Sanjeev Pargal
JAMMU, Nov 3: After a long time, Sino-Indian troops were again in stand-off mode at Demchok along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in Eastern Ladakh after People’s Liberation Army (PLA) objected to laying of water pipes on the Indian side but as their protests were ignored the Chinese troops also started setting up pre-fabricated huts along LAC.
The fresh face-off, which came after several months, was reported within days after India and China troops conducted joint tactical exercises in Eastern Ladakh and held frequent meetings between them, the latest one being on Diwali festival at two Border Meeting Points (BMPs) including Chushul and Daulat Beg Oldie (DBO).
Though Army in New Delhi maintained that there was no major stand-off between India and China and issue is being resolved through set procedure, sources told the Excelsior that trouble erupted after PLA officials objected to laying of water pipes for providing water supply to the people of Demchok through Hot Spring yesterday morning.
The work was being undertaken by the people with the help of civil administration and Army Engineers to help the people as Demchok was facing huge water shortage and the people there had recently taken out procession and held demonstration seeking construction of Dumti-Demchok road, providing them water supply from Hot Spring waters by constructing an irrigation canal and improvement in power supply.
The administration had responded to people’s protests and started construction work for irrigation canal with the help of Army Engineers and local people. The work was being executed under Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA).
The Chinese troops raised objections to the construction work on the ground that there was no demarcation of the LAC between the two sides and described area as “disputed”. However, the Chinese side was bluntly told by the authorities that the work is being carried out well within the Indian side for providing regular water supply to the people of border village of Demchok by constructing irrigation canal and linking it with Hot Spring water.
However, the Chinese troops retreated yesterday morning but late in the afternoon, they too installed their pre-fabricated huts in the area, leading to stand-off between the two sides.
Sources, however, expressed confidence that the matter would be resolved by holding meetings at one of the two Border Meeting Points in Eastern Ladakh sector along the LAC. They said the stand-off was the result of un-demarcated LAC and such issues have arisen earlier also and resolved by the two sides.
The Chinese troops had demanded that work be stopped as either side needs to take permission from each other before undertaking any construction work, a claim disputed by the India which says that as per the agreement between the two countries, information about construction needed to be shared only if it was meant for defence purposes.
Both sides pulled out banners and have been stationed on the ground, the sources said, adding the Army and ITBP troopers were not allowing the Chinese “to move an inch” ahead despite the PLA claiming that the area belonged to China.
The Indian side was going ahead with the work and, sources said, there was no question of stopping construction of canal as it was being done well within the Indian side.
The area had witnessed a similar incident in 2014 after it was decided to construct a small irrigation canal at Nilung Nalla under the MGNREGA scheme which had been a sore point with the Chinese.
The PLA had mobilized villagers from Tashigong to pitch Rebos (tents) at Charding-Ninglung Nallah (CNN) Track Junction to protest Indian action.
The ‘Hot Spring’ is different from the one in Chashool where Police Day is observed in the memory of 10 CRPF men killed in 1959 by Chinese troops.
Meanwhile, in Delhi, senior Army officers insisted that there was no face-off and the issue is being resolved through established procedures.
They added that such objections by either side are not uncommon and situations like these are resolved amicably.
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