Shishir Prashant / New Delhi/ Dehra Dun Feb 17, 2012, 00:27 IST
With China spreading its tentacles in Tibet fearing unrest, the Indian army is moving swiftly to increase its presence in the border state of Uttarakhand and construct 13 new helipads.
The army has thus put up a roadmap to acquire 23,216 acres of more land in the hill state, keeping in view strategic importance of Uttarakhand. State chief secretary Subash Kumar held discussions on Thursday with top army officials. The meeting, held at the secretariat here, also decided to give the army NOCs required for its different projects in the hill state. This will be done within ten days, an official statement said.
The meeting also decided in principle that the land required by army should be made available, and there should be no further delay. In this regard, Kumar asked both the commissioners of Garhwal and Kumaon regions to identify such land on top priority basis. The government should carry a joint survey with field officers of the army, he added.
In the meeting, the defence personnel said the army would construct 13 helipads in the state. Besides, it would take up new projects in areas such as Almora, Banbasa, Dharchula, Dehradun, Dharasu, Charmagaurd, Chhiyalekh, Gunji, Ghatoli, Ghansali, Auli, Haldwani, Pantnagar and Pithoragarh, the statement said.
The army is moving ahead to increase its presence in Uttarakhand at time when China has already increased its presence in Tibet fearing turmoil by supporters of Dalai Lama. The Tibetan administration has already beefed up security measures following a spate of suicides by monks and nuns, demanding the return of the Dalai Lama.
It is not clear why the army needs so much precious land, mostly away from the border, which is already in short supply in the state. At the same time, the National Highways and roads in the hills are in a shambles, for example the vital NH-87. Govt should give priority to maintaining and improving the existing roads, if it is serious about threats from across the border. Helipads won't help if the roads are non-existent. There is also an urgent need for a few airfields in the hills. Pithoragarh had come up after 1962, but then everyone forgot about it and it has been neglected. It can easily be developed as a forward airbase and even as a proper airport. But the mandarins in Dehradun don't have time, money or thought for the hills.
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