New Delhi: An MP from Karnataka has allegedly constructed an engineering college on a field firing range in Belgaum belonging to the army, which is already facing shortage of these practice fields for training its personnel. Sources said Angadi Institute of Technology and Management has not got 'No Objection Certificate' (NOC) from civil or military authorities.
Defence Minister AK Antony has also sent two letters to the MP who has been demanding de-notification of the firing range which is available with the army till 2020, they said. Belgaum is an important military base of the army and houses the Commando school and the regimental centre of the Maratha Light Infantry regiment.
About 10 years back, the Army had 104 ranges but the numbers have come down to 66 including 12 acquired and 54 notified ranges. Thirty-eight field firing ranges have been taken away from the army and re-notified in this period, they said.
The issue of shortage of these ranges also came up for discussion during the ongoing Army Commanders' Conference. There are ranges in the Kargil and Srinagar areas also where demands have come from the local representatives for denotifying them for public use, sources said. However, the Army has been able to get a new firing range in Rewa in Madhya Pradesh which will be ready for use in next few years.
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