Mumbai:
It was set up as Maharashtra's elite commando force after the 26/11 attacks, but Force 1 is now losing some ground - literally.
The crack commando team could lose a quarter of the land allotted to it by the Government, because it is occupied by tribals who are refusing to budge.
Promised the best equipment and training, Force 1 was allotted nearly 100 acres of land in the Goregaon suburbs last year - 29 acres of the total 96, belong to tribals.
"We have been living here for centuries," says Ankush Bhoir, adding," We don't just live here, we also cultivate our crops."
This is a huge embarrassment for the state. But the Government claims they had allotted extra land to Force 1 i.e. if some of it is taken away, it won't make a major difference.
Government departments are blaming each other. Some even claim that only a Google map was used locate the land - a charge the Home Ministry has denied. "We will be having a meeting to sort out the issue soon," is all that Suburban Collector Vishwas Patil says.
But beyond the finger pointing, the question is how could the state have been so casual when it comes to a force meant to be the first line of defence against terrorists?
The crack commando team could lose a quarter of the land allotted to it by the Government, because it is occupied by tribals who are refusing to budge.
Promised the best equipment and training, Force 1 was allotted nearly 100 acres of land in the Goregaon suburbs last year - 29 acres of the total 96, belong to tribals.
"We have been living here for centuries," says Ankush Bhoir, adding," We don't just live here, we also cultivate our crops."
This is a huge embarrassment for the state. But the Government claims they had allotted extra land to Force 1 i.e. if some of it is taken away, it won't make a major difference.
Government departments are blaming each other. Some even claim that only a Google map was used locate the land - a charge the Home Ministry has denied. "We will be having a meeting to sort out the issue soon," is all that Suburban Collector Vishwas Patil says.
But beyond the finger pointing, the question is how could the state have been so casual when it comes to a force meant to be the first line of defence against terrorists?
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