Lok Sabha Question No. 2740 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2017-03-17
Subject: Defence Land
Ministry: DEFENCE
Asked by: RAMCHARAN BOHARA, RAJESH VERMA, JYOTIRADITYA MADHAVRAO SCINDIA, RAMESH POKHRIYAL NISHANK, NINONG ERING

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF DEFENCE DEPARTMENT OF DEFENCE

## LOK  SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.2740

TO BE ANSWERED ON THE 17 TH  MARCH, 2017

## DEFENCE  LAND

2740.  SHRI  RAM  CHARAN  BOHRA: SHRI  RAJESH  VERMA: SHRI JYOTIRADITYA  M. SCINDIA: DR. RAMESH  POKHRIYAL  'NISHANK': SHRI  NINONG  ERING:

Will the Minister of DEFENCE j{kk ea=h be pleased to state:

- (a) whether unused defence land at various places in the country has been encroached by the private builders and land mafia and if so, the details thereof, State / UT-wise;
- (b) whether the Supreme Court has recently directed the Union Government to create a 'unified authority' to take urgent steps to free thousand acres of defence land which has been encroached upon and is being commercially exploited by the land mafia's;
- (c) if  so,  the  action contemplated by the Union Government on the directions of the Supreme Court in this regard;
- (d) the extent of encroached defence land increased in the past few years with reasons therefor and the steps Union Government has taken to get the encroached land free from land mafias; and
- (e) whether  the  Government proposes  to  allot  the  unused  defence  land  to  common people in public interest and if so, the details thereof?

## A    N    S    W    E    R

MINISTER OF STATE

IN THE MINISTRY OF DEFENCE

र  ा रा य मं ी

(DR. SUBHASH BHAMRE)

(डा. सुभाष भामरे)

- (a)        Defence  lands  to  the  extent  of        approximately  10220  acres  are, presently  under  encroachment  by  various  agencies  of  Central  and  State Government/PSUs,  slums  and  other  private  persons.  In  a  case  of  land grabbing  at  Lohegaon,  Pune,  which  came  to  the  light  of  the  Ministry, revenue records were got corrected and the case was handed over to CBI. No  further  specific  cases  of  encroachment  of  Defence  land  by  private builders and land  mafia  have been reported  by the  Services, Directorate General of Defence Estates and other Defence Organizations.

## :  2  :

(b) & (c): No, Madam. A Writ Petition(Civil) No. 19 of 2016 has been filed in Hon'ble Supreme Court by Shri S.N. Bhardwaj Advocate with the prayer seeking direction to Union Government, inter-alia,  on creation of a 'single unified authority' to look into management and protection of defence lands. Hon`ble Supreme Court has issued notice in the matter. (d) The extent of Defence land as on 31/03/2013 was 11456 acre, which has been reduced to 10220 acre at present. Further, Detection, prevention and removal  of encroachments  is an ongoing process. While old encroachments are being removed gradually, due  efforts  are  being  made  not  to  allow  new  encroachments  and  to  take prompt action against such cases. Following  steps  have  been  taken  to  remove  encroachments  from Defence land: (i) Defence land records management system has been strengthened by computerization of defence land records held by Defence Estates Officers and Cantonment Boards. (ii) Court cases are being pursued to evict encroachers. (iii)  Close  liaison  is  being  maintained  with  revenue  and  civil  police authorities  to  detect  attempt  to  encroach  upon  the  defence  land  by encroachers. (iv) State authorities are approached for removal of encroachers. (v) Defence lands located in isolated locations are fenced and regular patrolling is being carried out to safeguard the land from encroachers and unauthorized construction. (vi) Verification of Defence land is being carried out regularly through Board  of Officers, with the representatives  of  Defence  Estates Officers and Land Revenue Authorities. (vii) Eviction notices are issued from time to time as per due process of law under the provisions of PPE Act,1971. (e)  There is no proposal to allot defence land to common public. Certain Defence lands which appear to be lying vacant/ unused are meant for use by  Military  Establishments  for  purposes  such  as  training,  mobilization practice,  sports,  parade,  Construction  of  Key  Location  Plans  (KLP)  and Married Accommodation etc. However, whenever defence land is required for  public  utility  or  infrastructure  development  projects,  MoD  allots  such land to the concerned Central or State Govt. authorities provided strategic and security interests are not adversely affected .

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