In a major setback to Army and State Government facilitating the relocation of one of the biggest Army ammunition depot on the China border, tribal people of Kinnaur district had vehemently opposed any land acquisition for the purpose.
Gram Sabha in Jungi panchayat of Kinnaur district had passed a resolution vehemently opposing any allocation of land to army for relocations of its ammunition dump. Villager’s objection came following an Indian Army proposal for acquiring 1000 bighas for the depot to cater the security personnel guarding the porous China border.
State Government had for the purpose of facilitating the tunneling work of 415 MW Shong-Tong – Karchham hydro electric project had asked the Indian Army to shift the existing ammunition depot from Powari village located on strategic Hindustan-Tibet Road.
The existing Army ammunition depot at Powari village in Kinnaur district is spread in over 12 acres of land and is situated amidst the habitation. A state government school, a health centre and the fuel station are also located within the periphery of the ammunition depot.
State government had in the month of May this year taken up the matter with army authorities at the civil military conference and since then Indian army had begun searching for land in other areas. Army authorities had inspected several land sites near Chiaso, Kanam and Jungi villages to relocate its depot.
Kinnaur deputy commissioner JM Pathania confirmed about the resistance from the villagers. “Villagers had raised certain objections for allotting land for Army ammunition depot as army is demanding 1000 acres of land. We are willing to provide them 50 acres of the land against the existing 12 bighas in their possession at Powari,” he added.
Pathania said that it is difficult for the administration to allocate such large chunk of land to army for an ammunition depot at a single location in the district. Meanwhile, source said that efforts are being made to convince the Indian army that instead of the one depot, they should set up small depots at different locations far from the habitations.
According to Defense Act, no activity or structure is allowed within periphery of 1,200 meters of an ammunition depot. Army had earlier opposed to the construction work of the tunnel for the Shong-Tong hydro electric project. Army had even approached the court seeking ban on the construction of tunneling work at the project objecting to the use of explosives at the tunnel. Army maintained that explosive use at the tunnel could be destructive for the existence of depot, which supplies ammunition to the troops stationed at the border area close to China.
Himachal Pradesh shares 260 km long porous borders with China. Three battalions of the Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) are guarding the border with China and total of 20 ITBP posts are situated along the China border.