High-level official panel to examine Tosa Maidan issue Ready to look at alternate sites for firing ranges: Army Civil-Military Liaison Conference Srinagar, Nov 12: With Kashmir up in arms against the re-notification of Tosa Maidan as firing range as demanded by Army, the Civil-Military Liaison Conference (CMLC) chaired by Chief Minister Omar Abdullah Tuesday decided that a high-level panel headed by Chief Secretary would suggest viable solutions to the issue. Highly placed sources told Greater Kashmir that the three-hour meeting at Army’s 16 Corps headquarters in Nagrota, Jammu, discussed several contentious issues including Tosa Maidan. This newspaper had exclusively reported on November 3 that CMLC would discuss several issues including Tosa Maidan controversy. Army, according to sources, persisted with the demand to re-notify Tosa Maidan as firing range asserting that the region is of immense significance from strategic point of view. But Chief Minister Omar Abdullah conveyed to them that a panel led by CS would find out viable solutions to the issue. “In case of Tosa Maidan firing range, it was decided that a committee under the chairmanship of the Chief Secretary will look into all the aspects of the matter and suggest various viable options,” an official handout issued by JK government stated. A handout issued by Army’s Udhampur-based Northern Command reads: “The CM conveyed a proposal to set up a high-level committee under the State Chief Secretary including Army and State Government representatives to re-examine the short term extension of the ranges while also considering alternate locations.” During the meeting, Army also offered to look at alternate sites as firing ranges should they be offered. “Most of the Field Firing Ranges, required for operational capability building for troops, are due for notification. While we have shifted our firing points to meet the needs of local population, we are willing to look at alternate sites should they be offered,” Lt Col Rajesh Kalia quoted Northern Command chief Gen Sanjiv Chachra. “We have conveyed a proposal to set up a high-level committee, including Army and government representatives, to re-examine short-term extension of the firing ranges while considering alternative locations,” he said. The Lt Gen said he had ordered a comprehensive audit of Army’s land holdings and requirements in the entire state with a view to retaining only essentially-required land. In the process, a total of 12 buildings had recently been vacated by the Army and another eight would be vacated very shortly, he said. Army has 12 firing ranges in JK where thousands of soldiers test small arms to heavy artillery and even Air Force carries out air-to-ground bombing. Sources disclosed to Greater Kashmir that Chief Minister Omar Abdullah made it clear to the Army that people’s sentiments and aspirations should be respected while identifying or re- notifying the firing ranges. “We should keep the safety as well as economy of the people in consideration while taking a decision on these matters,” Omar told Army. Notified as firing range in 1964, the picturesque Tosa Maidan meadow in Central Kashmir’s Budgam district was re-notified by the then Peoples Democratic Party-Congress government in 2004 for use of Army maneuvers. With the notification expiring on April 18, 2014, the Army has asked the State government to re-notify the 11200 hectares land as a firing range till 2034. But the demand has evoked widespread criticism from the locals who have been badly affected by the artillery exercises. The Chief Minister has admitted that 63 deaths have occurred in the area due to unexploded ordnance (UXO) till date. “Since 1965 till date, 63 persons have lost their lives and 41 received injuries due to unexploded shells in Tosa Maidan,” Omar informed the Legislative Council in the recently concluded session of the State legislature. Omar had also disclosed that neither compensation nor jobs have been provided to the affected families. greaterkashmir/news/2013/Nov/13/high-level-official-panel-to-examine-tosa-maidan-issue-65.asp
Posted on: Wed, 13 Nov 2013 03:23:47 +0000
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