As Members in the Lok Sabha on Wednesday questioned ‘strict rules’ for construction or renovation of houses around the defence establishments or even in the vicinity of residential colonies of armed forces in the cities, the Government informed them that it was revising no-objection guidelines for buildings and ensure that security is not compromised while accommodating development needs.
Shiv Sena member Rahul Shewale said in the Lok Sabha during the Question hour that he was unable to repair his house due to restrictions on building construction in the vicinity of defence establishments. He also sought that the definition of national security should be relooked at.
“I am an MP and my father was a Naval officer. But I am unable to repair my own house,” said Shewale whose party had recently split with the BJP in Maharashtra over the issue of Government formation in the State. Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, a former Defence Minister in the last Modi- Government, said there is “no conflict” between civilians and armed services on the issue.
In October 2016, the Defence Ministry had issued a circular regarding guidelines for issue of No Objection Certificate (NOC) for building constructions. As per the guidelines, Army stations requiring NOC from the Local Military Authority (MLA) within distances specified have been identified.
It is a “sensitive issue” but the situation is not that no permissions have been given for projects, said Sitharaman who was responding to certain supplementaries as Defence Minister Rajnath Singh was not present in the House. The House was discussing a question about defence establishments and restrictions on buildings in their vicinity.
There are projects that are getting clearances. After 2017, as many as 22 proposals related to Mumbai were received and out of them, only one is under examination. Seven projects were given permission, she added.
“Without hesitation, permissions were given,” the Minister said even as she stressed that national security cannot be put in danger. The minister said during her tenure, she had six meetings on the issue and assured that matter is “almost nearing the stage of finalisation”.
“342 establishments of Indian Army have been identified under the circular dated October 21, 2016. No establishment of Air Force, Navy and other establishments of Army have been identified,” Minister of State for Defence Shripad Naik said in a written reply.
“The matter is being monitored to ensure that the security of defence establishments does not get jeopardised while accommodating development needs,” Naik said .
There is “no conflict” between civilians and armed services personnel but it takes time to address issues, Sitharaman said.
BJP member from Arunachal Pradesh Tapir Gao raised the issue of compensation for people in the state who had given even their cultivable land for the armed forces. In response, Sitharaman said that during her tenure as Defence Minister there have been discussions on the matter and many issues have been sorted out.