Author: Rahul Datta, in Indraprasth
Publication: The Pioneer
Date: February 12, 2001
The army has expressed serious concern
over Chinese intrusions in the no man's land and de-militarised zone in
the Ladakh sector and construction of all-weather roads there.
The Army has sought directions
from the government and wants tighter border management to meet any exigency.
The Government, in a 'top priority'
communiqué by the Army earlier this week, was apprised of the latest
developments in the Ladakh sector and aggressive patrolling by the Chinese
Army there, sources said here on Friday.
The Chinese have intruded into the
Indian territory and the no-man's land beginning 1999. The intrusions continued
on specific points in the western sector (Ladakh) of the Line of Actual
Control till late 2000. In fact, the Chinese have also built all-weather
roads and tracks thereby putting the Indian defences at a disadvantage,
sources said.
The Chinese Army has reached the
1960 Claim Line at most points in the Ladakh sector. This means the Chinese
have intruded for at least 20 kilometres into the de- militarised zone.
This zone was earmarked after the 1962 Indo-China war. Both the sides had
agreed to pull back their troops by 20 kilometres on each side from the
LAC. The Chinese, however, have crossed the de-militarised zone and are
back to the positions held by them till 1960, sources said.
India and China share 5,046 kilometre
long LAC in western (Ladakh), middle (Himachal Pradesh and Uttranchal)
and eastern (Arunachal Pradesh) sectors. The Ladakh sector stretches for
1,570 kilometres, sources said.
The Army has asked the Government
to change the Union War Manual to enable the Army and the Indo-Tibetan
Border Police (ITBP) to man the LAC more effectively.
The ITBP is the first line of defence
in the Ladakh sector. While its platoons are stationed on the field, the
headquarters are far away thereby hampering quick decision making at the
operational level, the 'top- priority' note said.
The proposed change in the Union
War Manual will place the ITBP under the operational control of the Army
in war and peace times. At present, Intelligence Co-ordination process
between the ITBP and the Army located near each other in the Ladakh sector
is not functioning optimally.
The intelligence inputs of the ITBP
are first vetted at its headquarters and then passed on to the Army, thereby
losing vital time to check the aggressive Chinese patrolling, sources said.
This lack of cohesiveness also hits
the Rapid Reaction Force Co-ordination as the decision making eats up valuable
time. The Union War Manual, at present, allows the Army to assume operational
command of the ITBP only in case of a full-fledged war. The ITBP, in peace
time, reports to the Ministry of Home Affairs, sources said.
The Chinese have also built a functional
infrastructure and communication network in the Eastern Sector right upto
the LAC. The nearest Indian roadbed in Arunachal Pradesh, on the other
hand, at most places is at least 40 kilometres short of the LAC. The troops
have to be either heli-dropped or walk to their posts in inclement weather
causing huge logistics problems, sources said. Union Defence Minister George
Fernandes had reviewed the Eastern Sector late last year.