22 Feb, 2012, 08.35AM IST, The writer article Rajshri Mehta,TNN
MUMBAI: With the Maharashtra government shying away from implementing the 2011 ministry of environment & forests order to demolish Adarsh, the defence ministry has opened another front to reclaim land on which the controversial 31-storey building stands in Colaba.
The local army unit has filed a writ demanding that Adarsh be declared a security threat to the Colaba military station. Calling it a 'private' society, the petition said Adarsh being the tallest building overlooks military establishments like the Electrical and Mechanical Engineering (EME) workshop, a storage and disbursal depot for petrol, oil and lubricants, within 27 metres to a maximum 400 metres.
"The entire top decision-making echelons-the General Officer Commanding (GOC) window being clearly visible-at the headquarters of the Maharashtra, Gujarat and Goa (MG&G) area can be eliminated with sniper rifles and other hand-held weapons with the building barely 200 metres away,'' the petition filed through Deepak Saxena, major general (chief of staff) of MG&G area, said.
Citing the case of US president Barack Obama watching live in Washington the operation to kill al Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden in Pakistan, the petition pointed out that it may be possible for residents of the building to observe numbers and types and movement of personnel, specialist and general purpose vehicles that may be parked in the workshop, from which their availability/serviceability can be analyzed.
"...potential residents of Adarsh and their guests, who could be foreign nationals, will not be under the jurisdiction of the Indian Navy or Indian Army authorities and hence not amenable to security checks," army officials added, detailing a range of hand-held weapons available with terrorists that can be smuggled into Adarsh.
The army pointed to violations in provisions of development control regulation 16, which states the municipal commissioner can reject a building proposal if he considers it to be source of danger to the health and safety of inhabitants of the neighbourhood.
The role of five GOCs from 1999 to 2010 as being responsible for the security risk arising from the building was also pointed out. "Each successive GOC, be it A R Kumar, V S Yadav, T K Kaul, Tejinder Singh and R K Hooda, or their family members, were given a flat and thus, none objected to the land under occupation and owned by the army to Adarsh," officials said.
To buttress security concerns, the army cited the example of Pakistani American national David Coleman Headley, currently in US custody, who surveyed sites across the city before the 2008 terror attacks in Mumbai.
The army said that to ensure a Adarsh-like situation is not repeated, they (in addition to the Western Naval Command) have sent a proposal to the defence ministry to restrict the construction and height of private buildings around 500 metres of the military station.
It added that as early as June 2003, the then defence estate officer has raised the issue of a security threat with the collector of Mumbai. In fact, it mentioned that the occupation certificate (OC) was issued to Adarsh despite a written request to the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority ( MMRDA) to withhold its issuance, citing security concerns in 2010.
Declare Adarsh a security threat: Army
Saturday, March 17, 2012
86-yr-old WW II veteran wins pension
Bhartesh Singh Thakur, Hindustan Times
Chandigarh, February 20, 2012
Providing succor to 86-year-old World War II veteran, Chandigarh bench of Armed Forces Tribunal (AFT) allowed his petition and granted him pension.
Ishar Singh, a resident of Yamunanagar, joined signal regiment of Royal Indian Army on December 27, 1942. For serving the nation, he was awarded War Medal and Indian Independence Medal.
Ishar retired on April 12, 1948 as he was declared medically unfit to serve further. He was suffering from osteoarthritis of the spine.
The 86-year-old was granted disability pension at Rs 6 per month. It was stopped on April 12, 1950 as his disability had fallen below 20%.
Ishar made efforts and made representations to Army authorities for continuing his pension but in vain. He was brought before a re-survey medical board in 1989 which also ruled that his disability was lesser than 20%.
He had no source of income as he was illiterate. He was sustaining on agriculture in his village. His service element was not given as he had served for less than 10 years as per the rules when he retired.
"In March 2011, he approached All India Ex-servicemen Welfare Association (AIEWA), which took up its case through its legal aid scheme. In October 2011, the petition was filed. A notice was issued to union government. In its reply, the government replied that there was no record available of the World War II veteran as the same had been destroyed," said Bhim Sen Sehgal, Chairman of AIEWA, who represented Ishar Singh in the court.
He added, "As per the change in the policies in 1968 and then in 1973, invalided soldiers should get service element. And later Supreme Court judgments also put a stamp on it, which removed the cut off dates."
The court took the documents-service record, pension book and certificate issued by re-survey medical board, submitted by Ishar Singh as evidence in the case.
The bench comprising justice NP Gupta and Air Marshal SC Mukul (retd) allowed the service element of disability pension but restricted the arrears to three years from the date of filing the petition in AFT.
86-yr-old WW II veteran wins pension
Chandigarh, February 20, 2012
Providing succor to 86-year-old World War II veteran, Chandigarh bench of Armed Forces Tribunal (AFT) allowed his petition and granted him pension.
Ishar Singh, a resident of Yamunanagar, joined signal regiment of Royal Indian Army on December 27, 1942. For serving the nation, he was awarded War Medal and Indian Independence Medal.
Ishar retired on April 12, 1948 as he was declared medically unfit to serve further. He was suffering from osteoarthritis of the spine.
The 86-year-old was granted disability pension at Rs 6 per month. It was stopped on April 12, 1950 as his disability had fallen below 20%.
Ishar made efforts and made representations to Army authorities for continuing his pension but in vain. He was brought before a re-survey medical board in 1989 which also ruled that his disability was lesser than 20%.
He had no source of income as he was illiterate. He was sustaining on agriculture in his village. His service element was not given as he had served for less than 10 years as per the rules when he retired.
"In March 2011, he approached All India Ex-servicemen Welfare Association (AIEWA), which took up its case through its legal aid scheme. In October 2011, the petition was filed. A notice was issued to union government. In its reply, the government replied that there was no record available of the World War II veteran as the same had been destroyed," said Bhim Sen Sehgal, Chairman of AIEWA, who represented Ishar Singh in the court.
He added, "As per the change in the policies in 1968 and then in 1973, invalided soldiers should get service element. And later Supreme Court judgments also put a stamp on it, which removed the cut off dates."
The court took the documents-service record, pension book and certificate issued by re-survey medical board, submitted by Ishar Singh as evidence in the case.
The bench comprising justice NP Gupta and Air Marshal SC Mukul (retd) allowed the service element of disability pension but restricted the arrears to three years from the date of filing the petition in AFT.
86-yr-old WW II veteran wins pension
Friday, March 16, 2012
Professional Matters Blog
The Professional Matters Blog at http://reportmysignalpm.blogspot.in/
Professional Matters of Report My Signal- Blog will henceforth be moderated by Lt Gen Harbhajan Singh, PVSM (Retd).
The following new articles have been recently posted on this Blog:
The Road to Smart Vehicles
Turbulence in India-US Ties
Sleeping tiger, crouching dragon
ISRAEL-UNITED STATES: DIFFERING PERCEPTIONS ON MILITARY STRIKES AGAINST IRAN ANALYZED
CHINA'S FORCE MULTIPLIERS
Professional Matters of Report My Signal- Blog will henceforth be moderated by Lt Gen Harbhajan Singh, PVSM (Retd).
The following new articles have been recently posted on this Blog:
Deplorable State of Tirunelveli ECHS
THE STATE OF ECHS POLYCLINIC AT TIRUNELVELI: Is INS Kattaboman Sinking?
This is a Polyclinic situated in a Non Military Station in South Tamil Nadu. This is a Type ‘C’ clinic. This was established in the year 2004. For the past eight years, this clinic has been running smoothly under the control of Station HQ Thiruvananthapuram. Problems started mounting after it was taken over by INS Kattabomman. (A naval unit situated nearby)
The main problems are:
1. Two empaneled hospitals (Shifa Clinic and Galaxy Hospital) are refusing to admit ECHS members, because of the large amount of their bills not paid for a very long period. The O i/c ECHS Polyclinic helpless in this regard.
2. There is only one Medical officer, against the vacancy of four. There is no Medical specialist (MD) for more than two years in this clinic. Other medical officers (One Dentist and one Medical officer have resigned). So far no action is being taken to appoint medical officers.
3. There is acute shortage of medicine in the clinic. Since the Station HQ INS Kattabomman is not procuring the medicine in time, funds allotted for the medicine to the tune of Rs.30 lacs have been surrendered in the past.
4. In the absence of any empanelled hospitals in the city, the ECHS members are suffering a lot. There is no other empanelled hospital nearby.
The situation is very bad. The ECHS administered by the Indian Army, should not let it go in this way. The ECHS members and the Polyclinic Staff including the O i/c ECHS Polyclinic are very much upset over the condition prevailing now.
It is requested that the Regional Centre, Chennai and the ECHS Central Organisation Delhi to take immediate action on this issue and save the ECHS members. If the situation continues, this clinic will have to be closed without any notice. Please save our members and the Scheme.
-- Posted By Muthukrishnan to indianexserviceman at 3/16/2012 11:07:00 AM
Comment: Why Naval Ships have to administer ECHS Polyclinics? There is a ocean of difference between administering sea based ships and land locked ECHS which is to cater to the health and well being of EX Servicemen. Probably a better idea would be to shift the ECHS to a Naval Ship and perhaps matters will liven up!
This is a Polyclinic situated in a Non Military Station in South Tamil Nadu. This is a Type ‘C’ clinic. This was established in the year 2004. For the past eight years, this clinic has been running smoothly under the control of Station HQ Thiruvananthapuram. Problems started mounting after it was taken over by INS Kattabomman. (A naval unit situated nearby)
The main problems are:
1. Two empaneled hospitals (Shifa Clinic and Galaxy Hospital) are refusing to admit ECHS members, because of the large amount of their bills not paid for a very long period. The O i/c ECHS Polyclinic helpless in this regard.
2. There is only one Medical officer, against the vacancy of four. There is no Medical specialist (MD) for more than two years in this clinic. Other medical officers (One Dentist and one Medical officer have resigned). So far no action is being taken to appoint medical officers.
3. There is acute shortage of medicine in the clinic. Since the Station HQ INS Kattabomman is not procuring the medicine in time, funds allotted for the medicine to the tune of Rs.30 lacs have been surrendered in the past.
4. In the absence of any empanelled hospitals in the city, the ECHS members are suffering a lot. There is no other empanelled hospital nearby.
The situation is very bad. The ECHS administered by the Indian Army, should not let it go in this way. The ECHS members and the Polyclinic Staff including the O i/c ECHS Polyclinic are very much upset over the condition prevailing now.
It is requested that the Regional Centre, Chennai and the ECHS Central Organisation Delhi to take immediate action on this issue and save the ECHS members. If the situation continues, this clinic will have to be closed without any notice. Please save our members and the Scheme.
-- Posted By Muthukrishnan to indianexserviceman at 3/16/2012 11:07:00 AM
Comment: Why Naval Ships have to administer ECHS Polyclinics? There is a ocean of difference between administering sea based ships and land locked ECHS which is to cater to the health and well being of EX Servicemen. Probably a better idea would be to shift the ECHS to a Naval Ship and perhaps matters will liven up!
Monday, March 12, 2012
Army jawan’s widow wins battle that he couldn’t
The Tribune Vijay Mohan/TNS Chandigarh, March 11, 2012
About 49 years after her husband was discharged from the Army and nine years after he passed away, the widow of an Army jawan has been sanctioned family pension even though her husband never got his post-retirement benefits.
It was only after the death of Sep Gurdayal, an Army Ordnance Corps reservist from Gurdaspur, in 2003, that his widow Piaro, took up the case afresh with the Army authorities and the Principal Controller of Defence Accounts (Pensions) for the grant of reservist and family pension. Gurdayal had taken up the case for his pension earlier, but to no avail.
The sanction of pension came without the family members having to seek judicial intervention. It was largely through the efforts of a serving colonel posted in the Western Sector, who assisted the family with paperwork and procedural matters, that the widow got her benefits.
Besides getting a pension of Rs 6,000 per month in accordance with current Pay Commission rates, she has also got arrears of pension since 1963, when her husband was discharged. The reservist pension at that time was just Rs 10 per month.
According to a letter written by the Army Ordnance Corps (AOC) Record to the Principal Controller of Defence Accounts, Gurdayal was enrolled in the AOC in June 1947, when he was only 15 years old.
His service with the Regular AOC was extended till July 1958, following which he was transferred to the reservist establishment.
In 1963, he was invalided out of service on medical grounds.
His total service, including boy service when he did not complete 16 years of age, worked out to be 15 years and 213 days. According to Defence Ministry regulations issued in 2002, boy service is to be counted towards fixing pensionary benefits.
The fight after service
Sep Gurdayal, Army Ordnance Corps (AOC) reservist from Gurdaspur, was enrolled in the AOC Record in June 1947 at the age of 15 years
His service with the Regular AOC was extended till July 1958
He was later transferred to the reservist establishment
In 1963, he was rendered invalid on medical grounds
He applied for pension, but to no avail
After his death in 2003, his widow took up the case afresh
She has been sanctioned a pension of Rs 6,000 pm, besides arrears since 1963
Army jawan’s widow wins battle that he couldn’t
About 49 years after her husband was discharged from the Army and nine years after he passed away, the widow of an Army jawan has been sanctioned family pension even though her husband never got his post-retirement benefits.
It was only after the death of Sep Gurdayal, an Army Ordnance Corps reservist from Gurdaspur, in 2003, that his widow Piaro, took up the case afresh with the Army authorities and the Principal Controller of Defence Accounts (Pensions) for the grant of reservist and family pension. Gurdayal had taken up the case for his pension earlier, but to no avail.
The sanction of pension came without the family members having to seek judicial intervention. It was largely through the efforts of a serving colonel posted in the Western Sector, who assisted the family with paperwork and procedural matters, that the widow got her benefits.
Besides getting a pension of Rs 6,000 per month in accordance with current Pay Commission rates, she has also got arrears of pension since 1963, when her husband was discharged. The reservist pension at that time was just Rs 10 per month.
According to a letter written by the Army Ordnance Corps (AOC) Record to the Principal Controller of Defence Accounts, Gurdayal was enrolled in the AOC in June 1947, when he was only 15 years old.
His service with the Regular AOC was extended till July 1958, following which he was transferred to the reservist establishment.
In 1963, he was invalided out of service on medical grounds.
His total service, including boy service when he did not complete 16 years of age, worked out to be 15 years and 213 days. According to Defence Ministry regulations issued in 2002, boy service is to be counted towards fixing pensionary benefits.
The fight after service
Army jawan’s widow wins battle that he couldn’t
Forces Law Gazette
Sunday, March 11, 2012
Forces Law Gazette : Issue No 2 (March 2012) now available on www.lawgazette.net
As promised, the second issue of the FORCES LAW GAZETTE (FLG) is out and now available for free download at www.lawgazette.net
The download link is placed on a verified host and is virus-free.
For those who joined us late, the FLG is a free, non-commercial quarterly newsletter on law and allied issues related to uniformed forces. The gazette covers not just India but other democracies as well. FLG is available for free download and distribution. The current issue covers legal and other topical subjects till March 2012.
Through this post, I would also like to thank everyone for the positive feedback on the first issue. The stupendous number of downloads shows that our efforts did not go waste.
Contributions in the form of articles are welcome and may be sent to me through email for publication in future issues.
Readers can also click here to directly download the current issue of the gazette without visiting the FLG website.
The next issue is due for June 2012.
Posted by Navdeep / Maj Navdeep Singh
Forces Law Gazette : Issue No 2 (March 2012) now available on www.lawgazette.net
As promised, the second issue of the FORCES LAW GAZETTE (FLG) is out and now available for free download at www.lawgazette.net
The download link is placed on a verified host and is virus-free.
For those who joined us late, the FLG is a free, non-commercial quarterly newsletter on law and allied issues related to uniformed forces. The gazette covers not just India but other democracies as well. FLG is available for free download and distribution. The current issue covers legal and other topical subjects till March 2012.
Through this post, I would also like to thank everyone for the positive feedback on the first issue. The stupendous number of downloads shows that our efforts did not go waste.
Contributions in the form of articles are welcome and may be sent to me through email for publication in future issues.
Readers can also click here to directly download the current issue of the gazette without visiting the FLG website.
The next issue is due for June 2012.
Posted by Navdeep / Maj Navdeep Singh
Criminals as rulers!
The Tribune Chandigarh March 12, 2012
It is a matter of grave concern that all leading parties give preference to criminals during allotment of tickets. In the UP Assembly elections, over 337 candidates having criminal charges pending against them were given tickets by the SP, BSP, BJP and Congress. All party leaders announced time and again that people having clean records would be given tickets. Justice Rajinder Sachar (retd) in his article “Whither Indian polity?” (February 24) clearly mentioned that no party is talking of the real problems. Minorities are being treated as the football of politics.
The leaders are talking of giving laptops to students of weaker sections whereas a large numbers of schools have no blackboards or toilets for girls. Our leaders should promise what they can provide in reality and what is required and not show false dreams which cannot be fulfilled.
SUBHASH C TANEJA, Rohtak
Criminals as rulers!
It is a matter of grave concern that all leading parties give preference to criminals during allotment of tickets. In the UP Assembly elections, over 337 candidates having criminal charges pending against them were given tickets by the SP, BSP, BJP and Congress. All party leaders announced time and again that people having clean records would be given tickets. Justice Rajinder Sachar (retd) in his article “Whither Indian polity?” (February 24) clearly mentioned that no party is talking of the real problems. Minorities are being treated as the football of politics.
The leaders are talking of giving laptops to students of weaker sections whereas a large numbers of schools have no blackboards or toilets for girls. Our leaders should promise what they can provide in reality and what is required and not show false dreams which cannot be fulfilled.
SUBHASH C TANEJA, Rohtak
Criminals as rulers!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
