Jammu: Army has raised objection to construction of house to two top BJP leaders in Jammu and Kashmir, including current Speaker Nirmal Singh and Deputy Chief Minister Kavinder Gupta, who own land right next to the Army’s ammunition depot in Nagrota.
According to Indian Express report by Muzammil Jaleel, Corps Commander of the Army’s 16 Corps, Lt General Saranjeet Singh
objected to the construction of a house by Speaker of the state Assembly Nirmal Singh on a 2,000-sq-m plot that is part of an estimated 12 acres bought in 2014.
However Singh, as quoted by The Indian Express has said that the ammunition depot has been in Nagrota since the 1970s.
“A village called Ban is adjacent to it. During militancy, the Army built a wall around it. They are saying that you can’t construct anything 1000 m from the outer wall of the depot. My house is 530 m. The moment I started construction, there was opposition. It is politically motivated,’’ Singh was quoted as saying in the report.
Not only did the Singh refute allegations that his property is any threat to the army ammunition depot but accused Army of interfering in the lives of people living in the vicinity.
“They (army) don’t let people construct even a toilet. People are harassed. You should speak to people there. Because it is my house, it is politically motivated. They started objecting. Why don’t they get a stay, they can’t do it”, Singh told IE.
According to the report Singh rejected Army’s interference citing that he has every right over his property and Army should not meddle with his Rights.
“This is my property. I have a right to use this property the way I want to use it. It is my fundamental right and you (Army) can’t encroach. They are giving reference of Raksha Mantri, I am telling them you should have acquired it. I have got the plan of the house passed and they are objecting”, Singh said.
The Indian Express report quotes a letter, dated March 19, 2018, addressed directly to Nirmal Singh — he was Deputy CM then — Lt Gen Singh said that the house Nirmal Singh has constructed is illegal and “has implications on the security of a major ammunition storage facility as well as the safety of all personnel living in close vicinity of the ammunition depot”.
Lt Gen Singh wrote: “May I request you to reconsider construction of residential accommodation in close proximity of the ammunition depot being a potential safety hazard,” Indian Express quoted the content of the letter in its report on me.’’
The land has been acquired by by Himgiri Infrastructure Development Pvt Limited, a company incorporated in 2000.
Kavinder Gupta and BJP MP for Jammu-Poonch Lok Sabha constituency Jugal Kishore, are its share holders according to report.
The company co owned by the BJP politicians has a portfolio includes a power project in Chamba district in Himachal Pradesh. Incidentally, while Nirmal Singh was Deputy CM in the PDP-BJP coalition until the reshuffle on April 30, he was also in charge of the Power Ministry, report reads.
The Corps Commander’s letter to Nirmal Singh, according to IE report, minced few words. “I take this opportunity to apprise you about a matter of concern wherein a building is being constructed approximately 530 m (580 yards) from the outer boundary wall of 4 Ammunition Sub Depot at village Ban under Tehsil Nagrota, district Jammu. This construction activity was noticed by Army authorities on 27 October 2017 and on further enquiry, it was reliably learnt that the building under construction belongs to your good self,” reads the IE report.
