Indian Army carrying out an encounter. (Representative Image)In a setback for the Indian Army the Jammu and Kashmir (J&K) Government's Department of sheep husbandry has refused to sell its land in Pattan of Baramulla district to the force, reports Times of India.
Indian Army had evinced interest in purchasing 129 kanals, or 16.12 acres of land at Tapperwari village in Pattan, a move which marked a major departure from the practice of leasing land from J&K Government. The move came, as the restrictive Article 370 of the Constitution had been repealed by the Parliament in August last year.
However, the department of sheep husbandry's Director Abdul Salaam has asserted that the plot of land cannot be sold as a sheep farm is already functional on it. He also underscored that the sheep farm generates revenue of about Rs 20 lakh and that the department is not going to sell it to anyone.
The refusal to sell the land to the Army comes as the latter had in its request asked the administration to purvey their response by 30 May (yesterday). The army had shown interest in purchasing the land as it already has troops temporarily stationed in Baramulla district, at Kareri High ground close to Tapperwari village.
An Appeal...
Dear Reader,
As you are no doubt aware, Swarajya is a media product that is directly dependent on support from its readers in the form of subscriptions. We do not have the muscle and backing of a large media conglomerate nor are we playing for the large advertisement sweep-stake.
Our business model is you and your subscription. And in challenging times like these, we need your support now more than ever.
We deliver over 10 - 15 high quality articles with expert insights and views. From 7AM in the morning to 10PM late night we operate to ensure you, the reader, get to see what is just right.
Becoming a Patron or a subscriber for as little as Rs 1200/year is the best way you can support our efforts.