Tribune News Service

Shimla, June 29

In the wake of the recent face-off between the Indian Army and the People’s Liberation Army of China at Galwan valley in Leh, Himachal Governor Bandaru Dattatreya on Monday urged Defence Minister Rajnath Singh to increase deployment of the Indian Army to an Independent Mountain Division.

The Governor said that at present, only one independent brigade of the Indian Army had been deployed at Pooh in tribal Kinnaur district along the border.

In the letter to the Defence Minister, Dattatreya said as two of the state-tribal districts —Kinnaur and Lahaul and Spiti — share 260 km boundary with Tibet and China and means of communication and road transport in these remote border areas need to be strengthened.

The Governor, who held a series of meetings with the police, Army and other agencies, wrote: “As you are aware that Himachal Pradesh is strategically located vis-a-vis Tibet and China borders, the twin tribal districts – Lahaul and Spiti and Kinnaur share 260 km boundary with Tibet and China, and adequate arrangements may be made to tackle drones from the Chinese side as and when required.”

Laying stress on the urgent need of an airstrip in Spiti area, the Governor said the airstrip would act as an advanced landing ground for a prompt deployment of forces in the border areas at the time of need.

The Governor also underlined the need for better interaction between people and the central intelligence agencies, the Indian Army and the ITBP to instil a sense of security and confidence among the people living in the border areas.

“The Atal Tunnel under the Rohtang pass is 3,978 metres and connects Manali in Kullu district with Keylong in Lahaul & Spiti. The tunnel is likely to be completed in the near future and commissioning of the tunnel will allow year-round traffic on the Manali-Leh axis,” adding that on account of its strategic importance, adequate arrangements for intelligence, security and maintenance of this axis round the year needed to be made in advance.