Context: The Uttarakhand government, in a recent meeting with Union Home Minister Amit Shah, had sought withdrawal of “inner-line permit” (ILP) system in Niti Valley of Chamoli district and Nelang Valley of Uttarkashi district for better border management and expansion of tourism and other economic activities in villages located there.

Details:

• The ILP system restricts movement in areas close to the border for everyone other than those with a formal permission.
• In Uttarakhand, tourists have to obtain ILP for locations near China border, at least in the three districts of Uttarkashi, Pithoragarh and Chamoli.
• Economic activities increase and villages are rehabilitated so that locals could also act as ‘eyes’ and ‘ears’ at the border for surveillance.

Uttarakhand Border:

• Uttarakhand shares a 350-km border with China and a 275-km boundary with Nepal.
• Five of the state’s 13 districts are border districts. Chamoli and Uttarkashi share boundaries with China, whereas Udham Singh Nagar and Champawat have common boundaries with Nepal.
• Pithoragarh is strategically more sensitive as it shares boundaries with both China and Nepal.

Nelong Valley, Uttarkashi:

• Nelong valley is an inner line area (India-China border) opened to domestic tourists only during the day.
• It is approximately 100 km from Uttarkashi headquarters.
• In Nelong valley, there are two villages-Nelong and Jadong — both of which have been abandoned since the 1962 war when the villagers migrated to Dunda and Uttarkashi tehsils .ITBP and the Army are deployed here.

https://indianexpress.com/article/explained/why-uttarakhand-wants-the-centre-to-withdraw-ilp-from-niti-and-nelong-valley-7223892/

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