Zarvan
ELITE MEMBER
- Joined
- Apr 28, 2011
- Messages
- 54,470
- Reaction score
- 87
- Country
- Location
NEW DELHI: For the largest security force fighting Naxalites in dense jungles of Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand and Bihar, the biggest enemy is not a gun-toting rebel, but a mosquito. Latest government data shows that more CRPF men have died due to malaria and heart attack than have fallen to Maoist attacks in the 106 Naxal-affected districts in the country.
According to data released by the home ministry, in 2014, while 50 CRPF men died in Maoist attacks, 95 died due to various diseases. Of these 27 fell to malaria, while 35 died due to heart attack. In 2015 too, nine CRPF men have lost the battle to various diseases as against two to Maoists. The data exposes the poor working conditions for jawans in Naxal areas and lack of medical care.
What's worrying is that there is an increasing gap in number of deaths due to malaria and heart attacks and that due to Maoist attacks over the years. While in 2012, 36 CRPF men died of mosquito bites and heart attacks as against 37 in Maoist violence, in 2013 as many as 22 CRPF men fell to the two diseases as against 20 to Maoists.
Home ministry has claimed that it has been providing medicines, organizing health campaign programmes, setting up infrastructure facilities and educating security personnel on good health practices. CRPF sources, however, say that lack of medicines is not a problem but early diagnosis and work pressure is.
"At camps in the jungles, there are just a few constables trained in first aide and armed with malaria detection kit. Several times they fail to diagnose correctly as strains such as falciparum malaria do not always come with high fever. By the time the personnel falls seriously sick, it is too late as evacuation from the camp alone takes about two days," said a CRPF officer who recently served in Sukma, Chhattisgarh.
Since there are less number of personnel and huge areas to patrol, jawans are under pressure not to seek leave or rest day for minor reasons. "Thus a mild fever or body ache--early symptoms of malaria--are not even reported," said the officer.
As for heart attacks, tough working conditions naturally add to stress which leads to hypertension and heart attacks. Calls for yoga generally fall on deaf ears as after gruelling patrolling in jungles, a jawan is hardly in the mood to perform a structured exercise.
According to data released by the home ministry, in 2014, while 50 CRPF men died in Maoist attacks, 95 died due to various diseases. Of these 27 fell to malaria, while 35 died due to heart attack. In 2015 too, nine CRPF men have lost the battle to various diseases as against two to Maoists. The data exposes the poor working conditions for jawans in Naxal areas and lack of medical care.
What's worrying is that there is an increasing gap in number of deaths due to malaria and heart attacks and that due to Maoist attacks over the years. While in 2012, 36 CRPF men died of mosquito bites and heart attacks as against 37 in Maoist violence, in 2013 as many as 22 CRPF men fell to the two diseases as against 20 to Maoists.
Home ministry has claimed that it has been providing medicines, organizing health campaign programmes, setting up infrastructure facilities and educating security personnel on good health practices. CRPF sources, however, say that lack of medicines is not a problem but early diagnosis and work pressure is.
"At camps in the jungles, there are just a few constables trained in first aide and armed with malaria detection kit. Several times they fail to diagnose correctly as strains such as falciparum malaria do not always come with high fever. By the time the personnel falls seriously sick, it is too late as evacuation from the camp alone takes about two days," said a CRPF officer who recently served in Sukma, Chhattisgarh.
Since there are less number of personnel and huge areas to patrol, jawans are under pressure not to seek leave or rest day for minor reasons. "Thus a mild fever or body ache--early symptoms of malaria--are not even reported," said the officer.
As for heart attacks, tough working conditions naturally add to stress which leads to hypertension and heart attacks. Calls for yoga generally fall on deaf ears as after gruelling patrolling in jungles, a jawan is hardly in the mood to perform a structured exercise.
