The High Court of Karnataka on Wednesday ordered issue of notices to the Ministry of Defence and the State government on a petition complaining that the Maharashtra Light Infantry of the Indian Army at Belagavi is “illegally” using private land for Field Firing Range despite withdrawal of permission by the State.
A Division Bench comprising acting Chief Justice Subhro Kamal Mukherjee and Justice B.V. Nagarathna passed the order during the hearing of the petition filed by Prabhakar R. Kattimani and others of Belagavi. Though forest land, measuring around 330 ha was allotted by the State, with the consent of the Ministry of Forests and Environment, to be used for an Army firing range, the Army authorities are still using “illegally” the private lands adjacent to Belavagi city, it was alleged in the petition.
On several representations from landowners, the petitioner said, the government found that notifications issued between 1970 and 2000 allowing use of the lands for the firing range was contrary to the law and hence issued a notification on November 23, 2012, withdrawing permission granted earlier.
The petition said the government, under Section 9 of the Manoeuvres, Field Firing and Artillery Practice Act, 1938, had allowed the Army to use various private land, including lands of the petitioners, for firing practice between 1970 and 2012, without acquiring the land that is spread over nine villages Hangargi, Savgav, Benakanahalli, Mandoli, Navage, Belagundi, Bijagarni, Kuttaalavadi, and Bokanar. This action of the State, the petitioners said, was obstructing landowners from carrying out agricultural activities as the Army was blocking entry to the land during practice sessions.
