1.
LV TILT UP Snow covered mountains (2 shots)
0.06

2.
GV Snow clearing machine at work in pass
0.11

3.
CU Bledes of machine cutting into bank of snow TILT UP TO snow ejected onto side of road (2 shots)
0.21

4.
GV & LV Second machine clearing blocked road (2 shots)
0.27

5.
SVs Snow being ejected from machine (3 shots)
0.38



Initials BB/1400 TH/DW/BB/1345



Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved

Background: In mountainous Kashmir, the Indian authorities have this month been experimenting with latest European snow-clearing machines to prevent towns being cut off in the Kashmir-Ladakh region.

Rare coverage from the area shows Swiss and West German machines undergoing field trials in the toughest conditions--with drifts nearly 20 feet deep. Experts ranging from army officers to tourist board officials have been watching the experiments closely.

SYNOPSIS: Heavy snowfalls in the mountains of Kashmir are being turned to good use this April by the Indian authorities. They're experimenting with various European snow-clearing machines to prevent towns in the Kashmir and Ladakh regions going into traditional isolation once the snows start. Under test here--machines from Switzerland and West Germany. Field trials are expected to go on for a month, and experts from the Indian Army and from the tourist board are showing a keen interest in results. A government order for new snow-clearing machines is likely to make life a bit easier in this isolated, inhospitable region.