Tosa Maidan: Meadow and the military

Via: http://freshinitiative.net/kashmir-news/news/25071-tosa-maidan-meadow-and-the-military

 

Ignoring civilian woes, JK Govt mulls to extend Army’s lease

 

Monday, July 08

 

With the 50-year lease of Tosa Maidan meadow in Budgam district due to end in March next year, the JK government is all set to overlook the concerns of local residents and extend the Army stay.

Spread over around 3000 kanals, the Tosa Maidan meadow was taken by Army on lease for the purpose of conducting artillery drills in the area. Sources said army has approached state government to extend the lease as it has made a permanent base in the alpine meadow.

Deputy Commissioner, Khurshid Ahmad Wani confirmed that army has approached the government for extension of the lease. He said the lease will be extended at any cost.

“Whatever may be the case, we will provide everything to army and the lease will be extended,” Wani told Rising Kashmir.

Residents of adjoining areas have been demanding immediate shifting of Army's firing range for a long time now. They have been complaining that Army’s presence is affecting their lives socially and economically.

MLA Beerwah, Shafi Ahmad Wani said Tosa Maidan could have become a source of living for people of Khag, but presence of army has been an economic hazard.

“We will protest against extension of the lease. We will go for satyagraha kind of march. We don’t need army. We need development in the area,” Wani said.

The state government has also been talking about the prospects of developing the meadows of Tosa Maidan as a tourist destination, but due to army’s presence no such initiative could be taken up.

However, Deputy Commissioner Wani says the place does not have anything to be developed as a tourist place.

“There is nothing like tourist place. I have personally gone there. The people don’t know anything,” the DC said.

The deputy commissioner asserted that whatever the army was doing in the area it was legal. “Army is not there on its own, administration has kept them there. They have legal rights to be there,” he said.

The tourism department has expressed its helplessness in developing the area. Deputy Director Tourism, Azmat Ali said they have not received any directions from the higher officials to promote tourism in Tosa Maidan. “There is army and we can’t do anything. Remove them and we will start working on it,” he told Rising Kashmir.

According to local people, Army presence is depriving the area of development. “The area has huge potential to be developed as a tourist destination. Due to presence of army nobody tries to visit the place for fear of being beaten or killed,” said Ghulam Hassan Malik, a local resident.

Tosa Maidan has also witnessed number of deaths due to unexploded shells. Since the meadow is used for cattle grazing by Gujjar and Bakerwal nomads, they often step on the deadly shells.

“From June to August, one can hear gunfire and other artillery sounds in the firing range. Many of the shells remain unexploded. Later, when the movement of people starts these shells explode. A number of deaths have taken place in the area in this fashion,” Malik said.

“Tosa Maidan route is used by Gujjar and Bakerwals of Rajouri, Poonch, Baramulla and Budgam for cattle rearing. Many nomads and their cattle become victims of the unexploded shells,” he added.

Surrounded by dense forests and situated about 10 Kms from Khag area, experts believe the Tosa Maidan area is rich in bio-diversity.

Many plants of medicinal value can be found here in abundance. “But we cannot carry out any research in the area till government assures us that our lives won’t be in danger,” Curator Plant Taxanomy and researcher at Kashmir University, Akhter Hussain told Rising Kashmir.

The local people also complain that the shelling by army has blocked outer surface of the water body ‘Shup-Naag’ resulting in water shortage in the area.

“The Shup Naag is in the upper reaches of Tosa Maidan. About 40 percent of its water comes down to Khag area while rest of its goes to Pakistan. Near about one third of the population of Budgam and Baramulla depend upon this lake for irrigation and drinking purposes,” locals claimed.

They added due to water shortage people are now turning paddy fields into orchard land.

The locals demand that the firing range should be shifted to Ladakh where there is enough space available for arms training. “A small contingent of army should be kept here if the government has apprehensions of any militant strike,” they said. (Rising Kashmir)