Residents await amendments to Cantonments Act

Nitish Sharma

Tribune News Service

Ambala, October 19

Thousands of families residing within the cantonment board limits are hoping for favourable amendments to the Cantonments Act after the setting up of an expert committee by the Ministry of Defence to read the provision and suggest changes.

The committee was constituted on August 31 to study the existing Cantonments Act and make specific recommendations for suitably amending the Act to make the government structure of cantonment boards modernised and democratic.

Speaking to The Tribune, Ajay Baweja, vice-president Ambala Cantonment Board, said, “The Act is about 150 years old and it was last amended in 2006, but the then government had failed to give much relief to the civilians. Following repeated representations, the ministry formed a committee and the last date to send the suggestions is November 20. There have been several pending issues related to leased properties, building bylaws, transfer, mutation of old grant properties, and service charges payable to the cantonment boards.”

He said, “The population has been on the rise, but Class-C land, the land for civilians, has not been increased. The residents have been demanding expansion of the land under the Class-C category. Bungalow owners were not allowed to do modification or new construction. All 62 cantonment boards have almost similar issues. We have demanded amendments to the Cantonment Fund Servants Rule, 1937, too. As per the demand, the posting of the employees of Class II and Class III ranks must be transferable.”

The elected members of the board have decided to raise the issue regarding the post of the president of the board. At present, the post of the vice-president is given to the elected member, while the post of the president is held by an Army commander.

Baweja said, “The members are of the view that the post of the board president must be with an elected member.”

“The ministry has taken some good steps in favour of civilians, including the administrative stay on the eviction of 700 families in Ambala and opening of several roads that were closed for civilians in the recent past. We are hopeful that the pending issues would also be resolved,” he added.