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As Indian Army troops posted at high-altitudes prepare to battle freezing cold this winter, the government has decided to freeze its spending on fuel that keeps them warm.
At the behest of the ministry of defence, the Army Headquarters has reduced the total supply of kerosene to all such units and base camps by over 30 per cent. The kerosene quota under the Fuel for Warming and Drying (FFWD) for the Army, which is supplied by the Army Service Corps (ASC), is not a luxury at high-altitude posts. It is used for cooking and also to run heaters that keep the soldiers from freezing.
The Army has over a 1,000 forward posts in Jammu and Kashmir and 60 per cent of them get cut off from the rest of India when it snows. Four mountain divisions based at Leh, Kargil, Kupwara and Tenga will be worst affected by this decision as most of their forward posts are over 15,000 metres above the sea level.
According to the budgetary allocations of the current financial year, the Army has over `1,700 crore under the head of fuel, oil and lubrication.
The officials defending the move say the cut has been introduced after an audit based on consumption and more so, after increasing connectivity to the plains with electricity that would reduce dependence on fuel. “After an audit, it was observed that supply for fuel for warming and drying can be cut. Especially at the places that have been connected with power supply,” said an official.
The officials further argued that a power generation facility had come up in Kargil two years ago to cater to the requirements of the armed forces as well as the civilian population. But uninterrupted power supply in the valley is still a distant dream. Though PM Narendra Modi inaugurated two hydro-power projects in Leh and Kargil this August, it will take time before these become fully operational.
“We hardly get on an average 8-10 hours of power supply to light our generators. But let me remind you that these power lines have only reached to the base camps. Most of the forward posts are still powerless and dependent on fuel to operate,” said an officer posted in the valley.
Another soldier manning a forward post shared over phone that most of the allocated quota of fuel gets consumed at the base camp level. “During harsh winters, heaters are the only way to keep my post warm in this terrain. With limited quota of fuel, conditions will be a little more difficult during winter,” he said. It is believed due to floods in the valley in September, this year’s winter will be exceptionally cold.
Indian Troops Guarding Freezing Frontiers Literally Left Out in Cold -The New Indian Express
