Dehradun, Oct 11 (PTI) Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) General Anil Chauhan on Saturday said being a border state, Uttarakhand is a strategically very sensitive and important state and requires vigilance and caution on the China border.
Addressing a rally of ex-servicemen here, General Chauhan said Uttarakhand shares a 350-km border with China and a 275-km border with Nepal, making the state sensitive and strategically important from a security perspective.
“Uttarakhand’s border with China is very peaceful, and therefore, sometimes we forget that Uttarakhand is a border state,” he said.
We must keep in mind that we have some differences with China regarding the LoC (Line of Control) and the border, and sometimes these become apparent, such as in the Barahoti area. Therefore, we all have to be vigilant and cautious, General Chauhan said.
The CDS appealed to the people of border areas to actively participate in security, stating that border surveillance is not solely the responsibility of the military, but that the vigilance of local people is equally important.
Calling the people living in border areas, especially veterans, as “eyes” the CDS said that if they remain vigilant, the borders will remain even stronger.
General Chauhan also stated that just as cooperative societies in Sikkim, Arunachal Pradesh, and Ladakh supply food to the Army, a similar system will now be implemented in Uttarakhand.
Currently, dairy and animal husbandry products are being procured from cooperative societies, and in the future, fresh rations will also be procured from them, he said.
This will not only ensure smooth supply to the border areas but will also provide economic benefits to the local people, the CDS added. PTI DPT NB
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