Army seeks 7,300 kanal to set up firing range in Leh
The Army in cold desert of Leh, bordering China, has sought lease of over 7,300 kanals of land for setting up a new firing range.
Sources said the Army had taken up the matter with District Development Commissioner Leh, Prasnna Ramaswamy G earlier this year and the DDC in turn had sought clearance from the administrative department (Revenue).The sources said the administrative department, however, returned the proposal to the DC, asking him to seek “reasons” from the Army for leasing out of “large tracts” of land to them.
As per the proposal the Army wants to set up the firing range in MandalThang, the sources said.
The sources said the Army was already in possession, both lawful and unlawful, of over two lakh kanals of land in the Ladakh region including Kargil.
In Leh district alone the Army occupies over 1.82 lakh kanals of land including the state land, acquired land, requisitioned land and land on lease, the sources said. “Of this, over 90,000 kanals are under unauthorized occupation,” the sources added.
The Revenue Department has directed the office of the Deputy Commissioner Leh to see the “minimal requirement” of the land by the Army and re-submit the proposal afresh.
“This (7,300 kanals) is a huge area and that is why we have asked the Deputy Commissioner to find out the minimal land requirement by the Army,” said a senior official of the Revenue Department.
To a question as to whether the land would be leased out to the Army, the official said the administrative department would give a fresh look to the proposal once it was resubmitted by the DDC.
Of its total 66 firing ranges, the Army has been operating at least 12 in Jammu and Kashmir, which is the highest in any state. The firing ranges are used for testing the small arms and heavy artillery, besides carrying out air-to-ground bombing by Air force.
However, the lease of 10 firing ranges in J&K has reportedly ended last year and the Army has taken up the matter with the state government seeking renewal of some of the lease agreements which have expired.
During the last civil-military liaison conference in September this year, quoting sources reported that the Chief Minister had expressed his reservation to further leasing out of the land to the Army.
“For God’s sake, tell me how this is possible?” Mufti Sayeed had asked a senior Army official who had raised the issue.
The DDC Leh confirmed that the Army has sought over 7,000 kanals of land for setting up firing range.
“However, the Revenue Department has raised some queries. We will look into them,” the DC said.
Udhampur-based Defense Spokesperson SD Gowsawami said: “You better talk to Srinagar based defense spokesperson on this issue.”
The Srinagar-based defense spokesperson NN Joshi said: “I will have to check the details before commenting on the issue.”
Meanwhile, sources said the Army was also seeking renewal of the lease agreement over 264 acres of land under its occupation at Lower Khurbathong used as the firing range.
But the Ladakh Hill Development Council (Kargil) has opposed the renewal of the lease agreement citing minimal suitable land available for meeting the expansion requirements of the district and its plan to use the land at Lower Khurbathong for building new housing colony.
The issue had come for discussion during the civil-military liaison conference during which the government had asked the Army to vacate the land.
“The issue is, however, deadlocked,” said another official.
