CM flags off ITBP expedition to Mt Leo Pargil

Tribune News Service

Advertisement

Shimla, August 29

All possible assistance will be provided to the armed forces. Their requests for strengthening rail, road and air infrastructure in the border areas of the state will be considered on priority in the larger interest of the country.

This was stated by Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh after he flagged off the Northern Frontier Mountaineering Expedition of the Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) to Mount Leo Pargil in Tara Devi today.

“If the Army wants to have an airfield near the Indo-Tibet border somewhere in the Spiti valley, we will provide them all possible assistance,” he said.

“Earlier, our government had raised this issue with the Union Government time and again and also that of the Bilaspur-Bhanupalli-Bilaspur-Leh rail line,” he added.

“As of now, the General Reserve Engineer Force under the Border Roads Organisation is maintaining border roads. As Himachal has a hilly terrain, it becomes difficult to undertake development projects,” he said.

Lauding the efforts of ITBP jawans, the Chief Minister said he was happy that the team under the leadership of Sidharth Kumar and his deputy Anoop Kumar Negi also comprised of people who had scaled the Mount Everest.

Earlier, Inspector General, ITBP, HS Goraya spoke about various activities of the ITBP and its contribution to the state in terms of development.

Speaking to mediapersons on the sidelines of the function, the Chief Minister said lifting of curfew in Kashmir was a good gesture on the part of the Jammu and Kashmir Government and “aman, shanti and ekta” would soon prevail in the Valley.

Referring to the safety of water tanks, he said fencing would be done on all sides of water tanks and they would be kept under locks. He said efforts would be made to install CCTV cameras at such places to ensure that what happened in Yug case was not repeated. “It was a criminal negligence on the part of the Municipal Corporation,” he added.