Interim Test Range, Balasore, Orissa
Chandipur-On-Sea
For launching missiles, rockets and flight test vehicles, a dedicated range known as Interim Test Range (ITR) was established in 1989 at Chandipur-On-Sea, 15 km from Balasore, Orissa. A number of test vehicles of different class including multirole missile Trishul, multitarget capability missile Akash, the antitank Nag missile, the most precise surface-to-surface missile Prithvi and the Agni-I large scale technology demonstrator have been test fired from this range. An operational demonstration in which a salvo of four Prithvi missiles was conducted on 04 June 1994 from the Interim Test Range. With its versatile technical and scientific capability, ITR has also supported a number of other missions such as Multibarrel Rocket Launcher—Pinaka and Pilotless Target Aircraft (PTA).
The range is spread over a length of 17 km along the sea coast where a number of tracking instruments have been deployed to cover the total flight path of the test vehicles. Some of the significant test facilities at ITR are:
- Electro-Optical Tracking System (Mobile and Fixed)
- S-Band Tracking Radar (KAMA-N) (Mobile)
- C-Band Tracking Radar (PCMC) (Fixed)
- Telemetry System (Fixed and Mobile)
- Range Computer
- CCTV System
- Photo Processing System
- Meteorological System
- Range Safety System
The Balasore district authority organized the temporary evacuation of the people residing in four villages close to the range for facilitating launching of the Prithvi missile. In preparation for such tests, nearly 1000 people residing in Jayadev Kasaba, Kushumali, Bhimpur, and Sahajanpur villages [none of these placenames are recognized by the NIMA GEOnet Names Server], located within a one-kilometer radius of the launching pad, would be evacuated. The district authority would disburse nearly Rs 100,000 as compensation to the 88 families for temporary evacuation during the test firing of Prithvi.
The test range needed a safety zone free from human habitation upto 3.5 km around its launching pad. Anticipating difficulty in acquisition of land, a decision was taken in October 1989 to acquire land up to one km radius of the launching pad in the first phase. Ministry accorded sanction in January 1991 for acquisition of 329.76 acres of private land at a cost of Rs 1.15 crore by invoking urgency clause under Section 17 of the Land Acquisition Act, 1894 and transfer of State Government land of 191.11 acres costing Rs 28.73 lakh. Defence Estates Officer paid Rs 1.22 crore on account of acquisition of 321.06 acres of private land to the District Collector between October 1991 and March 1993.
Ignoring the provision of the urgency clause stipulating complete acquisition, the local Defence Estates Officer, in December 1994, took over the possession of the land subject to settlement of rehabilitation package being assessed. Although section 17 of the Land Acquisition Act, 1894 does not provide for such packages, the Director General of Defence Estates failed to pursue this issue before agreeing to the conditional taking over of the possession of land. The land owners continued to stay unauthorisedly in their homesteads and the safety zone sought to be created remained inhabitated by 576 persons in 1992, which in 1997 rose to about 700, defeating the very purpose of acquisition of land.
Each time a test was conducted the entire population living there had to be evacuated to safer places leading to additional expenditure by way of their transportation, creation of temporary shelters, food and provision of other amenities. Expenditure on this account between February 1993 and January 1996 amounted to Rs 51.03 lakh.
Range authorities informed audit in August 1997 that the land in question was taken over with "existing occupation thereon". For mission launching purpose compensation had to be paid to the residents for security of their lives and property. Government sanctioned Rs 2 crore in July 1999 towards rehabilitation package. However, the fact remains that conditional taking over of the land without removing the encroachment had led to incurring an indefinite liability. Also the rehabilitation package had set a new precedent since it was not covered under Land Acquisition Act.
Balasore is one of the coastal Districts of Odisha. Balasore is the District Head Quarter, spreading over an area of 3634 sq.km lies between 20° 48’ North and 21° 59’ North latitudes and 86°16’ and 87°29’ East longitudes. The District is surrounded by Medinipur District of West Bengal in its Northern side, Bay of Bengal in its East, Bhadrak District in its South and Mayurbhanj & Keonjhar Districts lies on its Western side. It is best known for Chandipur Beach.
The Indian Ballistic Missile Defense Program's Integrated Test Range is located at a distance of 18 km towards South of Balasore. It is the largest city of North Odisha. This District consists of two SubDivisions namely Balasore and Nilgiri. There are 12 Tahasils for 12 Blocks of this District. Balasore is the main town of the District and is also its Centre of Economic Growth. The primary occupation of people in the District is cultivation. This District is mainly known for cultivation of paddy. Industries, Agriculture, Fishing and Tourism are the four major Revenue fetching sources of Balasore District. Birla Tyres, Balasore Alloys Limited, Emami Paper Mills Limited and Polar Pharma India Limited are some of the Large–Scale Industries functioning in this District.
Balasore occupies a unique position being endowed with lush green vegetation, different fauna & flora and rich Cultural Heritage. The District has a rich mineral base of river sand, and Road Metal which are mainly used in construction units in the District. The huge deposits of granite stones at Nilgiri, Khaira, Soro regions provides tremendous scope for development of few more Industries based on this resources. Except these, no minerals in large quantity which can be explored for commercial purpose found in the District.
Chandipur-On-Sea
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