Jalandhar, March 28
Agitated over the increase in the number of tussles between the Army and civilians pertaining to the usage of the centuries-old Dasehra ground by civilians, the elected members of the Jalandhar Cantonment Board sought intervention of the authorities concerned to resolve the issue.
The elected members said the Dasehra ground fell in the “B4 land category” and came directly under the control of the Defence Estates Office
(DEO), Jalandhar Cantonment, hence the Army had no right to intervene in the matter. The issue was discussed during the Cantonment Board meeting held yesterday.
Elected cantonment board members Avinash Chander Sharma, Nistha Goel and Raghunandan Sharma handed over a letter to the Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Cantonment Board, Vibha Sharma, and president of the Cantonment Board, Station Commander Brigadier Arup
Sen, in this regard.
Recently, the Army authorities have also put up boards on the Dasehra ground stating it to be “Defence land” after the civilians were stopped by the Army from holding any religious and social functions there.
Talking to Jalandhar Tribune, Avinash Chander Sharma said, “Under Section 257 of the Cantonment Board Act-2006, the powers of B4 land lies with either the CEO or the DEO concerned. The Army cannot deny anybody permission to use the land and hold a functions.”
The councillors also maintained that the civilians had been holding various religious functions at the Dasehra ground for years.
“In fact the civilians never faced any problem pertaining to its usage at any time of the year.
However, for the past sometime, the Army authorities have been creating problems for the civilians, which is unwarranted and needed to be resolved,” they added.
Even last year during the Dasehra festivities, the Army authorities had denied the civilians permission to hold the Dasehra fair in the ground. The issue had come to an end only after the Ramleela Committee members, Cantonment Board councillors and the police intervened in the
matter.
Avinash also highlighted that when the issue was brought to the fore, the president of the board, Brig
Sen, said the Ministry of Defence (MoD) had proposed to construct a sports stadium at the Dasehra ground land many years ago. “There was no immediate response from the authorities concerned, but we have demanded written orders in the case,” he added.
