Tribune News Service & PTI

Jammu/Srinagar, July 26

The Army is capable of meeting any contingency or challenge along the Line of Control (LoC) with Pakistan or the Line of Actual Control (LAC) with China, a top commander said on Thursday.He said the modernisation of the armed forces was going on in a big way and it had improved operational preparedness.“I can tell you that the Army is fully prepared to take on any challenge along the LAC and even along the LoC,” General Officer Commanding-in-Chief (GOC-in-C), Northern Command, Lt Gen Ranbir Singh told reporters in Drass after paying tributes to the 1999 Kargil war heroes.In the past 19 years, the modernisation of the armed forces was going on in a big way, he said.“We have been able to identify certain areas where we required additional focus — whether in the form of infrastructure development close to the LoC or on the LAC or improvement in night vision, surveillance and night fighting capabilities. Substantial improvement has taken place so far as ops preparedness is concerned,” he said.He downplayed incidents of transgression along the LAC by the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) of China saying these happened due to differing perception about the LAC.“On a large number of occasions, there are reports about PLA’s transgressions in various areas along the LAC. But these have always taken place in areas where we have differing perception of the LAC. We do not have a delineated LAC. Similarly, when we speak to Chinese authorities, they also refer to us having transgressed into their territory on several occasions,” he added.On the situation in Kashmir, he said it was stable but fragile.“The situation in Kashmir is stable. However, it is fragile. The parameters of violence in 2018 are relatively better as compared to 2017 and earlier years. The stone-throwing activities are relatively less this year,” he said.Lt Gen Ranbir Singh said the situation deteriorates whenever Pakistan pushes in funds, weapons or militants.Earlier, the GOC-in-C led a solemn wreath-laying ceremony at the Drass war memorial. Gallantry award winners, next of kin of the martyrs, Veer Naris, senior Army officers and civil dignitaries also paid tributes to the martyrs.A defence spokesperson said the sombre mood at the ceremony brought home memories of the losses borne by the martyrs’ families.Thanking everyone for participating in the event, Lt Gen Ranbir Singh said the commemoration was the Army’s modest homage to the martyrs and a way of remembering the contribution of the units and formations in the conflict that gave India its finest victory in recent times.‘Kashmir situation stable but fragile’The situation in Kashmir is stable. However, it is fragile. The parameters of violence in 2018 are relatively better as compared to 2017 and earlier years. The stone-throwing activities are relatively less this year. — Lt Gen Ranbir Singh, Northern Command Chief

The region is the sparsely populated Khunjerab Pass in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir, which is part of the CPEC that India opposes. 

New Delhi: China is ramping up its defences and patrolling the Khunjerab Pass with Pakistani troops in territory that India claims, satellite imagery analysed by The Print shows.

Joint patrol

The Khunjerab Pass area is sparsely populated. It is occupied by China through the year but manned by Pakistan only during the summer months when the Karakoram Highway is open.

China has built a huge 27m X 12m wide four-storey gate-like building at Khunjerab Pass, almost the size of a basketball court.

It is probably manned by the PLA and some immigration staff. Just behind this building is a hexagonal watch tower manned by the PLA. There is a double-wire fence running north-west to south-east from the tower.

The first joint patrol was conducted at the behest of China when troops of both countries walked along the double fence till its end, shook hands and returned.

The patrol was reported by The Diplomat, a Tokyo-based online paper in July 2016 , but got scant attention in Indian media.

This time round, Pakistan permitted the Chinese to intrude into the Indian side of the fence which is visible clearly in pictures published by Chinese MND.

The comparison of the picture with satellite imagery shows geo-location of the exact spot of the patrol party. The single fence from the gate-like building is not clearly visible to an untrained eye. It is indicated with a green line.

Immigration post

The immigration post is about 3.5 km down the road where a blue-topped building with eight bays are located. This is where vehicles are checked manually as well as electronically.

This building used to house a small check post prior to last July’s Doklam stand-off in Bhutan between Indian and Chinese troops and was later expanded to eight bays.

There are two more barricades where possibly documents are re-checked for down traffic. A headquarters building and staff quarters for immigration department is also observed.

A communication node and a few trenches for local defence of the area are noticed slightly above the buildings.

PLA post

The PLA post is 17 km from the immigration post along the same road. It has been steadily upgraded from a company post to a battalion post over the past two decades.

The post has been further upgraded after the Doklam incident with a new building and new garage under construction.

The PLA post has two square-shaped helipads, a communication node, an obstacle course and a firing range.

The post has coal and fuel for warming and generators for electricity. Solar power caters to additional requirements.

The complete post is surrounded by trenches and fencing for security.

Road to nowhere

A fair-weather road originates from this post towards the east. It quickly turns south-east and covers a distance of 15 km, after which it abruptly ends at a river junction.

There are no villages in sight as well. When plotted on Google Earth and zoomed out, it provides clear access to a 42km-long valley until the beginning of Shaksgam.

China may be planning to extend the road to Shaksgam Valley in the near future, shortening the distance between Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region (XUAR) and Tibet.

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, July 14

Startled at how indigenously produced military equipment was costing more than the same equipment if supplied by foreign makers, the Ministry of Defence has set up a committee to examine how the Indian public sector companies arrive at the cost of each equipment supplied to the armed forces.Defence Minister Nirmala Sithraman said: “I have asked a panel to look into the costing of products manufactured by the Defence Public Sector Undertakings (DPSUs).”The Indian Air Force offered to get the price of the Light Combat Aircraft (LCA), the Tejas examined by the committee to start with. The committee, headed by the Director of Costs in the Ministry, has been asked to report back by August-end.The Army, Navy and the IAF have been complaining about DPSUs pricing higher than what the original manufacturer supplied the same equipment for. Prime examples have been the Sukhoi-30 MKI fighter jets, Tatra trucks,  Dornier-228 surveillance planes and warships, among other items.The latest trigger was the price quoted by Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) for the 83 Tejas Mark1A fighter jets. HAL, a company owned by the MoD, quoted a price of Rs 463 crore per jet in April, raising eyebrows. The Swedish Gripen jet was offered for Rs 455 crore and F-16 from the US for Rs 380 crore, and both to be made in India.The price of the Russian Sukhoi fighter, which HAL assembles at Nashik, is Rs 415 crore while the Russians supply it at Rs 330 crore. Besides these Tejas and Sukhoi prices, the committee will look at each equipment of the DPSUs.In 2012, the Tatra trucks supplied by Bharat Earth Movers Limited were found to be over-priced. These multi-axel trucks are used to transport missiles. More recently, the purchase of four warships from Russia has been hit as two of these are to be built at Goa Shipyard Ltd. The ones made in India are costing much more. The GSL will require upgrading its facilities and skills, which will add to the cost. Almost similar is the cost of Dornier 228, a plane that was originally made in Germany. It’s now much in demand and is flown by the IAF, Navy and the Coast Guard.The panel will also study the costing formula of artillery guns, trucks, ammunitions, missiles, etc. Calling it a “good” move, Amit Cowshish, ex-Financial Adviser (Acquisition) in MoD, said: “The MoD has every right to know the right price of equipment it gets from DPSUs.”

Jail authorities said Major Nikhil Rai Handa has been asked to inform jail staff whenever he feels any kind of apprehension inside prison.

Major Nikhil Rai Handa was arrested from Meerut after Shailza Dwivedi, wife of Major Amit Dwivedi, was found dead on June 23 near Delhi Cantonment Metro station. (Express photo)

Army officer Major Nikhil Rai Handa, accused of murdering another Army Major’s wife, moved an application in a city court, alleging he was “beaten up” in a prison van en route to Tihar Jail. The alleged incident took place on July 3, when he was last produced in Patiala House Court.

Lawyer Sanjeev Sahay, who represents Handa, alleged, “He was beaten up by some inmates and it seems there is a bigger issue involved. We have moved an application raising his security concerns and asked for a separate cell and van for his transportation.”

Metropolitan Magistrate Manisha Tripathi directed jail authorities to file a reply. Deputy Superintendent of Central Jail numbers 8-9 said Handa was only “manhandled and misbehaved with”. There is no reference to any beating in the jail report. The superintendent also said the Major has been told not to come out of his ward without permission.

“Undertrial prisoner Handa was called and heard, where he informed that he was misbehaved with and manhandled by some unknown inmates in the jail van… the accused is lodged in Reception Ward meant for new inmates, and no other inmate from any other ward is permitted to enter… However, in view of his safety and security, he has been asked not to come out of his cell without permission or reason,” said the jail superintendent.

Jail authorities said Handa has been asked to inform jail staff whenever he feels any kind of apprehension inside prison. Stating that the staff has also been briefed to keep vigil for ensuring safe and secure custody, the superintendent responded, “The accused is safe and threat perception inside the jail has been brought to the notice of the jail administration till Friday.” Tihar authorities said a copy of the application has been sent to DCP 3rd Batallion for the Major’s safety, as transportation of inmates comes under them.

Handa was arrested from Meerut after Shailza Dwivedi, wife of Major Amit Dwivedi, was found dead on June 23 near Delhi Cantonment Metro station.

Heavy rain in the area caused the landslide. Tribune photo

Tribune News Service

Manali, June 29

The Manali-Leh National Highway-3 has been blocked due to a massive landslide near Marhi at Chumbak mod, nearly 30 km from here.

Heavy rain in the area for the past 24 hours caused the landslide.

The landslide occured late night on Thursday and came into light by early morning on Friday. The local administration was informed by the commuters at around six in the morning.

Border Roads Organisation (BRO) officer Avril Jain confirmed the landslide and said that the road would be clear soon.

“The road clearing operation has started and would be done soon for the traffic. Machines have been deputed along with the BRO engineering team,” said Jain.

Long queues of vehicles were seen on both sides of the highway as the landslide left more than 2,000 vehicles stranded. The police have been deployed to monitor the traffic situation. With agencies

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A mobile application, available in Android and iOS platforms, that would have the facilities for applying, paying and scheduling appointments for acquiring a passport has also been launched.

mPassport Seva App’ launched for applying & scheduling appointments for acquiring a passport

New Delhi, June 26

External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj on Tuesday launched a new scheme under which a person can apply for a passport from anywhere in India irrespective of the place of stay.The minister also launched a mobile application, available in Android and iOS platforms, that would have the facilities for applying, paying and scheduling appointments for acquiring a passport.Under the new scheme, launched on the occasion of the Sixth Passport Seva Divas, a person can now choose the Regional Passport Office (RPO) and the Passport Seva Kendra (PSK) or Post Office Passport Seva Kendra (POPSK) for submitting the application. The application can be submitted irrespective of whether the person’s present residential address was within the jurisdiction of the selected RPO or not, a Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) statement said.The police verification, if required for a specific passport, would be conducted at the address specified in the application form, it said. The passport will be printed and despatched by the RPO selected for application submission by the applicant to the address specified in the application, the statement said. — PTI