The state government has “legally handed over five lakh kanals of land to the army for setting up a new military base, firing ranges and for other defence purposes in Ladakh”, a Chandigarh-based newspaper reported.

The army shall be setting up artillery firing range over 40,000 kanals at Mandal Thang in Leh district.

“We have given the approval to authorise 5 lakh kanals to the army in Ladakh for defence purposes, including establishing bases and firing ranges,” the report quoted the officials as saying, without mentioning his name.

As per the report, the deputy secretary, Revenue, Ghulam Rasool, said the process had been initiated to legally authorise to the army the land that was under the force’s unlawful possession