Govt to open Leh chapter of China Study Group following Chinese incursions

The Government is likely to accept the opening of a Leh chapter of China Study Group (CSG) to study the frequent complaints of incursions by the People's Liberation Army along the Sino-Indian Line of Actual Control.
     
The issue figured at a high-level meeting recently in Jammu which was attended by defence minister AK Antony and Army Chief General Deepak Kapoor, who tried to downplay the reports of Chinese incursions. However, Gen Kapoor was said to have been confronted by the state officials, who claimed that the land with India along the LAC had shrunk.
     
It was later decided that the Chinese Study Group would be asked to go into the issue of border dispute, official sources said. CSG is a government body in which cabinet secretary and secretaries of Home, external affairs, Defence and representatives of the Army are members. The group's suggestions are recommendatory in nature for the government.

This comes in the wake of a meeting chaired by deputy commissioner (Leh) which was attended among others by representatives of the Army -- Brig Sarat Chand and Col Inderjit Singh -- and representatives of Home Ministry where it was agreed to set up a regional forum of CSG at Leh keeping in view the long LAC with China.
     
"It was expected from all agencies (at the meeting) to take up the matter through their channels to request the Government to create this forum at Leh," an official report said.

During the meeting, which was chaired by the Deputy Commissioner (Leh) AK Sahu, various issues were discussed threadbare and it was identified that there was a "lack of institutional memory in various agencies as well as clear policy on this issue which in long run has resulted in loss of territory by India to China."
     
The deputy commissioner made it clear at the meeting that the Army "was not supportive" when Indian Rebos (nomads) had
approached them last year when Chinese had objected to their presence in the pastures of Dokbug.
     
It was agreed that a Committee of representatives of all agencies should work together to decide an area of self-imposed restriction in Dokbug "which is clearly in our territory and should be firm to make that area out of bond for Chinese and give free movement to our Rebos".

During the meeting, which was also attended by the representatives of Ministry of Home Affairs, it was also decided that whenever Chinese Rebos and cattle come in Indian area, they should be pushed back by the security agencies and the civil administration should send a formal assessment of loss of pasture and in turn Army will take up the matter with China during flag meetings.

Army also suggested preparing an "action plan" ready to counter any of the Chinese "offensive" in the Ladakh region similar to last year when they had smashed tents of nomads in Nyoma district, southeast of Leh in Jammu and Kashmir.

The suggestion was made by Brigadier General Staff of 14 Corps Brigadier Sarat Chand during a high-level meeting called to discuss the disputes with the China along the Indus river.

According to the report, Brig Chand "expressed apprehensions regarding PLA's offensive action in the backdrop of last year's incident and suggested to be ready with action plan in case of any untoward incidence".

n December 2008 and early January 2009, Chinese troops had entered into Dokbug area and smashed the tents of "Rebos" and walked away with their fodder meant for cattle which are taken to that place.
     
The official from a para-military force, which mans the border with China in this region, agreed with the suggestions made by Brig Chand and said his force was fully prepared to "meet any eventuality and any malicious designs of China or their Rebos to grab Dokbug pasture land".