Chairman/Chief Executive Councillor LAHDC, Leh, Advocate Tashi Gyalson discussed issues of local transport cooperative societies regarding movement and transportation of military supplies in Leh district with Transport Union, Leh on June 15 at Council Secretariat. 
 
DC Leh, Shrikant Balasaheb Suse; ASP Leh, Tashi Phuntsog; RTO Ladakh, Tsering Paldan; Tehsildar Leh, Attah-Ullah, Army officials led by 5014 ASC,  HQ 14 Corps, Lt Col Nikhil Tewari, and the representatives from local transport unions led by President All Ladakh Transport Association Leh, Dorjey Angchuk attended the meeting. 
 
Representatives from the transport cooperative societies apprised the Chairman and the concerned officials of the issues faced by the local unions about not engaging local transport service providers for moving and transporting military supply in Leh district. They highlighted that the local transport unions benefited economically with their services to the Army for many years. They added that such steps would hugely affect their economy, especially in times of the current pandemic. 
 
Responding to the issues, Brig. Nikhil Tewari informed the concerned officials about the tendering of the current transportation and movement of army units and supplies on Government E-Marketplace (GeM). He added that transporting units and supplies are based purely on a point-to-point basis through contracts tendered on GeM. 

Brig Nikhil Tewari also appreciated the cooperation from the local stakeholders for their relentless services towards the Indian Army, especially in tough times. He further seeks support and cooperation from the concerned stakeholders for the time being since the procedures have been inducted directly from the Government of India. He also assured the concerned officials to convey the issues to their higher authorities. He requested the local civil administration to share the same concerns with the higher authorities in expediting the procedures.  

CO Punit Srivastava informed the concerned officials of the support provided by the Indian Army to the local stakeholders. He assured that they would avoid such steps and consider the importance of local transport stakeholders with their special skills in the terrains and fitness of vehicles for the movement and transportation of Army supplies in future.  

The meeting amicably decided to strengthen the close coordination between the Army and the civil societies in the smooth functioning of the transportation of supplies for the Army in future.