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| It is not occupation force: Antony | | | ET REPORTER
Jammu, July 28: While confirming some improvement in the overall situation, the Union Defence Minister who is on visit of Jammu and Kashmir since Friday, yet again remained non-committal on the troop reduction even though he said that an appropriate decision shall be taken after reviewing the reports prepared by the committees constituted for the purpose.
After a review of the ground situation and visit to the forward areas in North Kashmir , the Defence Minister AK Antony told reporters in Srinagar today that reduction of troop strength can deteriorate the situation which has been obtained after hard efforts of security forces.
"The situation can further improve fast, but if we slacken out, it can deteriorate. We must continue our efforts to bring in total normalcy in the state," Antony told reporters. On the issue of relocation of troops, the Defence Minister while evading a direct reply said, "the government of India is waiting for the reports of committees appointed by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh".
On being pressed by the scribes with reference to the demand from certain quarters particularly the Peoples Democratic Party, the Defence Minister thundered: "the Indian army is not an occupation army. They did not come out of the barracks of their own. They came out on the request of the state government and the people to bring peace."
He said during his two-day stay here, he had met a lot of people who had given some "useful suggestions. We will try our best to find solutions to the problems of the people here," the defence minister said.
Meanwhile, Chief Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad has strongly advocated substantial enhancement of rentals of private property, especially land and orchards, under the use of army in the state. He also asked for immediate on account payment of 80 percent rent to the owners till formal sanction by the Defence Estate was accorded.
According to an official spokesman, the Chief Minister took up the matter with the Defence Minister at a high level meeting in Srinagar.
The Chief Minister said that a large number of private properties including lands and orchards were under the use of army whose rent cases were pending for a long time. He said procedures and formalities to pay the rent sometimes took years together. He said there was an immediate requirement of substantial enhancement of the rentals.
The Chief Minister said that for speedy revision of rent, the state government should be involved with the exercise since it had full infrastructure and manpower to do the job. He said for immediate relief to the owners of these properties on account payment of about 80% should be made immediately in anticipation of the formal sanction by the Defence Estates Officer. The balance amount could be paid after issuance of the sanction, he added. He asked the defence Minister to sanction an advance fund to be placed at the disposal of the concerned deputy commissioners.
Azad said a large number of educational institutions, hospital buildings, public utility and tourism infrastructure were used as accommodation by the army and para-military forces. He said while the State government fully realized the accommodation problem faced by the security forces the buildings need to be vacated to provide unhindered educational, health and other facilities to the children and other people. He called for immediate relocation of security forces from these buildings.
He said the alternate accommodation should be raised in such a manner as would make it useful in future when the security forces vacate the buildings after the return of normalcy.
In response, the Defence Minister assured Azad that the issues raised by him would be seriously considered. He said he would discuss these with the Prime Minister after his return to Delhi tomorrow. He said his ministry would do everything to strengthen the hands of the Chief Minister in bringing back normalcy.
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