Kamptee cantt civilians meet collector with woes

Times of India: Nagpur: Friday, 07 August 2020.

According to RTI documents, over 700 acres in the cantonment had been earmarked as civilian area

Civilian residents of the Kamptee cantonment, many of whom are hemmed in inside, held another meeting with the district collector Ravindra Thakare on Thursday but no immediate solution to their problems was found.

After the talks, it was decided to hold a joint inspection of the area in light of their demands, claimed the residents’ association. The civilians have been complaining of high-handedness by the army. Following Covid outbreak, the army has restricted movement within the area and has blocked main roads that were earlier used by civilians for thoroughfare. Even the entry and exit have been restricted to twice a week, they said.

The meeting was attended by district collector, officials of the cantonment board, army and the Kamptee Cantonment Nagrik Mandal (association of civilian residents). Officials clarified the restrictions cannot be eased before August 15 as strict security will have to be maintained till the Independence Day.

“We had complained that the roads were blocked and had also presented photographs and video clippings of the area to substantiate our claims,” Parmindra Wahie, president of the Mandal, told TOI. He said the join inspection by them and officials would verify the ground situation.

A senior official in the district collecorate said they will be going through the maps to demarcate the civil and military areas of the cantonment. When the collector goes to Kamptee the area may be visited too.

Wahie said the residents were living under restrictions since last four months. Even as 700-odd passes have been issued to allow movement throughout the week, the number includes outsiders coming to work at the establishments in the area also. There are close to 10,000 residents inside so more passes were needed, he said.

Citing the cantonment act, he said even services like milk and washerman could not be restricted. He claimed that according to RTI documents, over 700 acres in the cantonment had been earmarked as civilian area.