The Indian Air Force may not reactivate the Chushul Advanced Landing Ground (ALG) in the Ladakh sector of Jammu and Kashmir for the time-being. “Already, three other ALGs — Daulat Beg Oldi, Nyoma and Fuk Che — have been activated. So, at the moment, there may be no need to re-activate Chushul ALG. Also, Chinese sensitivities about the Line of Actual Control is an issue,” defence sources said.
The activation of ALGs close to the LAC will boost the defence preparedness of the country and help it in dealing with any eventuality. It will also “enable the IAF to operate in the inhospitable terrain of the Leh-Ladakh region in support of the Army”.
The IAF, for instance, is considering expanding the Nyoma ALG into an ALG from where all aircraft in the IAF’s inventory (including fighter aircraft) can operate. Nyoma is situated at an altitude of 13,300 feet. and is just 23 kms from the LAC which is the border with China. The IAF hopes to expand the Nyoma ALG in due course so that the IAF’s frontline Sukhoi-30 MKI fighter aircraft too can operate from it.
Another of the activated ALGs — Daulat-Beg-Oldi (DBO) — is situated at an altitude of 16,200 feet and is the highest airfield in the world.
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DMK: Bring PM under Lokpal ambit
Coimbatore, July 24: The UPA government partner DMK on Sunday favoured bringing the Prime Minister under the purview of the proposed Lokpal bill saying party chief M. Karunanidhi had introduced “a pioneering anti-graft bill” in Tamil Nadu
in 1973 itself bringing under its ambit the chief minister.
“Kalaignar (Karunanidhi) had in 1973 moved the pioneering anti-graft bill in February 1973 whose highlight was that it brought under its ambit the chief minister, former chief ministers, ministers and former ministers, mayors and former mayors and other elected representatives,” a resolution adopted at the DMK general council meeting said.
BJP leader L.K. Advani, who was then with the Jan Sangh, had welcomed the bill and expressed happiness over the chief minister being included under its ambit, it said.
“The general council accepts and insists his (Karunanidhi) stand on including the Prime Minister under the government’s proposed Lokpal Bill,” the resolution said. —PTI
