Excelsior Correspondent
LEH, Apr 13: Frustrated with the Chinese Army’s frequent intervention raising objection on carrying out any kind of developmental activities near the borders areas, the inhabitants of Demchok village, residing on the Indo China border, have demanded resettlement.
Demanding to relocate somewhere else, the residents with 39 households have been sitting on dharna from April 6 after the Chinese Army raised objection over the villagers laying pipe line from hot spring to their village for drinking water.
The residents had put up tent at bank of Demchok Nallah with National Flag on its top insisting the administration to shift them somewhere as the Chinese objected to carry out any kind of developmental activities in their village since 2000.
SDM Nyoma visited Demchok to pacify the residents on April 8 but in vain and residents refused to end the dharna. In this regard a delegation led by Sarpanch Rigzin Tanges, Naib Sarpanch Kunga Lotus and members Tsering Choldan also met the Deputy Commissioner Prasanna Ramaswamy G in Leh yesterday to submit him a memorandum. The memorandum, also addressed to Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh, highlighted issues of the region, particularly the Chinese objection to carrying out any developmental activities.
As per the memorandum, the residents have claimed that prior to 2008, no PLA post was existing at Demchok and only routine patrolling were conducted from Chagchik post, located at the distance of approximately 45 Km from Demchok. In the year 2008 with the pretext of Beijing Olympics, PLA had established their post at Demchok which the residents claimed to have reported to Indian Army (IA) but they did nothing. Rather the Indian Army told the residents that after the Olympic Games they (Chinese) will go back.
Listing a number of instances, when the PLA forced the residents to stop developmental works, they have informed that on March 26, 2016, the Indian Army had executed soil digging works for laying pipe line from a hot water spring to Demchok village but on the same day, PLA objected to the same and thereafter the work was stopped.
We the people of this area have been guarding the borders since years by way of patrolling with our livestock thus helping the Indian forces in safeguarding the borders. But on the other hand we are being ignored in the field of education, health and development by the administration thus we are forced to sit on dharna from 6th April 2016,” the people explained in the memorandum and appealed the Government to resettle them somewhere else so that they could avail all the basic amenities and facilities just like other citizens of India.
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