Decision of CEC of Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Council to resume irrigation canal work in Nyoma along Line of Actual Control (LAC) is welcome. Construction of a canal that would carry water lifted from the Indus to a distance of 3.5 kilometres to irrigate 400 hectares of land had been abandoned by the contractors owing to interference and threats from the Chinese. CEC said that border villagers cannot be deprived of their right to development and that the contractors had been assured of security against any intrusion or threats from the Chinese. China’s contention is that Indus is the dividing line between Indian and Chinese territory in East Ladakh. But India has not accepted this contention and sticks to the Line of Control in Nyoma sub-division. LAHDC has persuaded contractors to return to the site and resume digging of the canal. It has also written to the 14 Corpse and the chief of ITBP. However, it is not clear whether there has been any contact on Government to Government level between the two countries and any amount of assurance has been elicited from the Chinese.
The Kuyul-Gomba-Yardol-Thuksey irrigation scheme was sanctioned under Border Area Development Programme (BADP) in 2005-06 at the cost of Rs 63.80 lakh but its fate is hanging in balance despite lapse of six years.
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