Hoshiarpur: Former MP Avinash Rai Khanna held a special meeting with Union Defence Minister Rajnath Singh. During the meeting, Khanna discussed memoranda submitted to him by former defence officers—Colonel Maluk Singh, Colonel P.S. Manhas, and Major Yashpal Singh—regarding the difficulties faced by residents of villages surrounding the Uchchibassi military station due to long-standing restrictions on construction and development. He informed the Minister that the military depot was established during the British era; while the area was sparsely populated then, numerous villages and residential areas have since developed.
He apprised the Defence Minister of the complex and time-consuming procedures citizens face in obtaining permissions for building construction, renovations, and other developmental activities. Khanna also mentioned a proposal to utilize approximately 31 acres of unused Ministry of Defence land in the Hariana area of ??the district for setting up a Compressed Bio-Gas (CBG) plant.
The Government of India is promoting CBG projects to encourage clean energy, stubble management, and the utilization of agricultural waste. Following site inspections by teams from HPCL and GAIL in June 2026, approximately 15 acres of land were deemed suitable for this project.
Khanna suggested to Defence Minister Rajnath Singh that the approval processes for construction in restricted zones on defence land be simplified and made time-bound. He further proposed a permanent solution: relocating the ammunition depot to a sparsely populated area to strike a balance between national security and the developmental needs of local citizens.
Khanna also recommended conducting a joint survey involving local army officials, the Defence Estates Department, HPCL, GAIL, and environmental experts to assess the extent of vegetation removal required and to consider making other available defence land accessible as an alternative site if necessary. Khanna stated that the Ministry of Defence's initiative could prove to be a significant step towards clean energy generation, resolving the issue of stubble burning, producing organic manure, and creating local employment.