Army fact-checks Telangana minister KTR: No roads blocked in cantonment area
Indian Army's rank and file are unhappy with the recent announcement made in Telangana Assembly by Minister KTR Rao on power and water supply in the defence areas.
FollowIndian Army has fact-checked municipal administration minister KT Rama Rao on his recent claim that the blocking of roads around the cantonment was causing problems for the locals. The minister had even threatened to cut off the power and water supply to cantonment areas if the road blockade continued.
Indian Army's rank and file are unhappy with the recent announcement made in Telangana Assembly by Minister KTR Rao on power and water supply in the defence areas.
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Senior officials in the Army told Asianet Newsable, "the minister's statement has deeply hurt the feelings of our personnel and their families stationed in Telangana."
It must be noted that the Army personnel only stay for a brief period of 1-2 years at the Secunderabad Cantonment to avail a peace tenure before being posted once again to highly-active field areas to secure the country's sovereignty and integrity from its adversaries like China and Pakistan.
It should also be mentioned that Chinese troops have been engaging in a border standoff at multiple locations in eastern Ladakh since May 2020 while Pakistan has always been trying to destabilise India through proxy warfare.
Sources in the Secunderabad Cantonment are of the view that allegations levelled by the minister against the local military authority are unsubstantiated ones.
Rao had said that the military authorities are blocking roads and are stopping developmental works causing inconvenience to the civilians.
The military leadership in the Cantonment has fact-checked and said that there has been no road closure in the recent past nor are there any complaints in this regard.
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The sources further added that even on Republic Day this year, the Cantonment roads were open.
In fact, a Parliamentary Standing Committee visited Secunderabad Cantonment last year, and returned fully satisfied after reviewing the arrangements made to open roads in the Cantonment area, a senior officer said.
As far as Strategic Nala Development Programme is concerned the local military authorities have not put any impediments and in fact, no proposal from the state government has been received so far on this project.
Talking about other project that pertains to a proposed 'Sky Walk' close to Mehdipatnam Garrison, the sources added that a 'No Objection Certificate' has already been recommended by its authorities since it is in the public interest.
As for the 'check dam at Balkapur Nala', which is a sewage diversion arrangement constructed by the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation, the Army official said, "We have already assured all necessary support to the Corporation."
Last year, the Indian Army had replied to the local MP, Asaduddin Owaisi in this regard. The officer also recalled how the Indian Army units and personnel posted in the state helped towards the betterment of the locals during the Covid-19 pandemic and also during the 2020 floods.
In an effort to clear any misapprehension about the Army's activities in the region, the sources added that the GOC of Army's Dakshin Bharat Area based at Chennai will also be meeting the minister in days to come.
"The Indian Army always keeps 'Nation first' and will always be the first responders in any crisis situation. The political confrontation between the state and Centre should not come at the cost of administration and welfare of Army personnel and their families stationed in Telangana," the sources said.
The minister had also said that the Centre has still not disbursed relief funds for the floods in Hyderabad in October 2020. The Secunderabad Cantonment Board, spread over 40sqkm, is the second largest of the 62 cantonments across the country with a population of over 2.25 lakh.
