Plea to treat military stations on a par with Cantts

New Delhi, Aug 17 (UNI) A plea for democratisation of all the military stations in the country on the lines of the steps being initiated for the 62 cantonments was made in the Lok Sabha today.

Participating in the resumed discussions on the Cantonment Bill, 2005, Mr Alok Kumar Mehta (RJD) said the Bill sought to provide some relaxation to the people living around cantonments. The 600 military stations in the country should also be brought similarly under the provisions of the Cantonment Bill to extend the same facilities.

Mr Mehta said those civilians living in cantonments, but feeling uncomfortable in the atmosphere there, should be extended some facilities.

The Rajya Sabha has already passed the bill.

Mr Babu Rao Midiyam(CPI-M) said the cantonments were a colonial legacy ''which we now propose to democratise through this Bill''. He said the new categorisation of the cantonments had been done on the basis of population, but income should also be considered in categorising them. Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes and women should be included in the Cantonment Boards and the period of supersession of a Cantonment Board should be specified, say for one year, or two year or until the next election, he added.

Mr Mohan Singh(SP) called for full democratisation of the cantonments and for demarcation of cantonment land. He demanded steps to ban private shops selling goods from military canteens in cantonments.

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