Omar seeks tighter vigil along LAC

SRINAGAR: Rattled by frequent reports of sightings of Chinese soldiers near the Line of Actual Control in Ladakh, Jammu and Kashmir government has moved to get New Delhi's nod for permanent structures along the disputed frontier to increase vigil and check incursions.

State revenue, relief and rehabilitation minister Raman Bhalla said chief minister Omar Abdullah would talk to defence minister A K Antony and seek permission for the structures that would house revenue officials and guards to monitor Chinese activities along the Pangong Lake, around 180km from Leh. "Shepherds have approached the district administration twice this year and complained about the Chinese troops preventing them to grazing their cattle in Pangong, Dokbug and Doley Tango areas along the frontier,'' Bhalla said.

Leh deputy commissioner A K Sahu had also informed state divisional commissioner about Chinese activities along the border in January. "Sahu had sought necessary action in the matter,'' said Bhalla. He said the revenue officers and guards would be posted along the border round the year. "They would coordinate with the intelligence agencies and keep them posted on the activities of the Chinese troops,'' he said.

Ladakh DIG H K Lohia said the Chinese troops have made incursions into the Indian territory. "But there have been no skirmishes between the two armies,'' he said.

A recent J&K government report said that Chinese were taking "land in inches and not in yards" and that they were constructing structures along the frontier in Ladakh sector for the first time since the 1962 war between the two countries. The Chinese are constructing structures that could be used for either stationing additional personnel or mounting a camera for monitoring Indian troop movement.