Ranchi, Aug. 31: Governor Ved Prakash Marwah today asked tribals, demanding the denotification of the Netarhat Field Firing Range, to first take their grievance to the army.

Marwah made the suggestion this evening after an hour-long dialogue with tribal representatives and persons, who were worst hit by firing practice at the field firing range.

Marwah told them to meet him again after lodging their written complaint before army officials. “Though the matter is of public interest, it will not be proper for me to take any step without consulting army officials. I will talk to them but you too communicate your problem with all facts and figures,” the Governor was quoted as saying by leader Bandhu Tirkey.

Earlier tribals, under the banner of Pilot Project Netarhat Filed Firing Range Vishrhapan Manch, delivered a series of speeches highlighting the problems they faced after the setting up of the range.

“We have lost our cattle due to firing and passed many sleepless night outside our houses. Army men misbehave with our women and assaulted our leader, who tried to stop their firing practice,” they said.

They also requested the Governor to exercise his powers in the tribal interest.

“As protector of Scheduled Tribes under the 5th schedule of the Constitution, the Governor should take steps to close down the range,” they added. Jharkhand Janadhikar Party (JJP) leader Amulaya Neeraj Khalkho said the tribals have been on an agitation since March 1994.

This was the second demonstration against field firing range in the capital after creation of Jharkhand. Earlier a group of students, organised under the banner of Palamau Students’ Association and Heera Barway Chhatra Sangh, had handed a memorandum to Marwah in February this year.

The students, alleging army assault on women, had also asked the Governor to set up an inquiry into the army excesses and take action against the guilty army men.