Kasauli: Fearing higher taxes, civilians staying on defence land demand transfer of assets to state govt

Ambika Sharma

Solan, July 29

Fearing higher tax rates if left under the control of the defence administration, owners of properties situated outside civil areas in Kasauli Cantonment are demanding that their assets be the transferred to the state government.

An exercise was underway in various cantonments across the nation to exclude the civil areas from the control of the cantonments and transfer them to the state governments. As per the modalities worked out for this exercise, only properties situated in civil areas are being transferred while buildings located in defence areas will continue to be under the control of the defence administration.

A number of prime properties are located on the Upper and Lower Mall in Kasauli that comes under the defence land. Out of the total 688 acres of land in Kasauli Cantonment, the notified civil area (NCA) comprises 43.5 acres, which will be transferred to the state government. Its modalities were being worked out.

People residing in old grant houses, comprising freehold or leased properties on the defence land lying in the remaining area, will not be given any such advantage. “While the state government will be given the task of providing civic amenities and municipal services in these areas, the residents fear that they will be subject to higher taxes. Since the defence authorities will continue to own these properties, they will be subject to levies by the defence, besides paying for municipal services to the state government,” said Kasauli Sub-Divisional Magistrate Narayan Chauhan.

The defence authorities will discontinue the water supply to the civilian areas six months after the excising exercise, following which the state government will have to make its own arrangements for supplying water to the areas. In case the government fails to make such an arrangement, they will have to pay to the defence authorities for supplying water in the excised area after six months.

The defence authorities were working out the modalities for excluding the civilian areas and a proposal will soon be submitted to the state government.