Ministry’s rider on firing ranges comes in way of re-notification

Tribune News Service

Jammu, May 28

A rider by the Union Ministry for Environment and Forests of having a 10-km safety zone around field firing ranges has become a roadblock for re-notification of 10 ranges in the state. 

“The Environment Ministry’s rider has added to our woes. It is a major roadblock for us in J&K, especially in Kashmir where constructions have come up rapidly. The PDP-BJP government also appears reluctant to re-notify these 10 ranges,” said a defence source.

“Land has become scarce due to rapid constructions in the past few years in Kashmir. Houses have come up close to the ranges. How can we have 10-km safety zone around them (ranges)?” the source said.

The issue, which had been flagged by Northern Command chief Lt Gen DS Hooda before Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar during his visit on May 22 and 23, has become a major cause of concern for the Army, sources said.

As the firing ranges have not been re-notified since October last year, the Army has been sending its troops to firing ranges in Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan since January to perfect artillery fire. 

This arrangement of sending troops with their cannons and ammunition to Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan has affected the Army on the Line of Control and hinterland to some extent. 

“Though we have sufficient reserves but we are sending soldiers after pulling them out of counter-insurgency operations and the LoC,” said the source. 

“The field firing ranges have come down from 140 in 2009 to 66 across the country because we faced similar problems in other states but J&K is altogether different for obvious reasons and the issue must be resolved rapidly,” the source said.

The ranges which have not been re-notified are at Mahe, Tartar and Kulum in Leh, Khurbathang in Kargil, Tosha Maidan in Budgam, Chorkhud in Poonch, Kalith in Akhnoor, Rajouri, Jhallas in Poonch and Garhi in Nowshera.