SHIMLA: Virender Kashyap, BJP MP from Shimla today requested union defence ministry to repeal Cantonment Act 2006 and abolish cantonment boards in Sabathu, Kasaouli, Dagshai and Jatog in order to bring local population under civil administration .

In a representation submitted to  Expert committee set up to study working of cantonment boards  by Directorate General of Defence Estate. Kashyap  told that largest number of cantonment boards are set up in his parliamentary constituency and pleaded that  new Act should be enacted in Parliament giving primacy of elected representation over military establishment  keeping in view of the democratic traditions of our Country. He  saidd that  at present the military authorities has an edge over elected representation which leads to   repeated conflicts between elected representatives and military authorities. He told that It has been noticed many times that military authorities have little or no time  to address the problems / grievances of the civil populations which leads to social unrest from time to time besides depriving  civil liberty rights to local population enshrined in the constitutions.

He demanded that rates of house tax/water tax etc in cantonment boards should be at par with civil population living in  Municipal Committees /nagar panchayats etc. He told that state and central govt social welfare schemes are not implemented in cantonment areas and demanded that  centrally sponsored /state sponsored  welfare and developmental schemes should be implemented in the cantonment boards areas on priority  and told that all such schemes are generally ignored by defence authorities .He also suggested the development of cantonment boards areas  as smart cities by drafting master plans and providing sufficient budgetary provision to provide modern amenities and facilities to residents of local population of  cantonment boards .He suggested that DGDE  should convene annual meeting of elected representatives of all 62 cantonment boards to sort out grievances and other issues and ensure maximum coordination and cooperation among elected representatives and  military authorities and avoid any delay which gives birth to unrest among civil population

He demanded that building byelaws in cantonment areas should be at par with building bye laws  applicable in municipal committees and  other  elected civil bodies.He demanded attractive housing schemes and development of  new markets in cantonment boards area for facilitating civil population living in areas .  He demanded that lease rates applicable in cantonment areas should be reduced and fixed at par applicable to civil population .

Kashyap  demanded that efforts should be made to liberate local population from clutches of military authorities and fresh demarcation of Cantonment Boards  boundaries should be undertaken aiming at bringing more population under the jurisdiction of civil  administration. As an alternative proposal, the area covered by civil population in Cantt Boards should be transferred to local administration and in lieu of it equivalent number of Govt. land in that area should be provided to defence authorities to meet their land needs.

He also demanded that honorarium of the elected representatives of the Cantonment Boards should be enhanced immediately and fixed at par with the counterparts in local bodies etc .