The recent move by the Ayodhya Development Authority (ADA) to de-notify the land used for firing practice attracted sharp responses from several quarters. Representational file image. | Photo Credit: NAGARA GOPAL
The Army’s field firing range near Ayodhya, falling in the flight path of the under-construction airport, has become unsafe for use, Army sources said about the recent de-notification of the range.
For transferring defence land, there is a template where equal land or equal value or infrastructure development on another suitable land parcel is undertaken by the government agency acquiring the land. The same process is being followed in the instance of Army land in Ayodhya as well, sources said. The Army is also set to soon get a new high altitude firing range in the Eastern sector.
The recent move by the Ayodhya Development Authority (ADA) to de-notify the land used for firing practice attracted sharp responses from several quarters after it was alleged that several high-profile individuals had acquired land there.
In another development, 10 more cantonments have been identified for de-notification. Civil areas in these parts would be excised and merged with adjoining State municipalities, a process that started last year.
The 10 cantonments to be de-notified are Ajmer, Babina, Clementown, Deolali, Dehradun, Fatehgarh, Nasirabad, Mathura, Ramgarh and Shahjahanpur. However, there is no time frame for the process, given the complexities involved, sources said.
According to the Defence Ministry, the reason to excise civil areas of cantonments is to bring uniformity in municipal laws governing them and adjoining Municipal areas. Accordingly, broad modalities for the proposed excision of civil areas in 58 cantonments have been shared with the State governments concerned for their comments, the Ministry informed the parliament last year. Yol cantonment in Himachal Pradesh has already been de-notified with effect from April 27, 2023.
Drones and mules
On the logistics front, the Army is in the process of introducing robotic mules and load-carrying drones to replace animal transport, which has played a vital role for decades in carrying loads to the forwardmost areas, an Army source said.
“The last mile connectivity in mountainous terrain is gradually transitioning from animal transport to trucks. All-terrain and rugged terrain vehicles have been introduced as the border infrastructure improves significantly,” the source said. “We can replace animal transport to some extent. Cargo-carrying drones are being introduced and robotic mules are being tested.”
While the animal transport is truncated, military dogs continue to play an indispensable part in warfighting, both in counter-insurgency, counter-terrorism environments as well as conventional operations, sources said. “We continue to invest in breeding, training and deploying human’s best friend,” the source said.
Besides German Shepherds, Belgian Malinois and Labradors, the Army’s Remount and Veterinary Corps (RVC) has inducted local breeds like Mudhol Hound, Chippiparai, Rajapalayam and also trying out Rampur Hounds. These dogs are trained for a variety of roles — assault dogs, guard dogs, tracking, infantry patrol, explosive detection, mine detection, narcotics detection, avalanche rescue operation and search and rescue operations. There is also significant technology absorption to augment military dogs’ efficacy during operations and training, the source stated.
Green measures
The Army has launched the Apashisth Mukt Sainya Abhiyan to achieve landfill-free military stations. “Aligning itself to the best practices of the industry and award-winning municipal ecosystems in place at Indore, Indian Army plans to make all its 306 military stations landfill-free over the next five years,” the source cited above said. Army has also set up 68 solar projects, including at Siachen base camp.
The Army is in the process of partnering with National Thermal Power Corporation (NTPC) to set up a green hydrogen plant to power the military garrison at Chushul in Eastern Ladakh and introduce green hydrogen buses at Leh. The Indian Oil Corporation Limited has already been roped in to introduce a green hydrogen bus at the Army headquarters.
“The 200MW hydrogen plant at Chushul garrison will replace the diesel generators that currently provide electricity to our troops. The Memorandum of understanding is in the final stages of being signed,” the source stated.
Issues related to land, accommodation and environment aspects for Army establishments, transport, supply and fuel, oils and lubricants and all aspects related to animals, among other issues, are handled by the Quarter Master General’s branch.
