Ladakh again disputes Himachal’s claims over Sarchu

Ladakh placed pre-Independence revenue records to stake claim over disputed boundary at Sarchu and Sumdoh in Lahaul and Spiti. Himachal too placed old records to claim shepherds have grazing rights in Shinkula

Even as Himachal Pradesh has stepped up efforts to resolve the long-standing interstate dispute with its bordering states, its neighbour, Ladakh, has raised fresh rows claiming grazing rights over the pastures in Shinkula.

Even as Himachal Pradesh has stepped up efforts to resolve the long-standing interstate dispute with its bordering states, its neighbour, Ladakh, has raised fresh rows claiming grazing rights over the pastures in Shinkula. Ladakh placed pre-Independence revenue records to stake claim over disputed boundary at Sarchu and Sumdoh in Lahaul and Spiti. (HT File Photo/ Representational image)

The ministry of home affairs held a meeting on January 5 to resolve the border dispute between Himachal Pradesh and the union territory of Ladakh. The border dispute between the erstwhile at Sarchu between Lahaul-Spiti and Leh, then a part of erstwhile Jammu and Kashmir, erupted in 2013 when people from Leh set up temporary sheds at Sarchu with a commercial purpose. Sarchu, 13 km inside Himachal, is the last station of Lahaul-Spiti district on the Manali-Leh highway which attracts a large number of tourists.

Ladakh placed pre-Independence revenue records to stake its claim over the disputed boundary at Sarchu and Sumdoh in tribal Lahaul and Spiti district. Himachal too placed old records to claim that the local shepherds have grazing rights in Shinkula.

“Now both sides have agreed for demarcation in the summer months. It’s the time when tourists rush to the tribal regions,” he said.

The stand of HP throughout this dispute has been that the boundary be demarcated according to the relevant maps prepared by the office of the Survey General of India.

After the dispute in 2013, deputy commissioner, Lahaul and Spiti, and deputy commissioner, Leh, carried out a joint spot visit during which the Himachal authorities presented revenue records and indexed sheets of Survey of India as evidence to buttress their claim on the territory. The records presented revealed that the boundary was 12-13 km ahead of the disputed point and both sides agreed on a demarcation.

The district administration of Leh suggested that they will present relevant forest and revenue records later to press forth their claim, but no tangible evidence was given by them. There is also an unfinished gate structure at the site of the inter-state boundary along the highway. This location is also reflected in the Survey of India maps.

The boundary dispute issue was further agitated before the National Commission for Scheduled Tribes by Tanzin Sonam, councillor Lugnak block, LAHDC, Kargil. The NCST convened meetings in 2015 and 2016. The NCST gave direction that demarcation to be done by the Survey of India at the spot. The meeting was also attended by the joint secretary, ministry of home affairs, who directed the Surveyor General of India to demarcate the border as per Survey of India’s maps.

In 2016, a team of the Surveyor General of India visited the disputed border in the presence in presence of high officials from both sides.

Survey of India substantiated Himachal’s claim on the territory still no solution to the issue was found as the officials representing the then Jammu and Kashmir government rejected the validity of the maps presented by officials of Surveyor General of India.