Chinese army stops water supply for Indians in Ladakh
Sources said that since September 5, 2014, Chinese army is not allowing India to carry on this project and stopping "our labourers to construct the small water supply project".
Amid reports of incursions by China in the Ladakh region of Jammu and Kashmir, its army has once again stopped Indians from using water supply and construction work at T-point in Demchok area, 300 km from Leh.
Earlier, it has been reported that Chinese troops had been preventing the Indian Army from patrolling posts in the Ladakh region.
Official sources have now said that Chinese army and civilians from across the border came near T-point in 25 to 30 army trucks and threatened Indian labourers and contractors to stop a water supply project near a river. Under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA), the Leh district administration is doing some construction work there and lifting drinking water from the river for the civilians while Chinese civilians also use this river for drinking purpose.
Sources said that since September 5, 2014, Chinese army is not allowing India to carry on this project and stopping "our labourers to construct the small water supply project".
"When Indian army came in defence of our civilians, Chinese army left the T-point area. But on Saturday, Chinese civilians and regular army soldiers reached the T-point in the trucks to threaten the labourers and contractors," they said.
Sources said that the Sub-Divisional Magistrate, local contractor and local civilians population stood with banners - "This is Indian area and please do not come to this side as we are working in our territory''.
The SDM told the Chinese nomads that this river was used by both countries for drinking water, but the Chinese did not allow Indian civil administration to carry on the construction work, they said.
The matter has been sent to Army and the state government so that the ministry of external affairs can talk to the Chinese government. Otherwise construction work cannot be carried out after two weeks, with winters starting in the Demchok area.