Nitish Sharma

Tribune News Service

Ambala, October 24

The Defence Minister has decided to give military farms in Ambala, Belguam, Secunderabad, Jammu and Meerut on lease to the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR).The Cabinet Committee on Security gave its approval on July 14 to close down all 39 military farms within three months. Fourteen such farms had already been shut down.Sources say it was decided in a meeting chaired by the Defence Minister recently to give these five military farms on lease to the ICAR.The sources say the Eastern Command has also been asked to identify military farms for leasing out to the ICAR in the Northeast and East.Dr Nandoo Yadav, general secretary, Military Farm Non-gazetted Employees’ Union, says: “Giving out the farms on lease is not a solution as after sometimes, the farms will be closed down.” The farms were to be closed by October 14 and the cattle handed over to the government agencies, veterinary universities and gaushalas, but no one came forward to take cattle. Now, the farms are expected to be closed by March 2018.”Yadav says permanent employees will be shifted to other departments, but there are no directions regarding temporary employees. With the closure of all farms, hundreds of temporary employees working in these farms for the past 20 to 30 years will be sacked. “Those who have been sacked so far have not been given any gratuity or compensation. They have not even been served any notice. Labour laws have been violated and hundreds of employees have been denied their legitimate rights,” he adds.The union has requested the Defence Ministry and the Prime Minister to review the decision. “The ministry has been advised not to close down the farms instantly. A policy should be adopted not to rear calves and sell them to the local population. By this way, 30 per cent strength of the animals will reduce every year and the department will close down automatically within three years,” he adds.The union had approached the SC against the Centre’s decision to close down 39 military farms across the country, but the court had asked it to approach the High Court first. The union approached the Delhi High Court on Monday and the case would come up for hearing this week, he says.