GSI report shows intrusion by J&K police in Lahaul-Spiti

Jammu and Kashmir police had intruded 14 km inside Himachal Pradesh, near Sarchu pass in the tribal district of Lahaul and Spiti, the Geological Survey of India (GSI), which is working on demarcation of border between the two states, has found.

"The survey conducted by the GSI team has indicated that Jammu and Kashmir police had intruded 14 km inside Himachal Pradesh, near Sarchu pass, and set up a post in 2014," Deputy Commissioner (DC), Lahaul and Spiti Vivek Bhatia said on Thursday.

"There is another boundary issue with the neighbouring state near Shinkula pass and the team is carrying out the process to ascertain the boundary to resolve the issue permanently," he added.

DC, Kargil, Ladakh and DC, Lahaul and Spiti had accompanied the GSI team, led by Major General RP Sen, during its visit. The report of the team would be submitted to National Commission for Scheduled Tribe (NCST) at New Delhi.

NCST Vice Chairman Ravi Thakur informed that GSI was directed to carry out the demarcation process and it would submit its report within 10 days following which, the final decision would be taken.

Thakur, who is also the Lahaul and Spiti MLA, said that according to a direction of the Supreme Court, the GSI report would be considered final in the matter.

The dispute surfaced in July, 2014 when Jammu and Kashmir police set up its post at Sarchu for Tibetan spiritual leader, the Dalai Lama's 'Kaal Chakra' initiation in Ladakh.