BSF battalion project stalled as panchayats decline NOC

Lalit Mohan

Tribune News Service

Dharamsala, September 12

The project to bring BSF battalion in Shahpur Assembly constituency in Kangra district has been lingering on for the past nine years now. Sources said the project had been stalled as two panchayats of the region have declined to give no-objection certificate (NOC) for additional two hectares demanded by the BSF authorities for bringing up the battalion.

As per the new Land Acquisition Act, the NOC from the panchayats was must for bringing up any project in their area. Deputy Commissioner Kangra, Ritesh Chauhan, when asked, said 12 hectares in Bandi panchayat had already been transferred in the name of the BSF. However, the BSF authorities have demanded an additional two-hectare land for bringing up a battalion here. The panchayats under whom the area demanded by the BSF falls have refused to give the NOC on the plea that their grazing rights in the area would be infringed. “We are trying to sort out the matter”, he said.

The proposal to bring up a BSF battalion in Shahpur Assembly constituency of Kangra district was mooted in the year 2007. Thereafter, the district administration located 12 hectare land and demanded Rs 2 crores from the BSF as its cost. The BSF deposited the amount with the state government during the stint of the previous BJP government.

However, some of the locals from the area where the BSF battalion was to be set up launched an agitation against the project. They alleged that a high-security installation in their vicinity would restrict their freedom to use the adjoining areas for grazing their cattle and other forest rights. Some also moved the Himachal High Court against the project.

Those in favour of the project were saying that the project would increase economic activity in other backward area where the BSF battalion was proposed.

However, now the project has been delayed inordinately and despite having acquired 12 hectares till date the BSF has failed to bring up its battalion in Kangra district.

Due to non-availability of land Himachal has already lost the National Disaster Relief Force (NDRF) training centre. During the stint of the previous BJP government the land was proposed in Nurpur Assembly constituency of Kangra district for setting up the NDRF battalion. However, the state government could not finalise land for the project and it was shifted to the adjoining Punjab. The NDRF battalion besides boosting local economy would have proved useful for a hill state like Himachal that is prone to natural disasters.