Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Mar 12: While accusing the Army of harassing the residents living near the ammunition depot in Jindrah area of Jammu district, the National Conference MLA, Devinder Singh Rana today demanded that the depot be shifted to some other location, away from the residential area.
Addressing a press conference here this afternoon, the NC legislator from Nagrota said that nearly 4000 families living near the ammunition depot in Jandrah area of Nagrota constituency, who have leased their land to the Army are being harassed by the concerned unit, as they are not allowed to do any type of construction or repair work of their existing houses. Not only this, they are not being allowed to construct even a toilet, despite loud slogans of Prime Minister Narinder Modi of `Swachh Bharat Abhiyan’.
Mr Rana, who represents this Nagrota constituency said that the people living along the ammunition depot had leased their land to the Army in 1964 and they are being given meagre rent of their land annually. Even today the Army is paying Rs 500 per Kanal of land as rent and that too, has not been paid for the last three years. The villagers have given their land to the Army on rent for this storage facility but surprising they are not being allowed to raise any construction or renovation on security reasons. He said on the contrary, there is no restriction on Army itself as they are raising flats for their families in the same vicinity and even inside the fence. The same safety and security concern is not for their own families and only for civilians, the MLA asked.
When the villagers were removed outside first time they were rehabilitated 500 mts away from the depot but now they have extended this area up to 1000 mts protecting as danger zone and restricted for any sort of construction. He alleged that even the Army is not providing employment to the local youth as porters or for other jobs and instead bringing people from other states to work at this ammunition depot,” Mr Rana maintained.
He urged GOC-in-C Northern Command to conduct an enquiry into the recruitment process of porters and other workers at the ammunition depot.
Mr Rana said if the grievances of the these villagers were not addressed they would be forced to launch protests. He appealed to the State Governor, Northern Army Commander Lt Gen DS Hooda and the Defence Minister, Manohar Parrikar to look into the matter.
Follow our WhatsApp channel
