Agreed to vacate Srinagar ground if given alternate land: Army

The army on Thursday said it would vacate the Tattoo Ground here in three months if alternate land is given at a mutually acceptable place within this period.

"In principle, the army has agreed to hand over the Tattoo Ground to the state government, which in return will hand over alternate land to the army at a mutually acceptable place within three months. Accordingly, all procedures are being expedited," Colonel S.D. Goswami, spokesman of the army's Udhampur-based Northern Command told IANS here.

The spokesman clarified that no operational matter was discussed during a civil-military liaison conference (CMLC) chaired by Chief Minister Mufti Muhammad Sayeed on September 29.

"The conference was not mandated to discuss operational matters," the spokesman added.

"During the CMLC, a large number of pending issues were discussed in a cordial atmosphere and resolved amicably, including notification of firing ranges, provision of land for the Jammu airport and Anantnag high ground etc," he added.