This is not a first hand account. Rather I’ve heard it from different sources. The local MLA (member of legislative assembly) from Jubbal-Kotkhai, Narendra Baragta, recently, at a public rally to appease the common man, announced – “Yeh jo Ching-Ming hai na, jo apne desh mein bade bante hain, yahaan dekho hamaare liye sadak bana rahe hain. Dhumaal (PK Dhumal, Chief Minister of Himachal Pradesh) sahab ne unhe yahaan par sadak banane lagaa diya hai. Dekho Dhumal sahab kya kar sakte hain…” Not surprising, that there was a loud cheer from the crowd.
The tender for conversion of the state highway from Theog-Kotkhai-Hatkoti-Rohru into double lane was won by a Chinese company, (Long Jian Road & Bridge Ltd) last year. The company’s quotations were the lowest and armed with the latest technology, the work is in progress and as promised by it, the widening should be on schedule – in three years.
I’ll come to the dog issue later on. However, the first issue is of awarding the contract to a Chinese company. China border is not far off. There have been incidents in the past when Chinese spies have been arrested in Rohru-Jubbal-Kotkhai area.
The road widening work gives free access to the Chinese engineers into the area. What’s worrying is that Long Jian Road & Bridge Ltd, is a state-owned Chinese company. The company has detailed maps with it and free mobility to its engineers. Even though maps too can be sought today through Google Maps, but the Himachal government has personally handed over maps to the Chinamen. There is a great possibility of Chinese spies roaming openly. They simply have to flaunt the company’s I-Card and hence there’s no questioning.
Security issues have really been thrown to the wind. In fact it seems that Himachal is not really prepared for any untoward incidents and takes things lightly. The latest issue of ragging in the Tanda medical college is one just example, where the government has turned a blind eye to security and laws, in spite of having an Ordinance in 2001, which was let be, to be never passed as a Bill.
Allowing free access to Chinamen in the region – is it complacency on the Himachal government’s part or mere overlooking? How is the Himachal government keeping a check on the China company’s employees and making sure they do not involve in espionage
Or does the Himachal government feel that China and India are friendly neighbours like Nepal and India? Anyway the issue has to be addressed well, and be raised at the national level. What’s surprising is the silence of the opposition in the state.
Another issue, I intend to raise here is the possibility of extinction of dogs in the area. I’ve learnt from laymen that the Chinese engineers in the area (Theog, Chhailla and Kotkhai) enjoy their dinner with dog meat. It’s no secret that Chinese love dog-meat. In fact there are legal dog-meat shops in the North East of India. But these Chinese men target stray dogs. As the stray dogs dwindle out in numbers, in the area, the Chinese men send out their juniors to buy domesticated dogs. A black dog (for whatever reasons) is high on demand and gets high quotations of prices.
Also, it’s very possible that these Chinese men will lure young girls too (marriage or outside marriage) and soon we could see Chinese looking children openly roaming in the area. There is a joke around that like in Punjab, where the husband is away in Canada and the wife is lonely back home in Punjab. Local labour was hard to get, hence Bihari labour was welcome. Now, you can guess why many children had names like Ram Khilawan Randhawa. In Upper Shimla area, surnames have ‘ta’ in the end like our respected local MLA – Bargata, and our home-bred actress Preity Zinta. Soon, should we expect names like Yang Ming Kararta, Su Chin Tararta? (Note: I have no knowledge of families having surnames – Kararta and Tararta. These surnames are fictitious and are here only for representative purpose and I mean no offense to any family, which in the unlikely circumstances has the surnames – Tararta or Kararta).
Will the Himachal government please look in to the issue? Are there any NGOs who could take up the issue of security and the animal rights?
Very interesting! But shouldn’t there be some regulation on foreign companies being given contracts by state governments? We know how incompetent they are anyway…
Good that someone did bring up the current widening of the State highway from Theog to Hatkoti, i think. But surprisingly the writeup just ignores the other side of the development.Probably the two-lanning of this state higway is the best thing to happen to the APPLE VALLIES of Kotkhai,Jubbal& Rohru.(Climate change has a different story unfolding in coming years, when apples production and quality dwindles).
Spies will always be there and as far as maps are concerned this is the age of high resolution satelite imagery, no wonder chinese are far better equipped than India in this technology.
The Dog issue and the social evil concerns and the environmental hazards are quite arcane and imparative for such sensitive belt.
From Chinese goods to Chinese roads… Loved the quote of Mantri ji. He has conveniently forgotten that these Ching Ming had captured Kalpa in the 1962 war and what havoc can they unleash if given a free hand in the state. Already, their eyes are set on the state as Dalai Lama resides in the state. Govt. needs to keep an eye on the sub contractors working for this company since even our traffic police sells themeselves for 20 ki patti for a traffic violation. Imagine what can happen if some real money is shown and thrown.
On the other hand this company runs the threat of getting black listed back in China once they go back after getting the work done. Their new found expertise on ‘managing’ roads here in Himachal Pradesh from the enterprising PWD deptt. (where the mates eventually end up as Chief Engineers) can land them in serious trouble back home in China. It would be prudent for this company to fire every Chinese worker involved in this project in it’s self interest.
A post here on the condition of National Highway no. 22 in the state. Our great PWD deptt’s shining crown. http://www.nityin.com/2009/03/the-story-of-national-highway-22/
“…threat of getting black listed back in China once they go back after getting the work done.”
can u explain a bit…
@Karan
After adopting the ‘standards’ of work of the state PWD deptt. this company will not be able to take any work back home in China. If you are from Himachal, you will relate to what ‘high’ standards our PWD deptt. maintains. Pun intended
Chailla chowk to china smells of bankrupcy. It’s a very stupid observation.
1) The remarks attributed to the Hon’ble Minister are malicious. You yourself admit that you have heard this from various sources!? You seem to be a saddist.
This world class highway happens to be the best thing any government has done for us. It is going to be our lifeline in future. Hailing from Jubbal you should be happy and proud of your leader who is performing so well.
2) The dogs disappearing, is again ‘Chandukhane ki’ khabar, being circulated by the vested interests.
3) The Chinese threat to our security – this is as imaginative as you can be. My advice to you, put your talents with your strengths – do not litter your talent elsewhere.
And talent you have. You have a blog with a great name, it is very aesthetically designed. The Chingu story is classic, with very good writing skills. Keep this up.
Moreover, your strength is the language, command in both English and Hindi, a rare combination. Work on these strengths and talent, people will like you and appreciate your work.
Please stay away from malicious and cheap gossip. Good for you and good for others.
Thanks Chauhan sahab. Your comments are really appreciated. Had I been able to authenticate about Minister’s comments and the dog’s stories, I would have put the article on HimVani. As this a personal blog, I have just put up what the world is saying. As far as security is concerned that again is my personal view. It can be “imaginative” as you are saying. And I wish it just remains “imaginative”.
Thanks for encouraging me, and that you found some talent in me.
The security concern may not be as frivolous as it may appear.
1. Israel had conducted one of the best anti terrorist operation viz. Entebbe raid at Uganda in 1976. The success of the raid was based on the fact that Uganda airport was built by an Israeli company & they had detailed map of the Airport. All these vital information comes in very handy in times of animosity.
2. In Telecom, DOT is not approving Huawei Telecom for the same reason. These large value orders are being given to european companies inspite of being more expensive then their Chinese counterparts.
3. Himachal is important for China as it is host to Dalai Lama & his followers. These guys might go to any extent to wipe out these inncocent monks.
4. We Himachali’s are too simple to comprehend this. We have just woken to the importance of ” Infrastructure Development ” & in the process have foregotton the security concerns.
I appreciate the concerns !
i feel rather let down by the speech of the mla that mr dhumal got them here to work,i think its a trademark speech of the BJP clan excercised all across the country which is why this party is beaten all end up in these elections.these speeches have got them at no mans land in centre and now its the turn of HP.I Wish if Atalji could give them some input about how to speak good or…..this party in the coming years would be all vanished .
Himachal High Court has ordered the Shimla Municipal Corporation to get rid of the stray dogs in a recent judgement. While, court ordering the MC to do it’s job is a different story, wonder where all these dogs will land up eventually??
Dear feline,
this is a well written piece from security point of view,
as we all very well know the real chinese intentions behind their covert ‘Hindi Chini bhai bhai’ lip service.
Chinese are experts in shadow boxing as well evident from their recent manouvers first by trying to stall Indo-US nuclear deal then objectios against ADB loan for north eastern states and then
about the indian control of states of arunachal & sikkim and recently by construction activities in POK.
Chinese intentions about Himachal have already been malicious and they are just like a double mouthed serpent,that will strike as soon you are enchented by the sweet talking other face.
Chinese espionage is not on the rise only in India but they are pestering all alike via web espionage,financial targetting and physical surroundng of india as in case of peral of strings in case of india once again.
In case of any conflict between India and China Himachal’s upper valley will be the most vital target as well as the north east.
On the chinese side they have four laned roads,train connectivity where as on our side
we still are light years behind on most areas,only ahead in chest thumping.
One more crucial aspect is the advantage the chinese have by having higher lying regions on their side that way they can just release the reservoirs and wash away whole areas in a matter of hours.
India needs to rise and assert itself before it’s too late as the chinese say “there can’t be two tigers on a same hill’.
It’s a matter of time before China challenges india to show it’s hedgemony in the Asian region.
On a lighter note Municipal corporation must be thanking these guys to do a clean job on the menance of strau dogs,maybe we should float a tender for stray dogs extermination for whole india except North East and award the contract to chinese people.
You have raised some of the key issues regarding security as involvement of Chinese firms in sensitive fields like infrastructure , communication is really dangerous for us ……
Unskilled workers in such projects should not be allowed as we Indians have lot of human resource reserve with us .
bTW comment of local representative about Chinese reflects his intellectual standard how ignorant is he !
Its pity on H.P government that it has thrown state security into danger. These Chinese workers undoubtedly have spies and they have forwarded every important geographic detail to the Chinese Army.The issue of Dogs is of concern as its widely been reported from local sources that dogs are going missing day by day.Retired Major R.R Verma from Theog-Nangaldevi had repeatedly cautioned State government about Chinese intentions, but not even a local politician has considered to give any attention to his words. In july 2009, there was a reported attack by Chinese on local Men ,employed by Chinese as their drivers.Local Kisan sabha and youth organisation has demonstrated agitation against this action and state government forced them to end their agitation. The retaliatory attack on Chinese was done by Major R.R Verma with his fellow men, but his action was considered as illegal.Now, suddenly the threat of Chinese incursion along Indian borders were felt by Indian government and all were shouting like a hell.
we, the responsible countrymen must support the actions of our brave people like Major R.R Verma and these retired veterans of Indo-Pak war must be appointed as border security advisors by state government.