27 JUL 2016 CHINESE SOLDIERS SPOTTED IN INDIA BORDER
Chinese incursion in Uttarakhand, state sends report to Centre
- Arvind Moudgil, Hindustan Times, Chamoli (Uttarakhand) |
- Updated: Jul 27, 2016 16:18 IST
Chinese troops were spotted on Uttarakhand’s international border stretch along Barahoti. (HT Photo)
Chinese troops were again spotted on Uttarakhand’s demilitarized international stretch along Barahoti, the hill-state’s chief minister Harish Rawat said on Wednesday.
“This is a matter of concern. We have asked (the Centre) to increase vigilance,” he said, according to ANI news agency. “Our border has been peaceful. I believe the government will take the necessary cognizance.”
Union Minister of State for Home Kiren Rijiju said the government has asked the Indo Tibetan Border Police, which mans the 3488-km Sino-Indian border from Ladakh in Jammu and Kashmir to Arunachal Pradesh in Northeast, to look into the matter.
The movements were noticed on July 19 by officials who had gone to Barahoti to measure the revenue line, he revealed. “Their troops have not touched an important canal in the area,” he added.
Shepherds from both sides are allowed to enter the ground.
Chamoli district magistrate Vinod Suman, who led the team, confirmed with HT that an official report on the visit had been filed. “I can’t divulge details,” he said. “It is highly confidential.”
Sources said a team of officials went up to the Line of Actual Control between India and China near Barahoti when Chinese soldiers suddenly appeared out of the mist and signalled the Indian team to go back, claiming it was their land.
The 80-sq km ground has been agreed by the two countries to be a disputed part since 1957 and was to be sorted out at the negotiating table by the two sides.
The July 19 incident is not the first of its kind. There have been several instances of infiltration of Chinese soldiers in that part of the Indian territory in the past.
In 2013, Vijay Bahuguna, as the state’s CM, brought up the issue of Chinese violation of the international borders at Barahoti. At a chief ministers’ meet on internal security held at Delhi that July, he tabled a report that the Chinese had trespassed the Indian territory no less than 37 times between 2007 and 2012.
In 2014, too, there were reports of Chinese intrusion at Barahoti.
There is a 100-km road from Joshimath to Rimkhim, after which it requires an 8-km trek to the international border near Barahoti.
Beyond Barahoti is pastoral land where shepherds from Niti valley customarily graze their livestock. The Hoti river and Parvati Kund lake make the area suitably grassy, but the Chinese have had a history of thwarting the shepherds’ movements.
The lake has a small Kali temple and a Shivalay by it. Time and again, the two shrines are demolished by the Chinese and rebuilt by the Indians.
Earlier, the area used to be inspected twice a year. These days, the district inspection team visits the place for four months from June.
The squad comprises the officials from the departments of revenue, animal husbandry, health and rural development, besides personnel from the police, LIU, IB, RAW and ITBP.
The rest of the year, the area is covered with heavy snow.
In 1958, China side had sent in a delegation to India for negotiations—and both sides had agreed not to send troops into the area. However, there has been no discussion on a final settlement of the Barahoti ground.
(With PTI inputs)
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