Lok Sabha Question No. 1766 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2020-09-21
Subject: Encroachment in Cantonment Areas
Ministry: DEFENCE
Asked by: Kaushal Kishore

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF DEFENCE DEPATRMENT OF DEFENCE

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.1766

TO BE ANSWERED ON 21 st  SEPTEMBER, 2020

## ENCROACHMENT IN CANTONMENT AREAS

1766. SHRI KAUSHAL KISHORE:

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

- (a)  whether  unauthorised  constructions  and  encroachment  in  cantonment  areas  are  taking place in the country particularly in Lucknow Cantonment Area;
- (b) if so, the location-wise details thereof and the reasons therefor; and
- (c) the steps taken by the Government in this regard?

## A    N    S    W    E    R

MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF DEFENCE

(SHRI SHRIPAD NAIK)

(a) & (b) In Lucknow Cantonment Area, 2.93 acres of defence land has been detected to be under  encroachment.  State-wise  details  of  unauthorised  construction  and  encroachment

during the last three years alongwith current year (upto 31.08.2020) under the management of

Defence Estates Organisation are enclosed as

Annexure.

The main reasons for encroachments/ unauthorized constructions are given below:-

- (i) Defence land is prone to encroachments since these are spread over different parts of the country and in a number of places, it is generally not possible to either enclose the land by way of construction of boundary wall or a fence or by providing round the clock vigil.
- (ii) Land  lying  vacant  such  as  camping  grounds,  abandoned  air  fields  and  those  in  the close vicinity of civil pockets are more prone to encroachments.
- (iii) Increased pressure on land due to urbanization and population increase.
- (c)  There is a mechanism in place to check the unauthorised occupation/ encroachment on defence land and following steps are taken in this regard:

(i)  Respective  user  Services  who  manage  defence  land  are  responsible  for  its protection, removal of encroachments and planning for its land use.

(ii)  Strengthening  of  Defence  land  management  by  way  of  computerisation  and digitisation of land records; Survey, demarcation and verification of defence lands and land Audit.

(iii) Regular inspection of sites under respective jurisdiction is conducted by the CEO /DEO / Station Commander as the case may be.

(iv)  Issue  of  detailed  instructions  by  the  Government  emphasising  the  need  for ensuring vigilance, detection and prevention of new encroachments.

(v)  Removal  of  encroachments  on  defence  land  under  the  provisions  of  Public Premises  (Eviction  of  Unauthorised  Occupants)  Act,  1971  as  well  as  under  the Cantonment Act, 2006.

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## ANNEXURE  REFERRED  TO  IN  REPLY  TO  PARTS  (a)  &  (b)  OF  LOK  SABHA UNSTARRED  QUESTION  NO.  1766  FOR  ANSWER  ON  21.09.2020  REGARDING 'ENCROACHMENT IN CANTONMENT AREAS'.

| S. No.   | Name of State-UT   | Unauthorised Construction/Encroachments detected on defence land during the last 03 years (i.e. 2017 to 2019) ¤t year upto Aug 2020   |
|----------|--------------------|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| S. No.   | Name of State-UT   | Area (in acres)                                                                                                                             |
| 1        | 2                  | 3                                                                                                                                           |
| 2        | Andhra Pradesh     | 0                                                                                                                                           |
| 3        | Arunachal Pradesh  | 0                                                                                                                                           |
| 4        | Assam              | 0                                                                                                                                           |
| 5        | Bihar              | 4.130                                                                                                                                       |
| 6        | Chhatisgarh        | 0                                                                                                                                           |
| 7        | Delhi              | 3.801                                                                                                                                       |
| 8        | Goa                | 0                                                                                                                                           |
| 9        | Gujarat            | 0.024                                                                                                                                       |
| 10       | Haryana            | 17.681                                                                                                                                      |
| 11       | Himachal Pradesh   | 0.057                                                                                                                                       |
| 12       | Jammu &Kashmir     | 0.866                                                                                                                                       |
| 13       | Jharkhand          | 0                                                                                                                                           |
| 14       | Karnataka          | 0.631                                                                                                                                       |
| 15       | Kerala             | 0.063                                                                                                                                       |
| 16       | Madhya Pradesh     | 2.580                                                                                                                                       |
| 17       | Maharashtra        | 7.337                                                                                                                                       |
| 18       | Manipur            | 0                                                                                                                                           |
| 19       | Meghalaya          | 0                                                                                                                                           |
| 20       | Nagaland           | 0                                                                                                                                           |
| 21       | Odisha             | 0                                                                                                                                           |
| 22       | Punjab             | 1.612                                                                                                                                       |
| 23       | Rajasthan          | 6.075                                                                                                                                       |
| 24       | Sikkim             | 0                                                                                                                                           |
| 25       | Tamil Nadu         | 1.213                                                                                                                                       |
| 26       | Telangana          | 0.448                                                                                                                                       |
| 27       | Uttar Pradesh      | 7.425                                                                                                                                       |
| 28       | Uttarakhand        | 0.536                                                                                                                                       |
| 29       | West Bengal        | 2.010                                                                                                                                       |
| Total    | Total              | 56.4881                                                                                                                                     |

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