China intrudes to stop work

Farooq Abdullah

Srinagar, Jan. 9: The Jammu and Kashmir government has stopped development work after the Chinese army crossed over to this side of the border in Leh and asked it to stop work.

Tsering Angchuk, district development commissioner of Leh, said the Chinese troops intruded at a place called T junction, some 15km from Demchuk village.

“Our rural development department was constructing a passenger shed meant for shepherds and other people travelling in the area under Border Area Development Programme. They entered into our side and asked the contractor to stop work,” he said.

“We had to stop the work on the shed. We informed the Indian Army about the incident and they have told us to maintain the status quo.”

Another top officer in the district administration at Leh said they were constructing the passenger sheds in September-October for people living in the area.

“The Chinese army told us to stop work, saying the constructions were going on in a disputed area. We approached the army and they told us not to resume work until clearance comes from the ministry of defence and external affairs,” the official said.

He said the work had started barely days before it was stopped by the Chinese army.

“You can find some state-of-the-art roads on the other side of the border,” he said.

Earlier in 2009, a road project had to be abandoned in the Ladakh area after a similar intervention by the Chinese army.

Officials in Leh said the Chinese army occasionally crossed over under one pretext or another.

“In one instance, some nomads crossed the border and threatened the nomads who were grazing their cattle near the border. Later they again intruded and left after inscribing some sentences on the rocks on our side,” an official of Leh Autonomous Hill Development Council said.

The developmental works unfolded as Union minister for new and renewable energy Farooq Abdullah said they have to take care of the security as New Delhi extends hands for friendship with China.

“We have to take steps for our security, although we want friendship with China. Chinese Prime Minister had recently visited India and there were lots of hopes but unfortunately water has been poured on some of our expectations,” he said.