Sanjeev Pargal
JAMMU, Nov 1: Conceding long pending demand of the Army, the State Government has notified large number of villages in Akhnoor tehsil of Jammu district as Field Firing Ranges (FFRs) authorizing troops to carry out field firing and artillery practice in the areas subject to some conditions. The FFRs have been notified for a period of 10 years.
Official sources told the Excelsior that the Government has issued formal notification authorizing number of villages in Akhnoor tehsil for field firing and artillery practice as sought by the Army as troops had been facing lot of difficulties in the absence of firing ranges. In some cases, troops had to go out of the State for firing practices.
“The Field Firing and Artillery Practice villages have been notified for a period of 10 years under the provisions of Maneuvers, Field Firing and Artillery Practice Act, 1938 and Jammu and Kashmir Maneuvers, Field Firing and Artillery Practice Rules, 1972,’’ sources said.
However, the Government has imposed certain conditions on the Army for use of Field Firing Ranges which stated that the Army will have to take all possible measures to prevent loss of life, livestock, public/private property damage to standing crops.
Also, the conditions mentioned, the Firing Range shouldn’t be used for field firing practice during school examination, harvest/sowing season and on public/gazetted holidays. The Army will also make arrangements with regard to medical facilities including doctors and ambulances during the days notified for firing, they said.
Meanwhile, Army has also sought land for three more Firing Ranges-one each in Jammu, Kashmir and Ladakh regions to ensure that training of its jawans, which is very vital part of the troops, didn’t suffer and the soldiers don’t have to go to Madhya Pradesh or Rajasthan for raising their skills.
Fe months back, the State Government had handed over 4.8 kanals of land to the Army at Mangal Thang in Durbuk area of Leh district, which is located close to Line of Actual Control (LAC) with China. Initially, the Government has allotted the land to the Army at Mangal Thang for a period of five years only but, according to sources, the Army authorities have been assured that the lease period would be extended after every five years.
Sources said Army has also reiterated its demand for grant of land for three more Field Firing Ranges-one each in Jammu, Kashmir and Ladakh regions on priority basis.
Sources said the Government is reported to have assured the Army Commanders at various levels that it was seized of the matter including problems faced by the troops in firing practice due to expiry of lease of nine firing ranges in Jammu and Kashmir including four under the command of 16 Corps i.e. Jammu region, one under 15 Corps (Kashmir) and four under the jurisdiction of 14 Corps (Ladakh).
Fifty years lease period of nine firing ranges had ended in November 2014 and since then the Army has been pursuing the case of their extension.
Nine firing ranges, whose lease period has expired, included Mahe (Nyoma, Leh) with an area of 67,953,97 hectares, Khurbarteng (Kargil), Tartar (Leh) having an area of 650 hectares and Kulum (Upshi) in Leh with and area of 24,858.5 hectares, all four in Ladakh region falling under 14 Corps, Tosa Maidan (Budgam) with an area of 27016 hectares in Kashmir under 15 Corps, Chorkhud in Poonch, an area of 10625 hectares, Jhallas in Rajouri (both small arms firing ranges) and Garhi (Nowshera) in Rajouri district, all four in Jammu region, falling under the Command of 16 Corps. The Government had only last year granted land to Army at Nowshera for Firing Range.
In addition to this, the Army has also been asked to vacate 130 kanals land in Leh, 200 kanals at Kalsar, 1710.77 kanals at Tattoo Ground, 297 kanals at Wuzur and 137 kanals at Jammu Airport.
While contention of the State Government in denying extension of lease of the firing ranges was that built up areas have come up near the ranges, the Army has projected that it was suffering heavy loss to the State exchequer and defence budget as the artillery units deployed in Jammu and Kashmir had to move to Mahajan and Pokhran firing ranges in Rajasthan and Babina, Gwalior in Madhya Pradesh for practice and training along with lock, stock and barrel.
The Army has been left with just about 66 operational field firing ranges as against 104 it had once. Of them, Jammu and Kashmir still accounted for highest number of 12 Field Firing Ranges.
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