication and IT is all set to launch work on the Centre for Electromagnetic Environmental Effects (Centre for 3Es) at Gambheeram in the city shortly.

This will be the fourth R&D complex by Society for Applied Microwave Electronic Engineering & Research (SAMEER), an autonomous body under DeitY with other centres located at Mumbai, Chennai and Kolkata.

Though Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu handed over the land allotment letter for SAMEER here on September 29 last year, the project initially faced uncertainty due to hefty lease rental issue, which was later reduced on the intervention of Vizag MP K. Haribabu and later due to objections raised over land acquisition by local farmers.

SAMEER has already handed over work order to Central Public Works Department (CPWD). “As the land dispute is over, we will launch boundary wall work on 13 acres allotted to us adjoining Indian Institute of Management-Visakhapatnam in a week or two,” SAMEER Programme Director B. Subba Rao told The Hindu on Wednesday.

Layout approved

The R&D complex specialising in study of electromagnetic environmental effects useful for aviation, shipping, defence, space and all other sectors where electronic devices are used, will involve an investment of Rs.80 crore by the Central government. The layout has already been approved and the construction of the complex will take three years.

Dr. Subba Rao said they would shift their temporary office in Symbosis, IT SEZ, to the project site and launch their operations in phases within one and a half years.

“As it is a project of national significance, we took lot of interest to clear the land problem on a topmost priority,” APIIC Executive Director V. Raghunath said.

DeitY had earlier paid Rs.3.82 crore to APIIC towards developmental charges. The Government of India has already released Rs.22 crore towards first instalment for construction of buildings.