“Most field firing ranges, required for operational capability building of troops, are due for notification. While we have shifted our firing points to meet the needs of the local population, we are willing to look at alternative sites if these are offered to us,” said General Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Northern Command, General Sanjiv Chachra during a Civil-Military Liaison Conference held at Nagrota, Jammu.

The conference was chaired by Chief Minister Omar Abdullah and attended by Deputy Chief Minister Tara Chand besides senior Army and civil officials.

The Army and the state government (the Northern Army Commander and the Chief Minister) agreed to set up a joint panel to be headed by the state Chief Secretary to explore the possibilities and come up with certain recommendations, he said.

The Chief Minister later constituted a committee headed by the Chief Secretary to look into various land-related cases. “In case of the Tosamaidan range, it was decided that a committee chaired by the Chief Secretary will look into all aspects and suggest various viable options,” said an official spokesperson.

Local residents claim Tosamaidan has proved to be a death trap for them ever since its establishment in 1965. “In spite of its scenic landscape, Tosamaidan has proved to be a death trap for many people due to the firing range. We do not want the government to extend its lease to the Army,” said Bashir Ahmed, a member of the Tosamaidan Bachao Front.

“We will do everything to prevent the government from extending the lease, which ends in April,” he said.