Chinese intrusion: Dhumal writes to Manmohan Singh

Shimla, March 25 (IANS) Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Prem Kumar Dhumal Sunday wrote to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh expressing concern over repeated Chinese incursions into Indian territory.

'Long-range missiles on Tibetan soil are a constant threat. Of late, a large number of Chinese troops have been spotted in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK),' he said.

Dhumal said the state assembly March 22 also expressed concern over it.

'Chinese soldiers had forced the stoppage of road construction in the Ladakh region of Jammu and Kashmir. China disputes the sovereign integrity of India by protesting against your visit to the state of Arunachal Pradesh which is a matter of concern.'

He said China has commissioned an ultra modern airfield apart from a state-of-the-art railways network which could not be taken lightly.

Dhumal urged the prime minister for construction of the Bhanupalli-Bilaspur-Manali-Leh rail link at the earliest and also a strategic world-class airfield on the Indian side of the international border in Himachal Pradesh.

'Steps should be taken for securing the national interest in view of the enhanced Chinese threats besides construction of world-class roads and bridges in the border areas,' he said.

The issue of Chinese helicopters being spotted at Kaurik, close to the international border in the Spiti Valley in the hill state, March 16 was raised in the assembly.

It was raised by legislator Ram Lal Markandey, who, citing media reports, said the helicopters were spotted by the Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP).

Markandey, quoting media reports, said the latest intrusion at Kaurik, some 330 km from state capital Shimla, was the second of its kind in four months.