Upset over a signature campaign by some citizens and voluntary groups owing allegiance to Himachal Pradesh Cricket Association (HPCA) for transferring the historic Annandale ground to the state government,the Ministry of Defence has written to the states chief secretary to put the ongoing propaganda to rest. Currently,the ground is in possession of the Army though the lease expired in 1992. Highly placed sources told The Indian Express that the ministry in its letter dated December 3,2011,told Chief Secretary Rajwant Sandhu to take steps before the campaign blows out of proportion. The transfer of Annandale ground has been a bone of contention between the Army and the state government for several years with Chief Minister Prem Kumar Dhumal taking it up with the then defence minister George Fernandes in 1998-99. But the Army has maintained that it needs to retain the ground for strategic needs. Two months ago,BJP MP and HPCA chief Anurag Thakur had sought peoples support for transfer of the ground to the state government to build a stadium of international standards. This had triggered a public campaign with the Shimla district unit of HPCA starting a signature campaign by visiting schools and other public institutions. We have already collected 96,000 signatures. The target is to get 1 lakh signatures and submit a memorandum to the governor for taking up the issue with Union defence minister, said HPCA spokesman Mohit Sood. But the signature campaign has not gone down well with the Ministry of Defence. In its letter bearing Do-No 22(5)/2011/D-GS-III dt 03,12,2011,the ministry claimed that the ground was of high importance for national security and its use for the purpose of operations cant be undermined. Any change in the status of the ground will create serious impediments for Army helicopter operations,especially medium and heavy,flying from here. There will also be security implications for continued presence of civil and defence precincts,which is not desirable, wrote Additional Secretary (Defence) A K Bishnoi. Sources in the government confirmed they have received the letter. Even earlier,we have received some letters from the Central government rejecting the states demand for transfer of Annandale ground, an official said. But the defence ministry feels its significance has been undermined. It is used to conduct military maneouvers and mock exercises. But the biggest significance is that it is close to the international borders with China, said a defence ministry personnel.
