Govt clearing ground for Tosmaidan lease extension? SRINAGAR: While the tussle between public and Army over Tosmaidan meadow in central Kashmir’s Budgam district catching heat, the tightlipped state government appears to be busy in completing necessary formalities for extension of the lease to Army. The administration in Budgam is in the process of collecting ‘No Objection Certificates’ (NoCs) from various departments on the basis of which the lease could be extended to the Army. “The Army had approached my office three months ago for the extension of Tosmaidan lease. Presently, we are collecting NOCs from different concerned departments. The collection of NOCs will take time,” District Development Commissioner Budgam, Khursheed Ahmad Shah, told Kashmir Reader on Tuesday. The state government leased out Tosmaidan, a picturesque meadow atop a mountain in Khag-Khansahib area in Budgam, to the Army in 1964-’65, allowing the land to be used for artillery training. As the expiry of the initial lease term draws near, the Army has sought its extension. However, the villagers from around Tosmaidan are opposing likely extension of the lease. They argue that the artillery training at the meadow has over the years resulted in civilian causalities and economic losses. While the state government is yet to come up with its final verdict on the extension, sources told Kashmir Reader that the Army and the government have been holding frequent meetings over the issue. On Saturday, the sources said, a Commanding Officer, of Colonel Rank, of the Army’s artillery unit at Tangmarg—Tosmaidan falls within the command of this unit—held a detailed meeting with the Divisional Commissioner Kashmir Shailendra Kumar. “In the meeting, which lasted for about half an hour, the officials deliberated upon the possibilities of extending the lease,” the sources said. “The meeting was held in the office of the Divisional Commissioner at around 12 pm. It had been specifically called to discuss the lease issue,” the sources said. However, the Army as well as the divisional administration is tightlipped about the development. “Many Army officials meet me every day, I don’t know which meeting you are talking about,” Kumar said when asked by Kashmir Reader about the meeting. Army’s Srinagar-based spokesman, Lt Col Ankur Vashist, too refutes that any meeting between the Army and the state administration took place. “I have no idea that so far any meeting has been held with anyone,” he said. Reportedly, a meeting between the military officials and the civilian administration is expected to take place on November 12. kashmirreader/11062013-ND-govt-clearing-ground-for-tosmaidan-lease-extension-22919.aspx
Posted on: Wed, 06 Nov 2013 03:17:36 +0000
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