Lok Sabha Question No. 2514 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2018-12-26
Subject: Encroachment on Defence Land
Ministry: DEFENCE
Asked by: ANJU BALA, L.R. Shivaramegowda, Tejpratap Singh,Yadav

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF DEFENCE DEPARTMENT OF DEFENCE

## LOK  SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.2514

TO BE ANSWERED ON THE 26 TH  DECEMBER, 2018

## ENCROACHMENT ON DEFENCE LAND

2514.  SHRIMATI ANJU BALA: SHRI L.R. SHIVARAME GOWDA: SHRI TEJ PRATAP SINGH YADAV:

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

- (a) whether  there  has  been  cases  of  mismanagement  of  defence  land  which  has resulted in large scale encroachment, shoddy record keeping, unauthorised golf courses, dismal administration of leases etc. and if so, the details thereof;
- (b) whether the Government has conducted any assessment of the defence;
- (c) whether  there  is  urgent  need  for  an  independent  Defence  Land  Management Authority to deal with lack of accountability and multiplicity of agencies;
- (d) if so, the details thereof; and
- (e) the  steps  taken  by  the  Government  to  prevent  encroachment  of  defence  land  in future?

## A    N    S    W    E    R

MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF DEFENCE

(DR. SUBHASH BHAMRE)

र  ा रा य मं ी

(डा. सुभाष भामरे)

- (a) The Ministry of Defence is managing its land as per existing land policy and related guidelines/ rules.
- (b) Yes, Madam.
- (c) & (d): No,  Madam.  As  per  the  Cantonment  Land  Administration Rules,  1937  (CLAR),  Acquisition,  Custody  and  Relinquishment  Rules, 1944 (ACR Rules) and executive instructions issued by the Ministry from time to time, the responsibility of management and protection of defence land  and  for  removal  of  encroachments  is  entrusted  to  various  land management  agencies  in  the  Ministry.  Monitoring  and  supervision  of respective field  offices  is  undertaken  by the Service Headquarters and by Directorate General Defence Estates as the case may be and overall control is exercised by the Ministry.

(e) Detection, prevention and removal of encroachment is a continuous exercise.  Action for removal of encroachments on defence land  are  taken  under  the  provisions  of  Public  Premises  (Eviction  of Unauthorised  Occupants)  Act,  1971  as  well  as  under  the  Cantonment Act, 2006. Cases are also taken up with State or Municipal authorities for resolution of the problem. Additionally, the Government has undertaken the following steps to check encroachment:

- (i)    Strengthening of defence land management by way of digitisation of  land  records,  survey,  demarcation  and  verification  of  defence lands and land Audit.
- (ii)  Issue of detailed instructions by the Government emphasizing the need  for  ensuring  vigilance,  detection  and  prevention  of  new encroachments.
- (iii)   The process of defence land audit  has been institutionalised from 2011-12 as continuing process.
- (iv)    Court cases are being pursued to evict encroachers.
- (v)      Close  liaison  is  being  maintained  with  revenue  and  civil  police authorities to detect attempt to encroach upon the defence land by encroachers.
- (vi)  Defence lands located in isolated locations are being fenced and regular patrolling is being carried out to safeguard the lands from encroachers and unauthorized construction.

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