In a bid to expand its environmentally friendly initiatives in the Himalayan region along China’s borders, the Indian Army is partnering with the National Thermal Power Corporation (NTPC) to establish a Green Hydrogen plant. This plant will provide power to the military garrison at Chushul, near Line of Actual Control (LAC) and bring a new era of sustainability. The Army is also introducing green hydrogen buses in Leh and has set up 68 solar projects, including at the Siachen base camp, showcasing its firm commitment to environmental preservation.
“The 200 MW hydrogen plant at Chushul garrison will replace the diesel generators that currently provide electricity to our troops. The Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) is in the final stages of being signed,” as disclosed by the army sources.
Green fuels and green building norms have become essential policy initiatives as the Indian Army aims to reduce its carbon footprint and promote the preservation of the environment. Cantonments and units have been identified to develop electric vehicle-related infrastructure, ensuring a greener and more sustainable operational environment.
It has already started using electric buses and plans to gradually incorporate electric cars, motorcycles, and buses into its fleet. In collaboration with the Indian Oil Corporation Limited (IOCL), the Army has introduced a green hydrogen bus at its headquarters. Furthermore, the Army is working towards transitioning to Ethanol-20 and BS VI, ensuring that their vehicles can travel through rough terrain and adverse weather conditions.
The Indian Army is implementing measures to ensure that military stations are clean and green. They have launched the Apashisth Mukt Sainya Abhiyan (AMSA) with the goal of achieving landfill-free military stations. The Indian Army plans to make all 306 military stations landfill-free over the next five years. The upcoming Thal Sena Bhawan is designed to be a GRIHA 4 plus building, incorporating green norms.
“Military stations and cantonments have always played a vital role as green lungs and carbon sinks, and the Indian Army is committed to maintaining clean and green environments across its facilities,” the army sources said.
Ten Army Cantonments to be merged with Municipalities
The Indian Army plans to transfer ten cantonments to civilian municipalities as per a government policy decision. The cantonments will be handed over to urban local bodies in Dehradun, Deolali, Nasirabad, Babina, Ajmer, Ramgarh, Mathura, Shahjahanpur, Clement Town, and Fatehgarh.
The excision process of cantonment areas began with draft notifications issued by the Ministry of Defence in March. The notifications provided an eight-week response time, according to army sources.
The cantonments were established during the British era as exclusive areas for service personnel and their families. As cities expanded over the years, a large number of civilians now reside near the cantonments, leading to friction on issues such as road access and other civic facilities.
The Ministry of Defence plans to abolish 62 cantonments nationwide to bring uniformity in municipal laws governing them and adjoining municipal areas. The military areas within a cantonment will be converted into a military station, while the civilian areas will be handed over to the local municipal authorities. The government has outlined guidelines for transferring civilian areas to state municipalities. According to these guidelines, the ownership of all assets meant for providing civic amenities and municipal services in the transferred area will be handed over to the state government or municipalities at no cost. The assets and liabilities of the cantonment boards will also be transferred to the municipality.
The cantonments came up during the British era and were exclusive areas where service personnel and their families resided. Over the years, cities have expanded and a large number of civilians now reside in close proximity to the cantonments, often giving rise to friction on issues like road access.
Ravi Shankar
