Sarchu In Himachal Pradesh along the Leh-Manali Highway. (Google Maps screenshot)A 10-year old border row between Jammu And Kashmir (J&K) and Himachal Pradesh (HP) has escalated after cops from J&K’s Kargil established a post at Sarchu, 11 km inside Himachal, Times of India has reported.
The Kargil administration has refused to accept a 1984 demarcation done by the Survey of India which was signed by the deputy commissioners of Leh and Lahaul-Spiti. The administration has claimed that Sarchu comes under their jurisdiction and not Leh’s.
Residents of Lahual in Sarchu were reportedly threatened and asked to leave by people from J&K following which Darcha panchayat pradhan Sonam Dolma lodged a complaint with the Lahaul-Spiti police. Darcha is the last panchayat of Lahaul-Spiti towards Sarchu.
The pradhan has complained that the people residing in seasonal camps and dhaba owners in the area were facing harassment and were asked to leave. The dhaba owners mainly cater to tourists travelling between Ladakh and Manali.
“We are establishing a seasonal check post at Sarchu on 28 May. Our cops will keep an eye on all activities there. We shall not tolerate anything against the law. We have come to know that Kargil is claiming nearly 11km land of Himachal,” Lahaul-Spiti police superintendent Rajesh Dharmani said.
The two states governments are reportedly trying to settle the matter with the Union government being involved in the matter too. The Kargil police, however, is reportedly not cooperating with the administration and the Lahaul-Spiti police.
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