The Army has agreed to return over 350 acres of the state land, currently under its use in twin capitals of Srinagar and Jammu and in southern Anantnag and frontier Kargil districts of Jammu and Kashm
The Army has agreed to return over 350 acres of the state land, currently under its use in twin capitals of Srinagar and Jammu and in southern Anantnag and frontier Kargil districts of Jammu and Kashmir, by March-end.
The Central government should comment itself to expedite the process of evaluating and paying compensation for lakhs of acres of land under illegal occupation of Army and other central security forces across the state has been one of the demands put forth by Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP) towards creating congenial atmosphere for forming the government with alliance partner BJP.
The land, being returned to the state by March 31, includes 16.30 acres adjoining the campus of Jammu University, 212 acres at Tatoo Grounds in Srinagar and about 58 acres at high grounds, Anantnag.
Also, a big chunk of land being held by the Army at lower Plateau Khurba Thang in Kargil will be returned as was agreed at a meeting between governor N.N. Vohra, Lt. Gen. D.S.Hooda and GOC-in-C. Northern Command at Raj Bhavan in Jammu late on Thursday.
An official spokesperson said the land at Kargil will be formerly vacated and its possession will be handed over to chief secretary of the state B.R. Sharma, who is the chairman of the committee set up to sort out the issue with the Army authorities, during his planned visit to the frontier town later this month.
The land at other places will be handed over to the state before March 31 after the governor and the Army Commander will visit the locations for physical verifications regarding their possible utilisation for creating parks and recreational facilities for the youth as has been proposed at mutual discussions earlier.
At Thursday’s “extensive discussions” with Lt. Gen. Hooda, governor Mr Vohra reviewed the implementation of decisions taken in earlier civil-military liaison conferences with regard to all land matters relating to the Army.
The meeting was attended also by Mr Sharma and other senior officers of the state. The governor asked the committee headed by the chief secretary to visit the locations in Jammu, Srinagar, Anantnag and Kargil “to satisfy all formalities on the spot and take over the said sites”.
The official spokesman said that the Governor also reviewed all other decisions and certain understandings arrived at with the Army Commander with regard to the location of Army’s High Altitude Warfare School (HAWS) at ski resort of Gulmarg. “The Governor shall shortly have another meeting with the Army Commander on the issue,” the spokesman said. Official sources said that the Army may be asked to relocate the HAWS or, at least, hand over some of the land under its occupation to the Gulmarg Development Authority to enhance the facilities at the premier resort of the Valley. The meeting also discussed all cases relating to the regularisation of certain lands and buildings occupied by the Army at various places across the State and decisions were taken to take further action in this regard before May 31. For this purpose, the Chief Secretary-led committee will meet regularly till all the cases are settled amicably, the spokesman said. He added the meeting also discussed issues relating to the notification of firing ranges at various places. “It was decided that the Chief Secretary shall pursue the pending issues with the Ministry of Defence, particularly regarding the enhancement of the scales of rent payable for the required areas of land,” he said. At a separate meeting the Governor reviewed internal and external security management issues with officials of civil administration, police, Army and Central intelligence agencies. The Governor was informed about the redeployments undertaken to strengthen security management in the aftermath of last month’s terror attack at Sempora, Pampore on the outskirts of Srinagar in which five security personnel including two Army officers and all three militants were killed. The meeting also discussed threadbare a new trend that has emerged in Kashmir Valley and has caused worry among the security forces’ authorities. Apart from people turning in large numbers at the funerals of slain militants they come out of their homes and start chanting pro-azadi slogans on seeing security forces arriving in their area to take on militants. Often they move close to encounter sites and even target security forces with stones if they try to come in their way. At least, two persons were killed and over a dozen injured in security forces’ firing and other actions against protesters during past few weeks. “In regard to enlarging awareness of the civilian population regarding the risks involved in gathering when operations are ongoing, the Chief Secretary informed that he had recently held a meeting with all district magistrates and superintendents of police to sensitise them about various important issues relating to security and law and order maintenance,” the statement said adding that Mr. Sharma also said that he will be holding a similar meeting in Srinagar for ensuring enhanced coordination between security forces and civil administration. The Governor stressed the need for continued cohesive action by all the security forces in tandem with the civil administration for ensuring maintenance of public order. The Governor also called upon the Police, CRPF and Army to keep a close constant vigil for effective security management.
