The State has also taken strong exception to the University Grants Commission’s (UGC) controversial draft regulations which seek to grant Chancellors “absolute power” to constitute searching committees to appoint the Vice-Chancellors of State-funded universities.

Kerala has made no secret of its apprehensions on the Union Government’s decision to go ahead with the sand mining plan, ignoring the States’ misgivings and the potential impact on the environment. Kerala’s grave concern on the sensitive issue has been conveyed to the Union Government at a roadshow organised by the Ministry of Mines at Kochi to mark the maiden e-auction of offshore mineral blocks.

As many as five sectors which are part of the Kerala coast boast an estimated 745 million tonnes of sand deposits. Kerala’s main objection is that the Offshore Areas Mineral (Development and Regulation) Act and the amendments made thereof ignore the State’s interests. As if that is not enough, the royalty from the mineral mining goes entirely to the Union Government. The un kindest cut is that the 2023 amendment also clears the way for private participation in the mining.

The main flaw of the amendment is its failure to consider the adverse impact it will have on the environment. Offshore mineral deposits and the fragile marine ecosystems are interlinked. The Union government should have undertaken in-depth studies on such ecosystems before embarking on such highly sensitive mining plans. That is Kerala’s considered view.

Expectedly, fishermen’s unions in the State have staged a protest march and dharna in Kochi against the Union Government’s move to tap mineral deposits in the Indian seas. The march, organised by the Matsya Thozhilali Union affiliated to CITU, called it a “loot of the seas”. The march was taken out to a hotel where officials were having a discussion with dredging and mining company representatives. Among other unions which participated in the protest were AITUC, TUCI and STU.

A notable feature of the State’s opposition to the draft UGC rules was that, for a change – a refreshing one at that – both the ruling LDF and the opposition UDF found themselves on the same side.

Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan has characterised the draft regulations empowering the Chancellor as the “absolute authority” in the universities as an unabashed attempt by the Union Government to “communalise, centralise and commercialise” Kerala’s progressive higher education sector.

The welcome accord between the LDF and the UDF for resistance to the UGC regulations has come at a time when Kerala and several other non-BJP state governments are having legal and political differences with their Governors who also officiate as Chancellors of State universities.

On his part, leader of the opposition V. D. Satheesan made a strong pitch for an assembly resolution against the University Grants Commission (Minimum Qualifications for Appointment and Promotion of Teachers and Academic Staff in universities and colleges and Measures for Maintenance of Standard in Higher Education) Regulations, 2025.

He also wanted the State Government to find legal remedies to circumvent the Union Government’s blatant attempt to deprive the universities of their independence by including the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) nominees as V-Cs.

Meanwhile, Governor Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar has come out with a statement that the UGC and the judiciary had repeatedly upheld the powers vested in the Governors as Chancellors of State-funded universities, adding that there are no two ways about it.

If anything, the Governor’s stand bodes ill for the future. Implicit in his stand are disturbing signs of a likely confrontation between the Governor and the State Government over the sensitive issue. (IPA Service)