Strategic Areas in J&K

Subject – Defence and Security

Context – 1.3k kanal Valley land declared strategic area; up for Army ops use

Concept –

The Jammu and Kashmir administration has provided its sanction to declare over a thousand kanals of land in Gulmarg and 354 kanals in Sonamarg areas of the Valley as “strategic areas”.

How strategic area is to be declared?

While defining “strategic areas” in J&K, Section 3 of the law states that the government may “on written request of an Army officer not below the rank of Corp Commander declare an area as Strategic Area within a local area, only for direct operational and training requirements of armed forces”.
- Government issued such notification for the first time since two acts “Control of Building Operations Act, 1988, and J&K Development Act, 1970” were amended in 2020.
In July 2020, the administration had removed a 1971 circular that required a no-objection certificate (NOC) from J&K home department for requisition or acquisition of land in favour of the Army, CRPF, BSF, and other similar organisations.
Such acquisition is being covered under the Right to Fair Compensation and Transparency in Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement Act, 2013, since July 2020.
Administration had also approved an amendment to Control of Building Operations Act, 1988, and J&K Development Act, 1970. The amendment provides for special dispensation to carrying out construction activities in “strategic areas” by armed forces.

Jammu and Kashmir Development Act 1970

The 1970 Act deals with zonal development plans to determine land use for public buildings, housing recreation and roads. It also looks after development plans of industry, markets, business, schools, hospitals etc.
An amendment to the act deleted the “permanent resident” provision in the act. Now, economically deprived people from across the country will be eligible to buy such housing sites.