Bhubaneswar, March 20: Private technical institutes that have constructed their buildings on agricultural land without getting approval of the land use plan may invite trouble unless they immediately get the necessary approval from the revenue authorities.

If the institutes fail to secure the approval, the state government will cancel their no-objection certificates (NOC) and affiliation given by the industries department.

Revenue minister Surjya Narayan Patro said this in a reply to queries made by several members about institutes on agricultural land.

According to the law, any land meant for agriculture cannot be used for other purposes without the approval of the revenue administration.

Patro said 44 private institutes have been built on agricultural lands in Khurda and 11 in Cuttack. He said that action has been initiated against the Apex Institute of Technology and Management, Institute of Technology and Education Research, Synergy Engineering College, East Engineering College and Oxford College of Engineering and Management — all in Khurda.

Action has also been taken against Bhadrak School of Engineering and Technology in Bhadrak and Synergy in Dhenkanal.

In September 2009, the revenue department had written to the industries department to take action on defaulters. In April 2010 the department decided to cancel the affiliation and NOC of the institutes who fail to get their land converted.

New institutes will not be issued NOC or affiliation unless they produce their conversion documents.