Mathur calls meeting to review situation

Tribune News Service

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Jammu, December 12

A day after the issue of poor arrangements for Ladakh-bound stranded passengers in Kashmir’s Ganderbal district echoed in Parliament, Lt-Governor of Ladakh RK Mathur today called an emergency meeting to review the situation arising out of the Zojila’s closure.

The Lt-Governor also requested the Ministry for Defence and Ministry for Home Affairs to provide immediate sorties of IL-76 aircraft to evacuate the stranded passengers at Sonmarg and Gagangir by air.

“In view of the sudden closure of the Zojila pass by the Divisional Commissioner, Kashmir, the administration of the UT of Ladakh has carried out several measures. Lt-Governor of Ladakh RK Mathur called an emergency meeting of top officials of the UT, which was attended by the Adviser and Commissioner-Secretary, and gave directions to immediately assign a nodal officer from Kargil House in Srinagar to visit Gagangir and Sonmarg to look into the welfare of the stranded passengers of Leh and Kargil,” an official spokesperson said.

The spokesperson added, “The administration of Ladakh UT wrote to the Divisional Commissioner, Kashmir, to revisit the decision of closing the Zojila pass before time and take steps to reopen the road so that stranded passengers can be facilitated and move from both sides of the Zojila.”

“The matter is being closely monitored by the L-G of the Union Territory of Ladakh,” he added.

On December 4, the Defence Ministry had approved the proposal of the Ladakh Rescue Centre to keep the dangerous Srinagar-Kargil road open during the harsh winters by keeping the Zojila pass clear for traffic.

On Wednesday, Ladakh MP in the Lok Sabha had alleged that the Ganderbal administration and police tortured over 300 stranded passengers and sent them back to Srinagar after cane-charge. He had demanded three helicopters for Ladakh during winter season as the region remains cut out from rest of the country due to road blockade.