Drone surveys underway in cantt towns

Ambika Sharma

Solan, September 12

Drone surveys are underway in various cantonment towns like Kasauli, Dagshai and Subathu to identify various land parcels owned by the state government, defence and private individuals. This is part of the nationwide drone surveys going on in 62 cantonments. There are seven cantonments in the state namely Subathu, Kasauli, Dagshai, Jutog, Bakloh, Dalhousie and Yol where the survey was being conducted.

Civilians demand exclusion

• The civilians residing in the cantonment towns have been demanding their exclusion from the cantonments as they faced numerous problems.
• Once excluded, the benefits of various state government schemes would be available to the residents.
• Funds will be made available for civic amenities in the civilian areas from the state and central government schemes.

Dagshai Cantonment was founded in 1847 and is among the oldest cantonments. Subathu and Kasauli were established as cantonments in the year 1850 during the British era. The Kasauli Cantonment is situated on an area spread over 643.96 acres out of which 47.45 acres forms the notified civil area.

Bengaluru-based Edall Systems has been entrusted the task of conducting this drone survey where various structures like buildings, streets, street lights, sewage scheme, schools, hospitals, etc, are being digitally mapped.

Though officials were tight-lipped about the purpose it is learnt that a move to work out modalities of excising civil areas from the cantonments was underway and the survey will help identify ownership of state and Central government buildings in the cantonments barring the strategic areas.

Governed by The Cantonment Act 2006, the residents have been demanding exclusion of the civilian areas from the cantonment. The stringent building bylaws have stunted growth of these towns.

The most popular town of Kasauli recorded a growth rate of mere 13.79 per cent. A majority of these towns have recorded low growth rate ranging from -8.99 to 27.13 per cent as per the 2001 Census. Only Subathu and Jutogh Cantonments have witnessed higher growth rates of 54.56 per cent and 47.74 per cent, respectively.

The civilians residing in the cantonment towns have been demanding their exclusion from the cantonments as they faced numerous problems. Once excluded, the benefits of various state government schemes would be available to the residents. Funds would also be made available for repair of roads and other civic amenities in the civilian areas from the state and central government schemes.

Devinder Gupta, a former vice-president, Cantonment Board Kasauli, said, “The move to exclude the civil areas from cantonments would help the civilian population get benefits of various state and Central government schemes. This demand has been raised for the last several years and it would also provide funds for improving the civic amenities in the cantonments.”