Dagshai excising exercise: Water sources and income-generating assets areas of contention

Tribune News Service

Ambika Sharma

Solan, April 29

The distribution of water sources and assets generating income to the defence authorities are emerging as the area of contention in the excising exercise underway in Dagshai cantonment to separate civilian areas.

Inheriting liabilities

• The state government would inherit annual liability of Rs 12 lakh for maintaining an ayurvedic dispensary, Rs 20 lakh for a cantonment hospital and Rs 11.55 lakh for transferring their staff
• Another liability of Rs 20 lakh would be inherited from a primary school and a special school being run for the disabled in the cantonment
• Profit-generating assets like two shops at Kumarhatti and nine at Cherring Cross, eight garages, two guest houses, two servant quarters should be included in the excising proposal to benefit the state government as it was merely inheriting liabilities

As per the existing system, the Military Engineer Services (MES) provides water to the civilian population. In the proposal put forth by the defence authorities, it has been decided to continue with this arrangement for six months where Rs 60.52 per 1,000 litres would be charged from the residents.

The state government representatives have, however, objected to this proposal as the domestic water is provided free of cost in the state while commercial connections are charged notified rates. Water charges should not be over and above the charges levied in the nearby civilian area, argue state government officials.

They have demanded inclusion of south water spring in the excising exercise. “Since there was no other source of water to cater to the civilians, south water spring will help the Jal Shakti Department to meet the needs of the local population,” say the officials.

Five civilian pockets are supposed to be excised in Dagshai cantonment, which comprise Sadar Bazaar, Old Babu Mohalla, Tehlu Mohalla, Khacharkhana and Kumarhatti area.

Since the ownership of the land will continue to remain with the defence authorities, the residents were wondering how the excising exercise would help. The defence authorities have also demanded ownership of the vacant land while the state government officials feel lack of vacant land would leave them with no scope for development and expansion of the civic amenities.

Solan Deputy Commissioner Manmohan Sharma says: “A proposal has been finalised by a committee headed by the Solan SDM and comprising Cantonment Executive Officer besides various state government departments.

The proposal will be sent to the state government as there were financial implications involved in taking over the schools, hospitals, etc. After receiving a nod from the state government, the proposal would be forwarded to the Ministry of Defence for its final notification.

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