Mohinder Verma
JAMMU, Aug 18: Notwithstanding lull on the Line of Actual Control (LAC) between India and China in Ladakh region, several Chinese Army personnel have been creating impediments in the execution of developmental projects in the villages of Leh district situated along the Indus river thereby depriving large number of people of opportunity to improve their socio-economic conditions.
The latest victim of Chinese Army personnel’s designs is the Kuyul-Gomba-Yardol-Thuksey Irrigation Scheme in the Nyoma Block where work stands abandoned during the past several days following intimidations from the troops of the neighboring country prompting the people to seek the intervention of the Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Council (LAHDC) and for taking up matter with the higher authorities in the Army and the Union Government.
The scheme was sanctioned under Border Area Development Programme (BADP) in 2005-06 at the cost of Rs 63.80 lakh and ever since its execution the Chinese Army has been creating impediments, official sources told EXCELSIOR
“This time the Chinese Army crossed all the limits when its personnel carrying weapons reached the bank of Indus river towards their side in the recent past and issued clear warning to the contractor and labourers against continuing execution of work on the scheme, which is aimed at providing irrigation facilities to numerous villages along the river on this side”, people of several areas, which would get benefit of Kuyul-Gomba-Yardol-Thuksey Irrigation Scheme, told EXCELSIOR.
Fearing for their lives, the contractor and labourers decided to abandon the work and accordingly the PWD authorities were informed about the development, sources said, adding “the PWD officers have furnished a report to the Deputy Commissioner with a copy to the Chief Executive Councilor of Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Council, Leh”.
“In the report, the Deputy Commissioner, who is also the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of LAHDC, and CEC have been requested to take up the matter with the higher-ups in the Army and Union Governments so that developmental works in the villages along the Indus river don’t fall victim to intimidations of Chinese Army”, sources said.
People of several villages, who would get benefit of this irrigation scheme, also personally conveyed the latest development to the Chief Executive Officer, Rigjin Spalbar seeking his intervention at the earliest so that scheme, whose fate is hanging in balance since 2005-06, don’t get delayed further.
Under the scheme, water is to be lifted from Indus river and released in the 3.5 kilometers long canal to provide irrigation facility to 400 hectares of area. Till today, only 1.70 kilometer portion of the canal has been constructed and headwork was going on before its abandoning at the intimidations of the Chinese Army.
“If the China considers Indus River as the border between two nations, it should restrain its Army from creating impediments in the execution of developmental works on this side of river”, people said.
Sources said that keeping in view the serious concern expressed by the people, Hill Council and District Administration would shortly take up the issue with the authorities concerned including Army and Union Government so that such incidents don’t recur in future.
When contacted, Chief Executive Councilor (CEC) LAHDC Leh, Rigjin Spalbar confirmed that work on irrigation scheme has been abandoned due to threat of Chinese Army. “There is lot of resentment among the people of the villages, which will get benefit of this scheme on its completion. They are agitated over the unfortunate development”, he added.
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