Tosamaidan lease gonna be expire #Muzamil Banday

Finally, Tosamaidan lease expires today
Sub-panel to identify alternate firing range for Army

SPOTLIGHT
UMER MAQBOOL
# Greater Kashmir


Srinagar, Apr 17: The lease to Army to use the Tosamaidan meadow in central Kashmir’s Budgam district as its firing range is finally ending Friday. While all eyes on the government’s final take on the issue, it is set to constitute to a panel to look for an alternate firing range site for the Army.
Informed sources told Greater Kashmir that the government will shortly issue formal orders for setting up the sub-committee to find an alternate location for Army in lieu of Tosamaidan. Headed by Divisional Commissioner Kashmir, the Director Tourism and Chief Conservator of Forests would be members of the panel.
On Wednesday, the previously constituted high-powered committee tasked the Divisional Commissioner Kashmir to identify a suitable alternate location for shifting of Tosamaidan firing range.
As already reported by this newspaper, Army has agreed to explore alternate options to shift its firing range from Tosamaidan.
The controversy surrounding the meadow has assumed a centre-stage in Kashmir as locals are opposing the Army’s demand for re-notification of the meadow as the firing range till 2034.
Of late, mainstream and separatist groups too have voiced opposition to the extension of the lease in favour of Army. The meadow is being used by Army and the Air Force for artillery exercises since 1964.
Sources also disclosed that the sub-panel, once constituted, will undertake inspection of all the sites proposed by the Army, before submitting its report to the high-powered committee headed by the Chief Secretary.
“The sub-committee is likely to submit its report to the government in June,” they said, adding the panel headed by CS will meet after the sub-panel finalizes its recommendations.

Photo Gallery by Muzamil Banday

Sightseeing (1)

Sightseeing (2)

Sightseeing (3)

Sightseeing (4)

Sightseeing (5)

Sightseeing (6)

Sightseeing (7)

Sightseeing (8)

This is where the bombs fell

That is how they destroy our natural resources (1)

That is how they destroy our natural resources (2)

Unexploded Bombs

Victims of Firing in Tosa Maidan Beerwah (1)

Victims of Firing in Tosa Maidan Beerwah (2)

REALITY OF TOSA MAIDAN (BEERWAH)

The Reality Of Tosa Maidan

Of late there has been very spirited opposition to the extension of the lease of Army’s Tosa Maidan firing range in Kashmir's Beerwah Tehsil. Led by self-styled social activists, it has become an emotive issue wrapped around themes of civil casualties, degradation of forests and loss of livelihood. All Valley based political parties and separatists duly supported by media have upped the ante to meet their  respective agendas of victimhood and political powerlessness vis-a-vis the Centre .

Dispassionately though facts speak otherwise and the emphasis here is on National security . 

Like it or not, National Security requires an all-weather readiness against a recalcitrant enemy out to take advantage of any weaknesses in India’s defence preparedness. The aim is to maintain optimum battle readiness at all times. To achieve this aim, the country must raise, train and maintain security forces capable of achieving these objectives. Provision  of latest weapon systems, up gradation of technology and  training facility/infrastructure directly or through the state govt subject  (being part of a concurrent list also) where the forces are accommodated is National responsibility .  Accordingly, the training infrastructures are created in a manner that the actual terrain, weather and operational environment, as obtaining during  war can be replicated or simulated. 

One such vital infrastructure is the field firing ranges which are essential for training, evaluation of weapon  system, research and development, proofing of weapons and conduct of  exercises. With this aim, a number of ranges across the country were acquired or notified by the central govt through the respective state governments to cater to the overall requirement of Army as well as other  security forces. (Mahajan, Pokhran, Wheeler Island, Tosa Maidan and Naraingarh ranges are just few of them). In case of J&K there were large  number of areas that were earmarked at the time of independence for such  activities and Army could freely undertake the training. However, with  industrialization and increased economic activities, the land requirement  increased. Consequently, Army gave up few areas, retaining only the bare  essential areas as ranges. What the Army retains now is something that neither  Army can afford to give up nor the government can deny.

For the forces deployed in J&K, the problem is more acute as the Valley is  land locked from all sides, surrounded by mountains and forests, thereby  restricting the options for areas that can be chosen as ranges.  Accessibility through roads and tracks is another limiting factor because utilization of such ranges by heavy calibre weapons needs suitable roads.  The firing ranges also need to offer topography similar to those where  operations are likely to be undertaken and must enable firing under variable technical conditions, resulting out of numerous factors. These variables are at both the ends, that is, at the firing end as well as the target end. It is also necessary that the firing ranges are to be located close to the major Army deployments so that the travel time as well wear and tear of the equipment is minimized and move of units for training does  not take them outside their operational areas. 

Tosa Maidan is the only suitable firing range available in the Valley. It primarily  comprises of uninhabited forest land with marginal portion as private land. In the  recent past, lot of hue and cry has been made by vested interests not to  extend the lease of the ranges beyond April 2014 citing various reasons  like relentless artillery fire, loss to the bio diversity sanctuary, health  problems to the locals, destruction of flora and fauna, toxic effects of use of ammunition, destruction of grazing area for the cattle, and lately  the inability of the govt to develop tourism. Undoubtedly, some of this is true and hard to avoid. However, the critics failed to take into account the importance of maintaining the sanctity of  territorial integrity in the border state and the suffering people have  undergone on numerous occasions since 1948 when Kashmir was invaded.  Presence of forces in the area has improved the security environment and  boosted the economy of the region as well as tourism. 

Tosa Maidan ranges are being used by the forces for the last 50 years and  the land occupied for the training is minuscule compared to the overall  forest land.  Non extension of  lease of this range will deprive the forces the opportunity to train  themselves and will have direct impact  on the defence preparedness of the country. The state and central  governments are duty bound to provide the infrastructure as per the  technical requirement of the forces in the interest of nation rather than obliging to the vested interests of one state.

The army adopts stringent safety  measures like warning the people, civil administration, village elders  before and during the firing and placing the sentries at appropriate  places. Large number of other methods and means are also employed to  interact with the locals so that they could be further educated on the  safety measures to be adopted during firing. While use of Tosa Maidan  firing ranges cannot be wished away, army undertakes a number of welfare  measures to make up for the inconveniences caused to the people by way of  conducting medical/veterinary camps and a host of developmental,  educational and vocational training related activities. Destruction and  removal of other hazardous substances are also undertaken by the authorities controlling the ranges. 

These practices are time-tested and periodically evaluated to ensure  maximum safety to the local residents. The ammunition used by the forces  undergoes strict quality control at Ordnance Factories and the contention  of release of toxic material that affects the water bodies is baseless. More over the actual area where ammunition hits the ground is barely of one kilometer spread and that area is devoid of trees. It is totally barren, hence the damage caused to the ecology is almost negligible or zero. 

The injuries or loss to the lives in the past has primarily been due to the  non-adherence to the safety measures by the civilians during the practice  or may be due to the greed of collecting the metal scrap, when the firing  is on. Our interaction with the residents of the area reveals that despite  adequate warning and presence of police, people (especially children), out  of greed to earn some money by selling metal scrap, venture into the  ranges during the firing. This sometimes results into injuries or loss of  lives. It happens as a result of the abject poverty prevailing in the area and  lack of employment opportunities. Though these problems are  prevailing across the length and breadth of the state, the people in this area are particularly conducive to be influenced by unrealistic and unbelievable dreams. The people leading the movement against extension of the lease have also been collecting funds from different groups and have succeeded in politicizing the  issue.

In the recent past there is desperation by  groups across the LOC to  infiltrate more terrorists to cause large-scale disruption in the  forthcoming assembly elections. Inimical elements see the presence of  security forces in the area as a major hindrance towards terrorist related  activities. Hence using gullible locals as a screen they are trying to  spread rumours and misguide them. Some of them are using the issue to  realize their personal commercial interests too. In order to actualize their agenda, they operate behind the shadows of social organizations and raise the bogey of public interest.

Lastly and perhaps most importantly, with J& K having entered the  election cycle, the issue has suddenly been adopted as part of the election  agenda of all of the Valley based political parties and individual leaders. 

Another crucial aspect is the timber smuggler nexus of politicians, bureaucrats, and police, to vacate this area of army presence. Having absolutely ravaged and denuded the  mountains of timber, these unscrupulous elements,  in connivance with administrative machinery and business interests have their eyes on meadows near Tangmarg across the mountains. After already denuding forest cover in areas like Suta Haran, their aim is to play on environmental issues and discomfort to locals to serve their nefarious designs. Interestingly,  through all my interactions with the Bakarwals, I have never heard a single  complaint about the army. In fact, the army presence has ensured this to be  the most terror free area in the region because of which the Tourism  Department has laid out special trekking routes aiming to boost tourism and to provide employment and prosperity to inhabitants of this otherwise poor and neglected area.

In all my observations I often find the army to be pioneers in protecting the  ecology and environment. They undertake numerous initiatives for  preservation of ecology all over the country. Hence they cannot be termed  as a destroyers of the ecology. However, it may be advisable for the army to undertake  afforestation projects in these areas to compensate for the affected area which is by a huge compensatory afforestation drive.
The army plays an important role in maintaining peace and tranquility in the Valley which is a prerequisite for the development and progress of the  people. In fact, the role of the security forces towards revival of tourism cannot  be questioned. Whether it is general tourism or religious tourism, it will  rarely come to the Valley if there is no semblance of security and  stability in the state.
What needs to be understood is that raising such an issue on an emotive  plane in an election year has the propensity to disturb peace in an  agitation mode. If main stream political parties take this up as an agenda  for the elections, unrest would result in a situation like  the Shrine Board agitation of 2008. Mainstream political parties  would welcome that congruence as it would lead to a virtual boycott of the  elections and allow them to “manage” the remaining turnout at the polls. As so often now, the separatists are  enjoying this storm while political parties are participating in divisive  tactics.
In every such problem solutions are more important than just agitation. It is time the Army earmarked a special Sadhbhavana  budget and effort to compensate the local people. There is no end to the good which can be done through this route instead of waiting for the issue to snowball. Rural tourism in the adjoining areas, undertaken by the local people with State and Army efforts will contribute to the much wanted tourist infrastructure in Kashmir where the quantum of tourism is now reaching a plateau because of lack of infrastructure in the urban settlements. The social evil of timber smuggling can also be arrested through this scheme to provide smugglers alternative means of livelihood. In many ways this is akin to the Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) model which was proposed by the Army in May 2012.
All stakeholders must now come together constructively and take suitable steps to ensure that this issue does not snow ball any further than it already has. There is room for compromise if there is willingness to explore options as to how to co-exist peacefully.

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