Concerned at the beating the image of the armed forces has taken in the wake of back-to-back land scams — Sukna and Adarsh — the parliamentary standing committee on defence has pulled up the ministry of defence (MoD).
The committee said had the ministry heeded its advice to appoint an independent regular for defence lands, the irregularities would not have taken place.
The sixth action-taken report of the 15th Lok Sabha, which was tabled on Friday, mentions the committee strongly emphasising the “urgent need to look into issues related to management of defence land” and reiterating the need for an independent regulator.
MoD, in its deliberations with the committee, had observed that the existing system was adequate and there was no need for a separate regulator.
The committee, which makes recommendations and observations, however, said considering the fact that the image of the armed forces had been affected, it was important that a foolproof system was put in place to regulate defence estates.
The Sukna scam involved issuance of a no-objection certificate by the army for setting up an educational institution with residential facility on a land belonging to the West Bengal government. The area fell in the army’s operational formation, the Sukna-based 33 Corps. After the matter came to light last year, several senior officers were probed.
CBI is investigating whether the land on which Mumbai’s Adarsh Cooperative Housing Society stands belongs to the defence forces and the security implications of the 31-floor high-rise for the navy’s Western Command.
MoD, in its reply to the committee’s observations, has said that the management of defence land was governed by provisions of Cantonments Act, 2006, and the ministry had issued instructions from time to time for its better and effective management.
