Asserts won’t stop approaching Centre till a way out is found to safeguard their interest

Capt Amarinder Singh, Chief Minister, Punjab

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, April 1

With the Punjab Arhtiyas’ Association threatening to boycott the procurement process in the rabi season on the issue of the direct bank transfer (DBT) of payment to farmers, Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh today assured the arhtiyas that the state government was working out all possible options to resolve the issue with the BJP-led NDA government. He also said the government would firmly stand by them.

In a meeting with all stakeholders, the state government has sought five days to end the deadlock. The arhtiyas’ association, led by its president Vijay Kalra, said the future course of action on the issue would be decided at a mahapanchayat of arhtiyas, farm labourers and farmer leaders on April 5 in Moga.

“If our demand is not met, we will boycott the procurement,” Kalra said. A senior government functionary said while the Chief Minister had been trying to seek time from the Prime Minister, state officials were holding talks with the Union Food Ministry.

In today’s meeting, the Chief Minister told arhtiyas that his government would continue to stand by them against the central government’s move to end the established system of making payments to farmers through them. The Chief Minister directed the department concerned to release the pending Rs 131 crore of the arhtiyas.

Capt Amarinder informed the meeting that he had been seeking time from Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who appeared to be busy with election campaigns in various states, on the DBT issue. He said

he and his government would keep writing to the central government and knocking their doors.

He said he had already written to the Prime Minister on March 19, and personally spoken to Union Home Minister Amit Shah, and the latter had assured all help in the matter. He added Food, Civil Supplies and Consumer Affairs Minister Bharat Bhushan Ashu had also met Shah on the issue.

Agents’ mahapanchayat on April 5

• The Punjab Arhtiyas’ Association has said the future course of action on the DBT issue will be decided at a mahapanchayat on April 5 in Moga
• Besides continuance of the existing system of payment to farmers, the arhtiyas are demanding clearance of all dues from the Food Corporation of India
• They have also opposed linking of land records with farmers’ produce being brought to the mandi, saying there’s no provision in the APMC Act for the linkage

Wing Commander Padmanabha Gautam (encircled), the Commanding Officer of 16 Squadron during the 1971 war, made it a point to engage with all his aircrew on issues such as courage, bravery and fear. Everyone in the Black Cobras knew who would be the one to fly the riskiest missions and that leadership under fire would never be an issue. Photos courtesy: The writer

Air Vice Marshal
Arjun Subramaniam (Retd)

The Canberra fleet of the Indian Air Force is a proud one. Its contribution in the bombing role in Congo, the two India-Pakistan wars of 1965 and 1971, and in the recce roles in 1962 and Kargil is outstanding by any yardstick. We celebrate the accomplishments of one of the two IAF Canberra pilots who are recipients of the Maha Vir Chakra twice over, Wing Commander Padmanabha Gautam, the Commanding Officer of 16 Squadron during the 1971 conflict. (Wing Commander JM Nath is the other).

Gautam took over command of 16 Squadron, also known as the Black Cobras, in November 1969. He had just returned from Iraq after a welcome instructional assignment that had followed a hectic six years of flying and achievement. He was also part of the IAF Canberra contingent in Congo in the early 1960s. As the CO of the Joint Bomber Conversion Unit (JBCU), a Canberra squadron in 1965, he was awarded his first Maha Vir Chakra for the several risky missions that he flew as a pathfinder to hit targets at the extremities of the Canberra’s radius of action such as Peshawar. Not satisfied with that, he executed a near dead-stick landing in Iraq on a MiG-17, for which he was commended by both the Iraqi government and the IAF. Air Marshal Vir Narain, one of the pioneer navigators from the Canberra fleet and several years senior to Gautam, remembers him as a confident, cocky and very competent young pilot.

Two navigators from the squadron, Wing Commanders Dutta and Ranganathan, had a ringside view of Gautam’s tenure as Commanding Officer from two different perspectives. While the former, now in his late eighties, was a Squadron Leader and a few years junior to Gautam and was his navigation leader in the squadron, the latter was a Flying Officer with three years of service and still talks about his former CO with awe. Training and bonding for over two years under Gautam made the Black Cobras a formidable unit as war clouds loomed on the horizon in mid-1971. Gautam was an addicted flyer, according to both Dutta and Ranganathan, and wanted to be in a cockpit whenever the opportunity presented itself. Based in Gorakhpur, Dutta recollects that though 16 Squadron was primarily assigned with roles in the eastern theatre of operations, Gautam’s experience in the western sector in 1965 prompted Air HQ to assign the squadron with several missions in the west too.

Reflecting the systematic approach to training and preparing for war that had permeated through several squadrons of the IAF in the build-up to December 1971, Gautam created pilot-navigator teams that commenced training as early as March 1971. Choosing abandoned WW-II airfields in Uttar Pradesh, Bihar and West Bengal as simulated targets, the squadron perfected the art of low-level ingress at night into hostile territory at 500 feet, popping up to 7,000 feet for weapon delivery, which comprised 8X1000 lb bombs, and then diving down to 300-500 feet for the perilous return leg home. Being the senior-most among the commanding officers of the three Canberra squadrons, Gautam was often called to Allahabad, the HQ of Central Air Command, where all mission planning was done.

Remembering his former CO as a fun-loving family man with a great sense of humour and a love for music who wore his accomplishments lightly on his shoulders and drove around in his Mercedes Benz, Ranganathan recollects that from early November 1971 onwards, Gautam made it a point to engage with all his aircrew on issues such as courage, bravery and fear. Everyone in the Black Cobras knew who would be the one to fly the riskiest missions and that leadership under fire would never be an issue.

Dutta recollects that Gautam and he were an inseparable pilot-navigator pair as they initially undertook night bombing missions in the western sector over Mianwali airfield and the Raiwind railway marshalling yard near Lahore. Three-four aircraft would get airborne from Gorakhpur, land at Ambala to refuel and arm before striking targets and returning to Gorakhpur in the wee hours of the morning. All the missions faced a hostile reception over the target area as the sky would be invariably lit up with ack-ack fire, and it was a combination of skill and luck that the squadron suffered no losses in the western sector. Shifting focus to the east once the IAF had achieved air superiority, 16 Squadron commenced its attacks on targets in Chittagong, Khulna and the military cantonment on the outskirts of Dacca. The squadron got hit on the last day of the war when they lost the effervescent Flight Lieutenant Brian Wilson and his navigator Flight Lieutenant Mehta over Dacca in a day raid over Kurmitola.

Gautam and Dutta flew together on six long-distance and long-duration missions as the squadron clocked almost 70 operational missions during the war. Dutta particularly remembers a night mission to Mianwali where they dropped jelly-filled spike bombs that were innovative runway denial weapons. It was later confirmed by one of the Bengali pilots of the PAF based at Mianwali, who escaped to India via Afghanistan, that a PAF F-86 Sabre was destroyed while trying to scramble without realising that there was jelly and spikes on the runway. Dutta was awarded a Vir Chakra for being an ideal foil to Gautam, who himself was awarded a Bar to the Maha Vir Chakra for his inspirational leadership of the squadron and personal exploits of sustained courage and flying skill in war.

Moving to Pune as the Chief Operations Officer (OC Flying in those days) on promotion to Group Captain, Gautam flew both the MiG-21 and the Canberra there. Unfortunately, he perished in a MiG-21 crash on November 25, 1972, after his aircraft flamed out after take-off. A school located close to the Air Force station still commemorates that day with a silent prayer in remembrance of Gautam, as he is believed to have steered the stricken MiG-21 away from the school where it was directly headed for impact. In the process, he lost critical seconds that would have facilitated an ejection. Gautam’s courage and selflessness had followed him from the war zone and he will remain an inspiration for future generations of the IAF.

This technology reduces the weight of the medium-sized BPJ from 10.4 kg to nine kg

Photo for representation only. Source: iStock.

Bengaluru, April 1

The Defence Materials and Stores Research and Development Establishment (DMSRDE), Kanpur has developed Light Weight Bullet Proof Jacket (BPJ) weighing nine kg, meeting the qualitative requirements of Indian Army, the Defence Research and Development Organisation said (DRDO) on Thursday.

The Front Hard Armour Panel (FHAP) jacket was tested at Terminal Ballistics Research Laboratory (TBRL), Chandigarh and met relevant BIS standards, it said in a statement.

According to the DRDO, the importance of this vital development lies in the fact that each gram of BPJ weight reduction is crucial in enhancing soldier comfort while ensuring survivability.

This technology reduces the weight of the medium-sized BPJ from 10.4 kg to nine kg.

Very specific materials and processing technologies have been developed in the laboratories for the purpose.

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh congratulated DRDO scientists and the industry for developing the light weight BPJ to make the soldiers more comfortable.

The DRDO Chairman, Dr G Satheesh Reddy congratulated the DMSRDE team for the development. — PT

SS Chahal

AGRICULTURE is the engine of economic growth in our country. However, the annual growth rate of agriculture and allied sectors has shown big fluctuations with declining trends during the post-Green Revolution period. The growth rate in real terms was 2.88 per cent from 2014-15 to 2018-19, according to the Economic Survey Report 2020. Studies have revealed that stagnant investment is one of the major factors for the decline, besides the slowdown of irrigation expansion, downscaling of production due to farm fragmentation and soil degradation due to improper use of chemical fertilisers. An analysis of data reveals continuing deceleration in public investment both at the national and state levels after the 1980s ‘in’ agriculture (land development, irrigation, markets etc.) as well as ‘for’ agriculture (roads, power, transport etc.), because of which there is no desirable improvement in the structural support system. Public investment, which has declined over the years, is mostly consumed for subsidies, fertilisers, irrigation, electricity, credit etc., whereas private investment made by farmers is adversely impacted by heavy indebtedness.

The share of public investment in the Gross Capital Formation (GCF) has dipped to an extremely low level. As per figures given by the Union government, the GCF in agriculture and allied sectors at the current prices for 2016-17 was estimated at Rs 64,410 crore and Rs 2,79,066 crore from public and private investments, respectively. Any increase in public investment is beyond expectations with the 7.71 per cent cut for agri-schemes in the Union Budget 2021-22. To put agri-growth in the rapid mode, there is an acute need to improve infrastructure, including transportation and storage facilities, cold storage capacity in proximity to farms, warehouses and adequate processing, marketing and export facilities, the lack of which is causing huge wastage and losses to the public exchequer as well as the farmers. A study in 2016 estimated that about 67 million tonnes of food worth Rs 92,651 crore was lost annually in farm produce wastage.

To build infrastructure for curbing such losses and achieving the target of 10.4 per cent income growth rate in farming over a period from 2016-17 to 2022-23 (with 2015-16 as the base year), the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare aims at an annual investment growth rate of 12.5 per cent ‘in’ agriculture and 16.8 per cent ‘for’ agriculture. While expecting a substantial increase in private investment by farmers, attracting corporate investment, which is currently around 2 per cent of the overall investment, is a huge challenge. A growing need has been felt for corporate investment in food processing, building warehouses, scientific storage and cold storage in addition to the farm mechanisation sector, the seed sector and the horticulture and food processing sector. Further, it is prudent to develop models defining capability-based activities for qualitative improvement and sustainable flow of corporate investment.

Direct contact

It is with such considerations that contract farming (CF) is promoted to involve corporate agri-business entities, bringing them directly in contact with the primary producers as well as linking farmers with the market. The CF system basically involves a pre-determined price, quality, quantity and defined acreage at a time for production and commitment for the supply of agricultural produce to the known buyer under the contract which may be total, partial or for procurement only. The system got established in the country with the advent of new seeds and production of their certified versions since the 1960s. Further, it has been pushed by growth in the international trade demanding high quality, supermarket chains, demand for organic food, drying up of state funding, the agrarian crisis and support from the industry and the banking sector. Public as well as private sector banks leveraged their interest and promoted financing for CF by formulating special policies, setting up of agricultural credit, offering quick loans, reducing interest rates, increasing direct agriculture lending portfolios and tying up for end-to-end financing through tripartite agreements between farmers, banks and the industry.

Seen as an alternative to private and corporate farming, CF lowers transactional costs for both the contracting parties because many transactions become internalised. Farmers get access to new technologies and inputs and contracting agencies get assured supply of raw material. A few of the several examples of successful models include the poultry sector, the production of certified seeds of field crops and cultivation of potato, barley and sugarcane. Evidence is available for increased productivity/production, better incomes and employment through contracting, but it requires sustainability.

FPOs the best bet

The system suffers from bottlenecks because of which it has not attained popularity so far. Evaluating quality and grading of produce is a critical matter and often exploited for rejection or reducing the price by the contracting companies. An inbuilt provision of settlement by a state coordinator or arbitrator should help resolve such cases to the satisfaction of the parties. Small farmers are in an unfavourable position because of their limited ability to deal with big companies. In this context, the Thailand model to facilitate groups of small farmers for collectively entering into contracts has proved useful. However, the best course is that small farmers should enter into CF by forming New Generation Cooperatives commonly known as Farmer Producer Organisations (FPOs). That will enhance access to a variety of resources, effectively maintaining quality standards, better application of scientific farming techniques and increase in bargaining power and capacity to pursue litigation collectively. The Centre has set a target of supporting 10,000 more FPOs in the next financial year. Some problems faced by the growers include delayed deliveries at the factory, unforeseen pest attacks raising the cost of cultivation, no legal protection for often verbal and informal contracts, monopsony and lack of strict enforceability of contractual provisions. Delayed payments are of frequent occurrence.

Making payments within the stipulated time frame has been addressed in Clause 6(3) of the new law, the Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement on Prices Assurance and Farm Services Act, 2020. However, restricting dispute settlement rights up to the district-level bureaucratic set-up and barring normal judicial course in the same Act (Clause 19) have not gone down well with the farmers and need reconsideration. There is visible fear among the peasantry that CF may lead to greater direct entry by corporate entities in agriculture and that would result in dispossession of their land. It is important to dispel this fear for spurring this potentially transformational system of farming.

The author is former VC, Maharana Pratap University of Agriculture and Technology, Udaipur

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In Rajasthan’s Hanumangarh too, farmers “gheraoed and protested against Pilibangan MLA Dharmendra Singh at Dabli toll plaza”

Farmers gather at a site of a protest against the newly passed farm bills at Singhu border near Delhi. — PTI

New Delhi, April 1

The Samyukt Kisan Morcha on Thursday appealed to the BJP MPs and its allies to extend their support to the farmers’ movement.

The SKM also noted that they would continue their “peaceful social boycott” of leaders of the BJP and its allies.

“We request the BJP MPs and its allies and other elected representatives to support the farmers’ movement. The SKM appeals to these leaders that they can support the movement in any form, including resignation from their posts,” according to a statement released by the SKM. 

It claimed that Haryana Deputy Chief Minister Dushyant Chautala was met with “fierce opposition” by the farmers during his visit to Hisar on Thursday.

“Farmers did not let the helicopter of the anti-farmer Dushyant Chautala take off,” the statement claimed.

Chautala, whose Jannayak Janata Party (JJP) is the coalition partner of the ruling BJP in Haryana, has faced repeated protests from farmers over the past few months for supporting the agricultural laws.

In Rajasthan’s Hanumangarh too, farmers “gheraoed and protested against Pilibangan MLA Dharmendra Singh at Dabli toll plaza”.https://56e4f9593599bf3d2cd442efab68c66f.safeframe.googlesyndication.com/safeframe/1-0-38/html/container.html

“At the time of the vote, they (leaders) become very friendly to the farmers and other people, but today when the farmers are struggling, he (Singh) is standing against them,” the statement said.

The Centre has said the new farm laws will benefit farmers by freeing them from the clutches of middlemen and ushering in new technology in the sector.

Lt Col Dilbag Singh Dabas (Retd)

Commander Babru Bhan Yadav was the first recipient of Maha Vir Chakra in the Indian Navy. Affectionately known to all in his village simply as Babru, he was born in a military family of Bharawas village in Gurgaon district of then undivided Punjab. Bharawas now forms part of Rewari district of Haryana. Demographically, the villages in Rewari and Mahendergarh, and some in Gurugram district, are mostly inhabited by Ahirs, and the region is commonly referred to as Ahirwal. Its inhabitants are known not just for their simplicity and hard work, but also for the gallantry of its men in the armed forces from World War I to date.

The water-starved Ahirwal belt, for subsistence, was mostly dependent on remittances from their wards fighting someone else’s war overseas or overland, or India’s wars back home. It could not compete with the rain gods for more water, but the young Ahirs in armed forces ably compensated, many a time at the highest cost.

Babru grew up listening to stories of valour from his father Maj Bhagwan Singh, the Order of British Empire (OBE) awardee during World War I. After graduation from St Stephen’s College, Delhi, he was selected as Direct Entry Graduate in the Royal Navy. After four years of training at the Royal Navy College, Dartmouth, and one year as Midshipman onboard HMS Devonshire, Babru was commissioned into the Indian Navy on January 1, 1951.

Quick at uptake and ever exuberant, Babru was soon learning the nuances of sea warfare. His brilliant aptitude for all matters marine did not go unnoticed by his superiors. With just four years into service, he was nominated to attend the Anti-Submarine Warfare course in the United Kingdom in 1955; a specialised course done mostly on frontline ships. As Commander (equivalent to Lieutenant Colonel in the Army), Babru Bhan had a one-year challenging tenure on missile boats in USSR.

During the 1965 India-Pakistan war, the navies of both the countries, apparently, were restrained from playing a major role. Perhaps both the countries wanted to restrict the scope of the war. But a lot changed in the next five years. By the middle of 1971, the war clouds had started gathering intermittently. To counter any reckless misadventure by Pakistan, offensive plans had been prepared and war-gamed. The Indian Navy’s plan was to strike Karachi with a composite force on the very day that Pakistan carried out its first act of war. And the reckless misadventure by Pakistan happened in Indian skies when its Air Force attacked the Indian forward airfields at about 5.30 pm on December 3. Since it was not possible for the Indian naval forces to arrive at a point 150 miles from Karachi to commence the run-in the same evening, it was decided to launch operations the following day, on the night of December 4/5.

Commander Babru Bhan Yadav was considered most suitable to command a frigate for the assault on Karachi harbour and on December 2 had been given the command of K-25 Squadron, composed of three missile boats’ task force — INS Veer, INS Nipat and INS Nirghat. Just two days later, Pakistan’s Karachi harbour would be witness to the onslaught and fury of this Killer Squadron.

For his conspicuous act of bravery against all possible odds, Commander Babru Bhan Yadav was awarded Maha Vir Chakra. The write-up on the gallantry reads:

“On the night of December 4, 1971, Commander Babru Bhan Yadav, as Squadron Commander of three missile boats’ task force, was ordered to carry out an offensive sweep on the enemy coast of Karachi. Karachi harbour, being strategically important, was heavily guarded by the enemy. With a narrow mouth covered by formidable coastal defence, the harbour seemed impregnable. Notwithstanding the threat of the enemy surface and submarine attack, Commander Babru Bhan, onboard INS Nirghat, led his squadron deep into enemy waters and encountered two groups of large enemy warships. Despite heavy fire from the enemy destroyers and at great risk to his personal safety and of his personnel, Commander Babru Bhan fearlessly led his squadron towards the enemy in a swift and determined attack.

In that daring Indian marine assault, two enemy destroyers namely PNS Khyber and Shah Jahan and one minesweeper PNS Mahafiz were sunk. After completion of the mission assigned to his task force, and before sailing back to Bombay, Commander Babru Bhan bombarded Karachi harbour and set its oil installation ablaze and fearlessly sailed back, leaving the harbour in flames. The attack by the intrepid task force into the lion’s den, fearlessly led by Commander Babru Bhan, was acknowledged as a resounding success even by the Pakistan Navy.

The K-25 Squadron, commonly referred to as Killer Squadron, annihilated the Karachi harbour with a fleet of just three missile boats’ task force. While the three missile boats of K-25 speedily sailed back, a Pakistan Navy’s Jaguar fast patrol boat which tried to follow the withdrawing Indian force was picked up by a Pakistani aircraft and sunk, in the belief that it was an Indian boat. An announcement was made on the spot by Radio Pakistan awarding the highest gallantry award to the pilot. Not to be left behind, even AIR announced the loss of one boat (apparently INS Nirghat with Babru on board) and posthumous award of Maha Vir Chakra to Commander Babru Bhan Yadav. However, there was tremendous rejoicing when Babru, with his characteristic humility, turned up at the advance base without even a minor scratch on his 6-foot-plus frame.

Commander Babru Bhan Yadav, MVC, retired as Commodore (equivalent to Brigadier). Babru never married. Even after retirement, he remained wedded to his first and only love — the Indian Navy.

The first successful assault on Karachi harbour produced not one but two Maha Virs, the other being Commander Gopal Rao. For displaying conspicuous gallantry and outstanding leadership in the best traditions of the Navy, Commander Kasargod Patnashetti Gopal Rao, commanding two Arnala-class anti-submarine corvettes namely INS Kiltan and INS Katchal, was awarded the Maha Vir Chakra.

The daring assault on Karachi harbour resulted in sinking of Pakistan’s two destroyers and one minesweeper. How many Pakistani sailors met their watery grave is not known but the Indian Navy lost 178 sailors and 18 officers, along with their Captain on the fateful evening four days later.

The biggest setback to the Indian Navy patrolling the Arabian Sea happened when INS Khukri, an anti-submarine warfare frigate, was torpedoed by PNS Hangor, a Pakistani submarine it had been hunting for. The Khukri sank within minutes when nearly 200 officers and men were still trapped below decks. The time was 8.45 pm on December 9.

Captain Mahendra Nath Mulla, the Captain of Khukri, remained on the bridge and kept shouting at the wavering crew: “Pani mein jao, jahaz par nahi bachoge. Life-raft mil jayega! Jao! Jao!’(Get into the water. You won’t survive on the ship. You’ll get the life raft. Go!).” Captain Mulla could have saved himself, but the deeply empathetic sailor with deep-rooted naval ethos had already made up his mind. The Khukri disappeared beneath the Arabian Sea within three to four minutes of having been hit, with its Captain still on the bridge. Captain Mulla was last seen going down with the ship saving his shipmates.

For his outstanding courage and determination and supreme sacrifice in the best traditions of the Navy, Captain Mahendra Nath Mulla was posthumously awarded the Maha Vir Chakra.

The protesting farmers celebrated Holi at the borders

New Delhi, March 28

Farmers camping at Delhi borders on Sunday burnt copies of the Centre’s new farm laws they have been protesting against during ‘Holika Dahan’, the Samyukta Kisan Morcha said.

The protesting farmers celebrated Holi at the borders and maintained that their agitation will continue till the farm laws are repealed and a separate law on minimum support price is enacted, it said in a statement.

The Samyukta Kisan Morcha (SKM), a joint front of farmer unions, also said that it will observe “FCI Bachao Diwas” on April 5, adding that offices of the Food Corporation of India (FCI) will be gheraoed from 11 am to 5 pm across the country. “The government has made several attempts to end the minimum support price (MSP) and public distribution system (PDS) indirectly. The FCI’s budget has also been reduced over the last few years. Recently, the FCI also changed the rules for procurement of crops,” the statement said.

 The SKM also condemned the passage of the Haryana Recovery of Damages to Property during Disturbance to Public Order Bill, 2021 by the Haryana Assembly, saying it aims to suppress agitations.

“It contains dangerous provisions that would surely prove fatal to democracy,” the body added. — PTI

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The Centre had asked BRO to restore the highway early this year

The first convoy of the IOC being flagged off at Sarchu for Leh. Tribune photo

Tribune News Service

Mandi, March 28

The BRO has restored 425-km Manali-Leh highway for vehicular traffic, which will provide access to military and common civilians from the Manali side in Himachal Pradesh to Leh in the union territory of Ladakh.

The first convoy of IOC bowsers was flagged off from the Himachal side by Stanzin Chosphel, Executive Councillor, Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Council (LAHDC), today in the presence of BRO officials to announce the opening of this highway.

The strategically important Manali–Leh highway remains closed for about six months every winter and Ladakh remains cut off from rest of the country which makes the region dependent on supplies through the aerial route.

Due to the ongoing border issue with China in Ladakh, the Union government had this year asked the BRO to restore this highway earlier as soon as possible.

As a result, the BRO had started snow clearance operation on the road stretch between Manali and Leh in mid-February with a strategy to simultaneously commence snow clearance on four important passes along the route — Baralach La (16,047 ft), Nakeela (16,170 ft), Lachung La (16,616 ft) and Tanglang La (17,582 ft).

These passes receive 20 to 30 feet high heavy snowfall every year, which keeps the highway blocked for traffic movement for months.

BRO sources said the latest hi-tech machinery was swiftly inducted for clearing snow. BRO teams worked relentlessly day and night to provide early connectivity to Leh. The dynamics were different this year with the inauguration of Atal Tunnel as there was no necessity of opening the Rohtang Pass. This enabled complete focus on opening of Baralacha La with additional resources to restore connectivity at the earliest.

The opening of Baralacha La involved a two-pronged. The work started simultaneously from two sides — from Patsio to Baralach La and from Sarchu to Baralacha La.

After the restoration of the Manali-Leh highway, the people of Lahaul and Ladakh have conveyed their gratitude to Lt Gen Rajeev Chaudhary, VSM, DGBR, and applauded the tremendous efforts put in by BRO to restore this highway in time.