Plan to de-merge civil areas needs careful execution

THE picturesque Yol in Kangra district of Himachal Pradesh has become the first to shed its cantonment tag. With this, the Ministry of Defence has set in motion the designation of military areas within most of the 62 cantonments in the country as military stations and merge the civil areas with the municipalities. Army and civilian pockets are intertwined in some cantonments, making segregation difficult. The contention is that the bifurcation policy would be beneficial for all stakeholders. It will help civilians who were not getting access to state government welfare schemes. The Centre claims that since cantonments have become unmanageable, the move would enable strengthening of security, simplification of land management and prevention of encroachments.

Nearly 1.6 lakh acres fall within the cantonments. Cantonment Boards, which include representatives of local military authorities, control the affairs, including the construction of buildings, land conversion and civic amenities. The approval process is long and, hence, can be frustrating. The Board staff will be absorbed and assets taken over by the civic bodies. The new policy is expected to bring fiscal prudence in defence management. Excision of cantonments has been a popular demand from civilian residents, but concerns remain of the powerful politician-builder lobby resorting to wanton construction. The plan needs careful execution and scrutiny, with ample scope for bringing in changes.

The Centre’s decision is being labelled as a departure from the archaic colonial practice of creating cantonments, which had served a valuable purpose. They were built outside cities, ensuring privacy, smooth conduct of training and adequate space for storage of military equipment. Rapid development and increasing population resulted in a lot of changes, but restrictions ensured a check on violations. Having a sanitised belt around military stations is vital. Buildings sprouting all over can prove to be a huge security risk. A clean and healthy environment is the hallmark of every cantonment. One can only hope that at least an effort will be made in the de-merged areas to retain a semblance of discipline.