Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Apr 11: Tenzin Sonam, Executive Councilor for FCS&CA, Social Welfare, Tourism and Industries, LAHDC Kargil, today visited the Sena Bhawan, Ministry of Defence, Government of India, at South Block, New Delhi, where he met Direndra Verma, Director Air Maintenance, MOD, and appraised him about the problems being faced by the people of the remote and inaccessible region of Ladakh in general and Zanskar Sub-Division of Kargil District in particular.
The EC informed the Director about the hard geographical location of the area where the people are facing a very hard life, specially during the winters, when the region gets disconnected with the rest of the country due to heavy snowfall and the only means to go in and out the region is through Helicopter. But this year, the sanctioned air maintenance tonnage for Leh- Padum Sector has already exhausted due to which
the IAF could not airlift all the stranded passengers from Leh to Zanskar, he added .
The EC requested for early sanctioning of fresh Air maintenance Tonnage for Leh-Padum sector and operating helicopter service between Leh and Kargil.
According to a handout, the EC got assurance from the Director regarding both the requests and was informed that right from tomorrow MI -17 Helicopter shall be operated between Leh and Padum to airlift the stranded passengers from Zanskar at Leh. Regarding the continuation of the AIF chopper service for rescuing serious patient on regular basis, the Director informed that the matter shall be taken up with the Defense Minister.
Later in the afternoon, the EC also had a meeting with Lt Gen S K Srivastava, Director General Border Road Organization and appraised him about the slow progress of Nimoo-Padum- Darcha road. He sought speeding up of the progress of the work by using the latest technology and machines. The EC also requested the Director General to retain Lt Colonel R L Manoj, the former Officer in Command of 126 RCC Padum at 125 Padurn Zanskar as during his tenure as OC 126 RCC, the progress of the work was unprecedented and it was because of his efforts that Tungnak area of Zanskar was almost connected with Darcha.
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