No additional land transferred to Army: GOC DP Pandey

Srinagar, Mar: General officer commanding of Srinagar based Chinar Corps, Lt General, D P Pandey on Friday said that no additional land has been transferred to Army under Strategic Areas Notification (SAN).

In an exclusive interview to Greater Kashmir, GOC Pandey while clarifying on the issue, said that the promulgation of Strategic Area Notification (SAN) has been under process since 2019 to follow the rulings of Jammu and Kashmir High Court.

   

“There has been no additional land transferred to the Army under this notification, the subject land in Sonamarg and Gulmarg is already under use by the Army for decades. Both Sonamarg and Gulmarg are important High-Altitude training areas of the Indian Army,” Lt General, D P Pandey, told Greater Kashmir. “Part of the land is acquired land and part requisitioned for training and allied activities,” he added.

Lt General, D P Pandey said that the SAN pertains only to promulgation of these areas as ‘strategic areas’ to facilitate construction of training and other operational enabling infrastructure; this had been stalled for long due to procedural issues and resulting in inefficiencies and a drain to the exchequer.

“This was long overdue. I repeat that no new area has been added or allotted. I expect responsible Kashmir based media to clarify the issue and counter this false propaganda,” he said.

Pertinently, the Jammu and Kashmir government in a recent order had declared around 1,358 kanals (169.75 acres) as “strategic areas” in the tourist hotspots of Gulmarg and Sonamarg in north and central Kashmir.

According to an order issued by the Tourism Department recently, 1,034 kanals and six marlas of land in Gulmarg and 354 kanals in Sonamarg have been notified as strategic areas by the authorities, while exercising powers under the Jammu and Kashmir Development Act. The government order had asked Corps Commander to ensure strict adherence to the environment laws. “The Corps Commander shall ensure that no other applicable law in force in the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir is observed in breach,” the order stated.

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