Government likely to reply on LAC patrolling points next week

The government is likely to give a written reply in the Lok Sabha next Tuesday on patrolling points in Ladakh. Minister of state for home Nityanand Rai, who holds charge of Jammu, Kashmir and Ladakh division at MHA, will respond to questions raised by an MP. The questions have been provisionally admitted. The reply is likely to be drafted by the JKL division, rechristened in 2019 after the reading down of Article 370 and the state was bifurcated into UTs of J&K and Ladakh.

ET had in its January 24 edition reported that a paper presented at the annual DGP-IGP conference, authored by the superintendent of police of Leh-Ladakh, had said, "Indian security forces were restricted or there has been no patrolling" in 26 out of 65 points from Karakoram Pass to Chumur. "There is restrictive patrolling by Indian forces between patrolling points 5-17, 24-32, 37, 51, 52 and 62."

The document was among 192 papers submitted by IPS officers compiled in 3 volume compendiums. "China occupies areas that have no presence of Indian forces or civilians since long. This has led to a shift in the border under control of Indian forces towards the Indian side and a buffer zone has been created in all such pockets which ultimately leads to loss of control over areas by India. The faceoff theatre with Chinese were mainly in Sikkim and Arunachal while Ladakh was generally more peaceful. But now a new strategy is the need of the hour," the paper had said.


"PLA has taken advantage of the buffer areas in de-escalation talks by placing their best cameras on the highest peaks and is monitoring the movement of Indian forces. This situation can be seen at Black top, Helmet top in Chushul, at Demchok, at Kakjung, at Gogra hills in Hot springs and at Depsang plains near Chip Chap river," the paper said.