Centre declares 10 sensitive installations in 6 states, 1 UT out of bounds for public

Ten sensitive installations in six states and one Union territory have been declared out of bounds for the general public, with the Centre saying any information with respect to certain activities carried out at these premises may be useful to India’s enemies.

The Union Home Ministry declared in a notice that the sensitive sites are located in Telangana, Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh, Bihar, Kerala, and the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, invoking the Official Secrets Act.

"...the central government is confident that knowledge of specific actions occurring in the designated locations will be helpful to an adversary. And while the central government believes it is wise to take extra precautions to avoid unauthorised entry to such locations," the notification read.

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It further states, "Therefore, the Central Government hereby proclaims the locations specified...a prohibited place for the purpose of the said Act," in accordance with the authority granted by the Official Secrets Act, 1923 (19 of 1923).

Telangana, Chhattisgarh, Kerala, Madhya Pradesh, and Bihar each have two of these sites, while Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, and Bihar each have one.

The Official Secrets Act of 1923 is India's anti-espionage law. It adds that actions that include assisting an enemy state against India are strictly condemned. Furthermore, it states that no one may approach, examine, or even travel through a limited government area. The act states that providing the adversary with a draught, blueprint, or model of an official secret, as well as official codes or passwords, constitutes assisting a hostile state.

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(With PTI inputs)