Question : INSPECTION OF CANTONMENTS AND DEFENCE LAND

(a) whether the practice and requirement of annual inspection of Cantonments and defence lands by Defence Estate Directorate General has been discontinued since last few years;

(b) if so, the reasons therefor and if not, the details of Cantonments, Military, Airforce and Naval stations inspected during last three years and the action taken on deficiencies revealed in inspection report;

(c) whether the area under encroachments has increased during last three years and several defence lands and buildings have been diverted for non-defence purposes;

(d) if so, the action taken and propose to be taken by the Government in this regard;

(e) whether any action has been taken against any defence estate service officer for failure to safeguard defence lands during last three years;

(f) if so, the details thereof; and

(g) if not, the reasons therefor?

MINISTER OF DEFENCE (SHRI GEORGE FERNANDES)

(a) No, Sir.

(b) The details of Cantonments/Military Stations and Defence Estates Offices inspected during last three years by Defence Estates Department has been indicated in the statement attached. (Annexue). The deficiencies pointed out in the inspection report are required to be monitored by the controlling officers in Command Headquarters for compliance by the field officers.

(c) & (d): Encroachments have increased marginally in certain areas whereas it has decreased in some areas. Action for removal of encroachments is taken under the provisions of the Cantonments Act, 1924 and Public Premises (Eviction of Unauthorised Occupants), Act, 1971. Approximately, an area of 4638 acres has been removed from encroachment during the last 3 -5 years.

Certain instances of diversion of defence land/buildings for the purpose of schools, shopping complexes and welfare Institutes etc. have been noticed by the Government. Appropriate directions have been issued to all concerned in such cases as a remedial measure.

(e) to (g): Yes, Sir. Disciplinary action has been initiated against five officers of the Defence Estates Organisation during the last three years for failure to safeguard defence land.

ANNEXURE REFERRED TO IN REPLY TO PART (b) OF LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 6563 FOR 8.5.2003

Sl.No Name of Sl.No Name of Sl.No Name of station station	station 1. Mhow 28. Srinagar 55. Dhana Mily Stn. 2. Ambala 29. Dalhousie 56. Bhopal Mily Stn. 3. Jutogh 30. Bakloh 57. Itarsi Mily Stn. 4. Belgaum 31. Khas Yol 58. Amla AF Station 5. Cannanore 32. Shillong 59. Maharajpur AF Stn. 6. Jabalpur 33. Barrackpore 60. Ranohi Mily Stn. 7. Delhi 34. Jabalpur 61. Jamshedpur Mily Stn. 8. Jalandhar 35. Lebong 62. Bihta AF Station 9. Deolali 36. Mumbai 63. Darbhanga AF Station 10. Kamptee 37. Bangalore 64. Singharsi AF Stn. 11. Varanasi 38. Jaipur 65. Banbasa Mily Stn. 12. Kanpur 39. Chennai 66. Hempur Mily Stn. 13. Kasauli 40. Trivandrum 67. Haldwani Mily Stn. 14. Amritsar 41. Goa 68. Dharchula Mily Stn. 15. Secunderabad 42. Leh 69. Pithoragarh Mily Stn. 16. Agra 43. Subathu 70. Izatnagar Mily Station 17. Bareilly 44. Ramgarh 71. Bhowali AF Stn. 18. Ahmednagar 45. Danapur 72. Air Force Selection Board, Varanasi 19. Wellington 46. Bikaner 73. 17 Wing AF Stn. Ghorakpur 20. Ajmer 47. Chandigarh 74. GRD Kurnaghat, Ghorakpur 21. Allahabad 48. Udhampur 75. COD Cheoki, Allahabad 22. Dnanapur 49. Pathankot 76. 24 ED Af Station Manauri,Allahabad 23. Nasirabad 50. Mathura 77. 29 Wing AF Stn. Bamrauli,Allahabad 24. Kamptee 51. Bakshi-ka- 78. AF Stn.Kheria,Agra Talab AF Station 25. Pune 52. Memora AF Stn. 79. Mily Stn.NawgoNg Distt.,Chhatarpur 26. St.Thomas 53. Chakeri AF Mount Stn. 27. Jammu 54. Gayabad Mily.Stn Note: Some stations have been inspected several times by different officers of Defence Estates Organisation – (AF stands for Air Force and Mily stands for Military).