CS headed panel to examine issue of firing ranges
Sanjeev Pargal
JAMMU, Nov 12: Chief Minister Omar Abdullah today announced that the Government would remove any disparities in sanction of relief to soldiers, who laid down their lives in service of the nation, belonging to Jammu and Kashmir and other States. He announced setting up of a high level committee headed by Chief Secretary Mohammad Iqbal Khandey and comprising representatives of Army and civil administration to re-examine the short-term extension of the firing ranges of Army and consider alternate locations.
Omar made these significant announcements while presiding over the Civil Military Liaison Conference (CMLC) held at 16 Corps Headquarters at Nagrota, after a gap of more than four years though it had to be an annual feature. Top brass of Army and civil administration attended the meeting in which various issues pertaining to land acquisition etc were worked out.
Deputy Chief Minister Tara Chand, GOC-in-C Northern Command Lt Gen Sanjiv Chachra, Chief of Staff Northern Command Lt Gen HJS Sachdev, GOC 16 Corps (Nagrota) Lt Gen DS Hooda, GOC 15 Corps (Srinagar) Lt Gen Gurmeet Singh, GOC 14 Corps (Leh) Lt Gen Rakesh Sharma, GOC 9 Corps (Yol Cantonment) Lt Gen Parveen Bakshi, Air Officer Commanding, Jammu Air Marshal Anil Khosla, Financial Commissioner (Revenue) Arun Kumar, Principal Secretary (Planning and Development Department) BR Sharma, Principal Secretary Finance BB Vyas, Principal Secretary Home, Suresh Kumar, DGP Ashok Prasad and senior officers of Revenue and other Departments attended the conference.
Chief Secretary Mohammad Iqbal Khandey was not present as he was indisposed.
Lt Gen Chachra announced that Army has vacated 12 Government buildings and was in the process of evicting eight more buildings shortly.
He said: “most of the Field Firing Ranges, required for operational capability building for Army personnel, 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 by the Government”.
Responding to Lt Gen Chachra’s statement on Firing Ranges, Omar proposed setting of a high level committee under the chairmanship of Chief Secretary Mohammad Iqbal Khandey, which would include representatives of Army and the State Government to re-examine the short term extension of the firing ranges and considering alternate locations. The Committee would also examine the issue of Tosha Maidan firing range.
“We recognize and appreciate the Army’s operational, training and strategic requirements,” Omar said.
The Chief Minister also agreed to extend the ex gratia relief to soldiers who lay down their lives in the service of the nation in counter terrorist operations and the Line of Control (LoC) and J&K domicile soldiers, who attained martyrdom in the line of duty in operations in other States of the country.
He agreed to remove the distinction in ex gratia amount for soldiers belonging to Jammu and Kashmir and other States. He also agreed to the Army’s proposal for providing financial assistance to all World War-II veterans and their widows at the scale of Rs 3000 per month.
Omar said that very few States in the country have the type of close relationship that the civil administration and the Army as existed in Jammu and Kashmir. He appreciated the role of Armed Forces in difficult and inaccessible areas and mentioned that they have been complimenting the civil administration in difficult times.
“The very fact that though the Civil Military Liaison Conference has been convened after four years, yet there were not many outstanding issues, which clearly depicted that there was absolute synergy and regular contact at the operational level,” he asserted.
Omar said he had been closely interacting with colleagues in uniform and the civil administration will continue to provide support and assistance to nurture this important relationship. He lauded Lt Gen Chachra for taking the initiative in organizing the CMLC.
The Chief Minister commended the role of Indian Army in protecting the country and safeguarding the people from external and internal threats apart from rendering valuable services during calamities and other challenges. He said that working closely with each other would mean addressing issues and forging way ahead despite differences in position of Army and civil administration on various issues. He added that working in tandem acts as a catalyst to find out workable solutions.
He issued directions for providing hassle-free and equal compensation by the Army to the affected civilians.
The Civil Military Liaison Conference discussed various issues pertaining to human welfare, ex-gratia relief, de-mining of areas, construction of roads, land acquisition and infrastructure development et
In his address, Northern Army Commander Lt Gen Sanjiv Chachra said the State Government has always been very responsive to requirements of the Armed Forces.
“The volatile internal security in the State has been effectively controlled due to proactive and concerted efforts of all security forces and civil administration”, he said.
He urged the Chief Minister and the State administration to address the rehabilitation of ex-servicemen on priority and help the serving soldiers, veterans & `Veer Naris’ in finding a speedy solution to their problems.
Lt Gen Chachra said he had ordered a comprehensive audit of the Army’s land holdings and requirement in the entire State so that only essentially required land is retained. In the process, the Army has recently vacated a total of 12 buildings and another 8 buildings would be vacated very shortly, he added.
The civil administration was extremely forthcoming in agreeing to review the case for reduction in Value Added Tax (VAT) for Army CSD items.
On participative contribution of the Armed Forces, the Army Commander said that he had passed directions that as far as possible the Army’s requirements for Food & Supplies, construction material and contractual requirement for infrastructure will be sourced from within the State to boost the economy, employment and generate growth.
He said that Army would be happy to assist the State administration in fields of education, health and sanitation. “Our future social projects have been re-oriented to look at small scale projects to meet aspirations of the people residing around our bases”, the Army Commander said.
Deputy Chief Minister Tara Chand highlighted the issues of farmers, whose agricultural land has been affected on account of minefields. The Army agreed to progress compensation to the landmine casualties and people displaced by the construction of LoC fence in the border areas. Both the agencies acknowledged the need for working together towards the cause of the people and security of the State.
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