Following the integration and rehabilitation of former Maoist combatants, 28 cantonments, including the seven main ones, where combatants lived for almost six years, are lying vacant in various parts of the country. [break]
A committee formed under secretary of the Office of Prime Minister and Council of Ministers Surya Prasad Silwal had recommended to the government to take a final decision on the criteria for providing the cantonments to the security forces.
NA had sought the cantonments for its soldiers in April but the government couldn´t take a decision as other law enforcement agencies were also facing space crunch.
A portion of land used for building the cantonments belongs to private individuals, community forests, schools and university, said Silwal, adding, “So we need to return these lands to their rightful owners.”
He, however, said that the list of land owners had been prepared and that the cabinet meeting would soon take a decision on providing the cantonment sites to the security agencies.
According to Secretary at the Ministry of Defense Tilak Ram Sharma, Nepal Army is facing a space crunch for the last few years and so the government is planning to provide them the cantonments. “I hope the decision will be taken in a few days.”
According to the Directorate of Public Relations (DPR) of NA, it has sought the cantonments for its use on the request of various NA units across the country.
NA and APF had taken control of all the Maoist cantonments and arms as per the decision of the Special Committee.
APF was responsible for security of three satellite cantonments and a company led by NA major was deployed for the security of each main cantonment, while a platoon under a captain had been deployed at each satellite cantonments.
Keeping in view the protests by disqualified combatants against irregularities in the PLA fund and clashes between combatants in some of the cantonments, the UCPN (Maoist) had agreed to hand over the cantonments and arms to NA two day before schedule. According to DPR, NA personnel have been staying in the cantonments temporarily since then.
Deputy Inspector General (DIG) and Spokesperson for APF Narayan Babu Thapa said, “Despite the expansion of our organization, we did not have adequate physical infrastructure. But it comes as a great relief to us that the government is planning to provide us the cantonments.”
More than 30 percent of APF personnel live in temporary structures. “The plan to develop the cantonments as permanent barracks for security forces will be the best way to bring them to use.”
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