LAGATAR24 NETWORK
Chatra, Aug.19: The villagers of four blocks are up in arms against an order to include 321 villages in Deori Dumri field firing range.
Regarding the Deori Dumri Field Firing Range (DDFFR), 321 mouzas of the four blocks of the district have been identified. This made villagers to form Deori Dumri firing range sangharash samiti raising the slogan ‘jaan denge par zamin nahi’.
Chatra MP Sunil Kumar Singh led a delegation meeting the chief secretary demanding withdrawal of this order. Army’s Major D R Das made it clear that no acquisition of land will be done and even no firing range will be set up in this area.
Angry villagers has given a demand letter to Deputy Commissioner Abu Imran saying that a total of 321 villages of Chatra, Itkhori, Kanhachatti, Hunterganj blocks of Chatra district have been identified for the firing range. They said presently this area of Chatra is a victim of poverty and starvation. Agriculture and animal husbandry are the main occupations for the residents of this area. Having a firing range will create a situation of starvation among the people. Most of the tribal scheduled caste people live in this area. They requested the DC to shift the proposed Deori Dumri field firing range out of Chatra.
Seeing the confusion and rumour followed by agitation, army officer Das reached Chatra and had a meeting with deputy collector Pawan Kumar Mandal at Chatra Collectorate. Das cleared that no land acquisition or displacement will take place and whatever going on is only a rumour. The firing exercise will be held only in Barachatti area located in Gaya district of Bihar state, he said. Only movement of army in Chatra district will take place with the consent of the district administration. Not even an inch of land will be taken from any villager and even they will not be displaced, he cleared. There is absolutely no need for the people of the area to panic. He said 117 Mauza of Kanhachatti zone, 50 Mauza of Chatra Zone, 47 Mauza of Itkhori Zone and 107 Mauza of Hunterganj Zone of Chatra district have been identified for deployment of military forces only. Movement of forces in the above areas will be with the consent of the district administration from time to time, he said.
Mandal told Lagatar24.com that a programme has been fixed for its detailed information and discussion about this firing range in the four blocks in which public representatives, district administration and army officials will remain present. He said various points will be discussed with public representatives and villagers in Kanhachatti zone on August 21, Hunterganj zone on August 22, Chatra zone on August 23 and Itkhori zone on August 24. Misconceptions regarding land acquisition, compensation and displacement will be cleared to them, he added.
