National Green Tribunal (NGT) has issued notices to Union Ministry of Defence and J&K Government over the proposal for allowing Army to set up an artillery firing range in midst of a forest in central Kashmir’s Budgam district. Army is seeking to establish the firing range in Bajpathri, in the vicinity of scenic Yusmarg tourist resort which is situated in Pirpanchal forest range.
“Yes, the Tribunal today issued the notice to J&K Government and Defence Ministry over the Bajpathri issue,” said Rahul Choudhary, counsel for social activist Dr Raja Muzaffar Bhat who had moved the Tribunal against the proposal.
Choudhary said a bench headed by NGT Chairperson Justice Swatanter Kumar while issuing the notice also sought response from Government of India and State on the petition seeking removal of unexploded shells from Tosmaidan (also in Budgam district) for restoring it for tourism activity.
In September last year, J&K Government had agreed to “expeditiously examine” Army’s demand for notifying Bajpathri for its use as firing range.
The Army had raised the issue during Civil-Military Liaison Conference (CMLC) after the previous Government had refused to extend lease of Tosmaidan firing range in April 2014. KP had first reported about the decision taken by the CMLC on Bajpathri.
“We have the bitter experience of Tosmaidan firing range where we witnessed loss of lives and destruction of environment,” said Dr Bhat.
In the petition, he has prayed that Yusmarg, an alpine Valley covered with snow clad mountains and meadows of Pine and Fir trees, would become another “meadow of death and destruction” if the firing range was allowed to be set up there.
“If field firing and artillery practice is allowed in Bajpathri it will be danger to lives of people living in scores of villages adjoining the area with disastrous impact on environment, wildlife habitat. Besides, it will gravely affect the tourism activity of Yusmarg, one of the main sources of income in the entire area,” reads the petition.
Quoting Chairman of Tosmaidan Front, Sheikh GhulamRasool, the petition reads the Front has warned to launch agitation to save Yusmarg, a picturesque meadow visited by around three lakh tourists annually, and its adjoining villages. Sheikh had spearheaded the agitation against the re-notification of Tosmaidan to Army, forcing the Government to cancel the lease.
At least 60 persons have lost their lives due to explosion of littered and unexploded shells around Tosmaidan while more than 50 persons suffered grievous injuries.
“There is also high risk of pollution of surface soil, surface water, ponds and ground water by chemicals and metals that will come out from shells if the firing range is allowed in Bajpathri,” Bhat has prayed in the petition, seeking direction for the State Government for not leasing out Bajpathri to Army.
A study by Government departments has already cautioned that scores of villages with sizeable population would get impacted by the firing range apart from at least 10 water supply schemes that meet the water requirements of scores of areas from Yusmarg to Charar-i-Sharief on one side and Pakherpora on the other. The Tourism department has said the move would “deal a blow to Yusmarg as a tourism destination.”
Meanwhile, on Tosmaidan issue, Bhat has pleaded that Government should conduct inspection of surface soils, ground water and other water bodies around the meadow for any contamination and pollution.
“Several exploded and unexploded shells are lying in this area and the Union Ministry has not removed the waste after the lease got over, which poses a looming threat to life besides causing water pollution,” reads the petition.
Tosmaidan meadow was used by Army as firing range for conducting weaponry training from 1964 to 2014.
“The Tribunal has directed the State and Defence Ministry to respond to the notice within two weeks while the next hearing is on March 1,” said Choudhary.
