Amit Kushari
The Government of India has recently made some significant amendments in the Hindu marriage Act and Special Marriage Act to confer some more rights to Hindu and Sikh women. Women in India have traditionally remained a deprived and oppressed community and after independence the Government has taken several steps to give them more rights in society. Earlier women were deprived vis-a-vis their brothers in the matter of inheritance from their fathers. This discrimination has now been completely removed and now women get equal share in their paternal property and their brothers cannot overlook them anymore. After 2005, Hindu women are inheriting their ancestral landed property also — which was earlier a big no-no under the Hindu Mitakshara law. Divorce was an unknown concept among Hindus. There is no Sanskrit word for divorce. After independence a new word has been coined in Hindi and other Indian languages — ‘Vivah vichhed’ which literally means “cessation of marriage”. Now the urdu word ‘Talaq’ is also freely used for divorce. The concept of divorce existed in Arabia and in Islam and the word ‘Talaq’ is derived from the Arabic verb ‘talq’ which means releasing the rope by which an animal is tied!! For Hindus marriage was a sacrament and a life long affair and it even extended to all previous births too. It was believed that once in the heaven God decides as to who marries whom, this sacred bond cannot be nullified on earth. If a woman didn’t like her husband she could do precious little to rectify a wrong marriage. Like the Roman Catholics, the Hindus also believed that only death can separate a couple. While taking marriage vows the Catholics also said” Till death do us apart”.For Hindus the “saat pheron ka bandhan” is like umer quaid (life imprisonment) for a woman. ‘Jis ghar mein doli jaati hai, wahin se arthi nikalti hai.’ Readers who have seen the famous movie “Divorce Italian style” will remember how an Italian man could never get divorce in any Italian court and had to murder the wife ultimately. Divorce was also unknown in Italy. In India similar was the position till 1956 when Pandit Nehru allowed Hindu women to seek divorce in a court and put a complete ban on polygamy by men.
A lot of water has flowed down the Ganges since 1956. The Western countries and their progressive ideas have left indelible impressions on Indian society– which does not look the same anymore. Frequent breakdown in marriages is a stark reality in today’s India. In 1961 only 1% of Hindu marriages ended in divorce. Now 6% of Hindu marriages end in divorce. Men and women exposed to western education now have very little patience in marital matters and they rush to courts for divorce for matters which would have appeared trivial a few decades ago. The divorce rate is still far, far lower than in Western countries which is usually around 60%. New situations are developing in Indian society because of western influence. Men and women have started living together without the bonds of marriage to avoid the hassles of marriage and divorce and the trauma in courts regarding compensation, divisions in property and family business. Although the society frowns on it and parents do not approve of it, many young boys and girls secretly live together. Under Indian law, living together is not an offence because consensual sex between an adult man and an adult woman is not a crime if both are unmarried.
In India Hindus and Sikhs and Jains form 85% of the population and all the new laws are applicable to them only. These are not applicable to Muslims and Christians who have their own codes of conduct in marriage and divorce matters.
The new law made by the Government of India recently has given the divorced woman rights on her husbands property and bank accounts. Divorce has also been made much easier and now if a woman seeks divorce it should be possible to get it in 3 months time provided, ofcourse, if the husband consents to it. Earlier it used to take years.
The Muslims had a relatively quicker system of divorce as an amount was fixed before marriage as compensation if divorce occurs. However, even in Muslim society, divorce is taken as a highly undesirable incident. It is believed that among all the legal things in the world, “Talaq” was the most disliked happening by God.
The Government of India is now giving some legal recognition to the concept of living together. A woman who has lived together for quite a few years has been given partial rights of a wife. She may even claim a part of the property if she can prove through witnesses and circumstantial evidences the number of years they have lived together. This is a revolutionary change in Hindu society. Such changes would be considered appalling by the Muslims who form 13% of the population. For them living together is nothing better than “Zina”. In the Quran God forbids men to have sex with a woman with whom a legal nikah has not been done.
With these new revolutioary laws coming into existence, Hindu men may feel increasingly diffident while entering into a matrimonial alliance. The fear of giving property to a divorced wife may discourage him from marriage. His parents will also be wary of arranging their son’s marriage. Even the irreligious act of living together may not give the boy any relief because after a few years the same problem may arise. Many families have started considering having a legal document ready before marriage spelling out how property could be divided in case of divorce.
(The author is former Financial Commissioner, J&K and the feedback to the writer can be given at 09748635185 or amitkus@hotmail.com or twitter.com/amitkushari)

Dr. Dhirendra Kumar, Dr. Vikas Mahajan,
Dr. R. K. Taggar and Vibha Raj Shanti
Parrots melodious sound, Pea fowls dancing step and Sparrow chirping has been entertaining every one since long. But what about Vulture? They neither have an attractive look nor melodies sound. But it has a great ecological significance in maintaining sustainable ecosystem. During the course of time, this bird has been neglected in such a way that their population has declined drastically and now population remain within sixty thousand only. Vultures in India are reeling under the threat of extinction, but seeing of a central Asian scavenger Steppe eagle in the Jammu region has brought many hopes to wildlife experts and environmentalists. The local vultures, though decreasing in number, seem to have offered the well-known Indian hospitality to the guests Vulture. It high time for this Jammu region that Steppe Eagle (guest bird) is finding a favorable environment in this region to reside and breed.
There are many reasons which led to decline in the number of population of this bird, which are as follows:
Urbanization
Environmental pollution.
Rampant use of pesticide in agricultural field. Changing habitat.
Despite all, the main culprit is diclofenac. Diclofenac is a drug which is widely used for the treatment of Animal. The residue of diclofenac remains in the body of animal after treatment. When animal dies and vulture feed on animal carcass and they dies due to urinary failure. The mortality of vulture is very high among those which feed on the carcass that had been treated with diclofenac. Due to this very one reason the population of vulture has declined sharply.
Vulture and Ecosystem: Vulture is great scavenger which feed on dead animal carcass. Carcasses which are rotting are the main source of disease spread. Vultures clean the environment by eating the carcass. It not only prevents the disease spread among the animal but also to the human being. During natural calamity like flood, drought etc. it cleans up the putrid carcasses. Major decline in population has disturbed the local environment or the ecological system.
Vulture Breeding: Vulture is slow breeder and usually lays only one egg in a year. According to expert, there is no cross group mating among vulture in one area. In turn, inbreeding reduces survivalist and fertility. Heavy use of pesticide in the field, ultimately go to the vulture which leads to reproductive disorder causing reduced breeding capacity.
Captive Breeding – Some Vulture are kept in captive and breeding is being carried out. Breeding Center’s are operating at Pinjore in Hariana, Rajabhathawa in West Bengal Rani in Assam. Experts are studying the infrastructure and protocols to replicate the breeding success of Pinjore at zoos of Junagarh (Gujrat), Nehru Zoo (hydrabad) and Van Vihar (Bhopal). Artificial Incubation has improved the breeding success of captive vulture. During incubation of eggs the temperature is maintained by the air conditioner and in the same line humidity is also maintained. Balance temperature and humidity is essential for breeding success.
Vulture Safe Zone – To safeguard vulture population, environment ministry has coined the concept named Vulture Safe Zone. It would be zone where the use of drug diclofenac not to be use in the treatment of livestock. Other reasons that also lead to the disappearance of vulture will be prohibited.
Plan for Vulture Conservation – Now the vulture is listed in the Red List of IUCN (International Union for Conservation of Nature) as critically endangered. Therefore, a planed effort is needed in this regard, which may be as follows:
A. Removal of Diclofenac
I. Notification of ban on veterinary use.
II. Search for alternate drugs.
B. Population Survey
I. Data Collection
II. Conservation Strategies
II. (a). In Situ Conservation Methods
In-situ conservation, the conservation of species in their natural habitats, is considered the most appropriate way of conserving biodiversity. Conserving the areas where populations of species exist naturally is an underlying condition for the conservation of biodiversity. That’s why protected areas form a central element of any national strategy to conserve biodiversity.
II. (b). Ex Situ Conservation Methods
Ex-situ conservation is the preservation of components of biological diversity outside their natural habitats. This involves conservation of genetic resources on a diverse body of techniques and facilities. Some of these include:
* Gene banks, e.g. sperm and ova banks, Embryo freezing banks.
* In vitro animal tissue and microbial culture collections.
* Captive breeding of birds and artificial propagation with possible reintroduction into the wild habitat.
Ex-situ conservation measures can be complementary to in-situ methods as they provide an “insurance policy” against extinction. These measures also have a valuable role to play in recovery programmes for endangered species. Ex-situ conservation provides excellent research opportunities on the components of biological diversity.
C. Establishment of Vulture Care and Management Center
D. Establishment of Captive Breeding Center
E. Awareness campaign should be carried out considering
a. Significance of Vulture in ecological balance.
b. Ban on use of diclofenac on Animal.

If you have a clear skin, leave out foundation. After cleansing, apply a sunscreen with a built-in moisturizer. Pressed powder or powder compact is useful. Pay more attention to the oily areas of the face. Press the powder all over the face and neck, with a slightly damp sponge. This helps it to set and last longer.
If you wish to apply foundation, use a water-based one. Add one or two drops of water for a lighter coverage. The foundation should be as close to your skin colour as possible. For eye make-up stick to eye pencils, or line your eyeswith brown or gray eye shadow for a softer effect. Then, apply mascara in two light coats. Apply one coat. Allow it to dry. Comb out the lashes with an eyelash comb or brush. Then apply the second coat and comb out.
For lipstick, avoid very dark colours. They look darker in fluorescent lights. Go for pinks, copper, bronze, burgundy or wine colour. Or, use light pastel colours like mauve or pink, or wear only lip gloss. Lastly, apply a light cologne or perfume….nothing too overpowering.
Make-up for the working woman must last right through the day. In an air-conditioned office, make-up stays fresh enough, but if you travel, you need to renew your make-up, specially in summer. Carry fragrant wet tissues, to refresh the skin and remove grease and sweat. A powder compact is really handy to get rid of that oily look. First wipe with the tissues and then dab powder. You need lipstick to touch-up after lunch. Carry a small bottle of cologne, or your favourite deodorant.
Although long hair is in fashion, avoid keeping it loose at work. One tends to keep fussing with the hair. Most distracting! If you have long hair, put it up in a roll, or pin it up, tie it back in a pony tail. Actually, pony tails are the trend, whether low or high, tied back with ribbons or clip. Many kinds of hair accessories are available, but they should not be too decorative for work. You can even curl the ends of the hair with curlers and then tie them in a pony tail, or pin then up with a clip.
Braids (plaits) may also look nice for work, although it may take time. Braids for work hairstyle can be done on long and medium length hair. Divide your hair into three parts and intertwine it like a rope. Towards the end of the braid, use elastic band or a ribbon to tie it up. Braids look neat on young working women.
As far as the new trends are concerned, the more natural look in hair is making its way in, with a look of ease. Keep the hair away from the face. If you have short hair, wear it softly and naturally layered. Even in hair colour, natural colours like browns are the trend. You can have subtle colours with natural highlights.
The bob is back in fashion and will be the trend for short hairstyles in the coming seasons. For short hair, you can also go for the slightly tousled look if you wish to be in. Not, harsh or obviously structured, but rather a careless and casual look.
If you have shoulder length hair and wish to leave it open, condition it after shampoo, so that it is soft, smooth and manageable.

What goes into being super fit and super sexy?
Super fit is eating right, exercising, following some amount of discipline as far as your means and your work outs are concerned; and super sexy is just a state of mind…feeling sexy and being sexy is a state of mind. If you feel sexy in your head, you look sexy.
What’s your fitness regime?
I have a very, very naturally tall and lean body structure. So, honestly I don’t have to try it too hard to be fit. I have to do very heavy weight-training because cardio is not my form of exercise. I have a very high metabolic range. So I have to take a lot of carbs and macrobolic proteins. I work out about 5-6 times a week.
Have you stopped eating sweets to maintain your lean look?
I never really like sweets. I never had a sweet tooth ever. The only indulgence I have is bread and I love butter.
Are you into dieting?
(Laughs) I get hungry often…in every two hours. So I have to eat constantly. In the night, when I indulge in mid-night snacking, I don’t have to go to the kitchen…the food is always next to my bed. I know it’s not a very healthy thing, but when you are watching TV at night, it’s always nice to have something to munch on. I don’t have weight issues, so no one can threaten me of weight gain also.
How taxing it is to gain or lose weight for different roles?
As an actor you have to utilize your body in different ways to make your characters as believable as possible. You know, we are in a very good time when films that are being made and scripts that are being written have certain sense of reality in them. The more real you look on screen, the better your performance is going to be. Look what Aamir Khan has done in so many of his films! In Ghajini, he changed his body completely or even what Hrithik (Roshan) did in Guzaarish or what Vidya (Balan) did (in The Dirty Picture)…that’s the dedication of an actor, It’s not an easy thing to do…it’s not easy to lose or gain so much weight.
Who is the fittest actor in Bollywood?
Ranbir (Kapoor) is very fit, but Akshay Kumar is the fittest actor…really. When he (Akshay) will hold your hand you will know how much strength he has in his fists. Hrithik and John Abraham are also very fit.
And among actresses?
Among actresses, I think Deepika (Padukone), Kangna (Ranaut) and Priyanka (Chopra) are very fit.
What tips will you give for Indian women who don’t fall into size zero category but want to try bikini?
You know, I have seen some girls who don’t have flat stomachs but wearing bikinis and walking so confidently. And I feel like ‘Kya baat hai’…I love it. If you love the way to are looking, then the rest of the world can go to hell.
Item numbers are craze of the day in Bollywood. Would you like to try your hand at them?
Look, I agree that the item numbers which come on TV are very good. But right now, I am not that much interested in doing item songs. I am doing films and want to concentrate on them at the moment.
What are the films you are doing at the moment?
Right now, I am only doing Vishal Bhardwaj’s film (Matru Ki Bijlee Ka Mandola) and Yash Chopra’s next which I am really excited about.
How is it working with Vishal?
It feels great working with Vishal Bharadwaj. We just finished a schedule in Rajkot. He really is a genius director. He knows how to use every thing quantatively.
And what about the Yash Chopra’s untitled next?
I have not started shooting for the film yet. I will join the crew May onwards, right after my birthday which is on 1st May. I will start shooting 2nd May onwards.
You are always into adventure sports. Can you remember an incident which scared you the most?
I fell off a jet ski while shooting for Ladies Vs Ricky Bahl and was scared to death. Since then I can’t get on a jet ski ever…it really scares me. But since a kid, I was exposed to adventure sports like horse-riding, a lot of outdoor sports. And one thing I want to try is sky diving…I really have to do it at least once in my life.(TWF)

Col J P Singh, Retd
On 13 April 1984, while the Northern region of India and Pakistan was celebrating Baisakhi festival, Indian Army, in a swift and surprise move physically occupied Siachen, the un-demarcated Northern limb of line of control (LOC). Pakistan made a huge hue and cry on this unprecedented Indian move. Pakistan Army resorted to offensive actions on seeing the presence of Indian Army in the glacier. Heavy shelling and intermittent physical assaults failed to deter Indian Army from establishing a firm foothold in the uninhabited glacier. There after entire glacier and its highest peaks are under Indian control. LOC, the line which is not legally recognized as International Border; is the de facto boundary between India and Pakistan since the1972 Simla Agreement. Starting from Akhnoor sector, this 470 km line passes through Keran Sector and Gurais Valley and ends at Point NJ9842 which is short of inaccessible glacier massifs of North Kashmir where India, China and Pakistan rub shoulders thus rendering the areas North of it un-demarcated and disputed.
Siachen is called the highest and the coldest battlefield of the world where Indian and Pakistani armies have fought intermittent hand to hand battles since 1984. What prompted Indian Army to occupy the glacier was consequent to Pakistan allowing mountaineering expeditions to the glacier with Pak Army officers accompanying them. In1984 Pakistan gave permission to a Japanese expedition to attempt Peak Rimo which overlooks Eastern part of Aksai Chin. Such expedition would have established links between the Western route from Karakoram with the Eastern route from China; the ancient trade route. Hence the Indian Army, committed to the sovereignty of the nation, had to preempt such a move to defend the peaks and the passes of the glacier and guard national frontiers.
The Siachen Glacier is 72 Kms in length and is the second largest glacier in the world. It is located in the Eastern Karakoram Range of great Himalayas. Highest point of the glacier at Indira Col is 18,875 ft in altitude. This peak divides Southern and Central Asia. The lowest altitude at the terminus of glacier at Chinese border is 11,875 ft. The glacier lies immediately South of Himalayan watershed that separates the Eurasian Plate from the Indian Sub Continent in the extensively glaciated portion of Karakoram. The glacier lies between Saltoro Ridge to its West and main Karakoram to its East. The Saltoro Ridge originates from Sia Kangri peak on Chinese border. The major passes on these ridges are Sia La, Belafond La and Gyang La. The average temperature dips to – 50 and the average snow fall is 35 ft. The glacier is feeder of the Nubra River in Ladakh which enters into Shyok before flowing into Indus. Siachen is world’s greatest non-polar glacier and hence called ‘Third Pole’.
Siachen is beautiful to look at but arduous to live in. In spite of the severest climate, the word Siachen ironically means the land of plenty of roses. Sia in Balti means rose and Chun means in abundance. Watching from a distance, Siachen looks like a heaven but living there is like hell. Men live and sleep in ice coverings, Igloos or small Arctic Tents and breathe air so sparse of Oxygen that they feel breathlessness all the times. Fainting spells and pounding headaches are common among the troops. Frost bites chew its way through flesh and limbs. Despite wearing five layers of insulated warm clothing, they shiver and suffer the miseries of harsh cold. Cold kills more men than the bullets. The men often fall victims to loss of hearing, memory and despite putting on snow goggles, loss of vision. Many lose their eyes, hands, feet and many a times limbs to the frost bite. Hair fall is very common. Pulmonary Odema, a disease of lungs is so dangerous a ‘high altitude disease’ that it persists as a life long slow poison. Prolonged mountain sickness depresses and demoralizes soldiers. For a soldier this is a real sight of mythical hell often referred to in religious discourse. It is 72 Kms long sea of slow moving ice surrounded by stupendous towers of snow. They see snow, snow and snow 24X7. How does an 18 years adolescent soldier cope with the climate and combat which is feared even by the veterans for its random application of death and destruction on the glacier. The sudden blizzards can bury field fortifications and its occupants in seconds. While some soldiers fall to enemy fire, far more perish in avalanches and crevasses. Tragic death of 150 officers and men of Northern Light Infantry in an avalanche which slammed into Pakistan army base in Siachen at 5.45 AM on 7th April 2012 is an example of this stark reality. This avalanche hit Pak Battalion HQ at Gyari in Siachen base when the men were fast asleep, leaving no survivors. Indian army has also lived through such disasters in the past and taken them in the stride. Undeterred by such calamities, the brave soldiers are always ready and wait to battle on the roof of the world and once there, they remain engaged in endless battle with the enemy and the nature.
Tinned, pre cooked and vacuum packed meals are issued to the troops for ease in cooking and eating. But an average soldier coming from rural background does not cherish such meals. He is used to normal peace time langar food which is akin to his family and regional delicacy. Wanted dishes are not only difficult but nearly impossible to cook to taste on small stoves in sub zero temperature. Hence he starts ignoring meals consequently losing his appetite, weight and strength.
At Siachen the drinking water is made by melting ice on small kerosene stoves. Bathing and washing are out of question. Men are generally issued 14 pairs of thermal socks which are worn in layers. They sweat during movements and marches. Once removed, the sweat freezes in them and when worn again they re-sweat causing abrasive wounds and lasting damages. Hot water bottles freeze immediately.
Indian Army is maintaining its troops at Siachen at a prohibitive cost. Most of the maintenance and transportation is by choppers. Smaller quantities of loads are ferried on each sortie due to high altitude constraints. Transportation cost of a can of Kerosene oil on which the survival of the soldiers depends is roughly $1000 and a cooked Chapatti would roughly cost Rs 1000 each. Certain stores from the dropping areas / landing areas are moved with the help of snow scooters and pulley systems. Porters, ponies and Yaks are also employed for carriage of stores, rations and medicines up to certain points. But their load carrying capacities are very less. Wastages in stores, medicines and rations are enormous due to avalanches, snow storms and blizzards. Igloos and bunkers where the men live are made up of fibre glass panels which are imported from Russia, Siberia and Mangolia. All the casualties are evacuated by choppers. A chopper landing in Siachen can neither switch off its engine, nor can it stay there longer. The rough maintenance cost of the troops in Siachen per day is between $ 300,000 to 500,000. Five to six soldiers live and sleep under a small and congested roof. Solar panels are affixed to some Igloos. In either case the kerosene stove is the companion of the soldiers around which his survival exists. The black soot of the stoves colours everything black including his lungs. Sometimes soldiers have to live and sleep in tunnels gouged out in the frozen ice with a pickaxe. Hardly any one sleeps at night because of insomnia and for the fear of enemy sneaking in. Sentry duties and patrolling are difficult to perform. Normal tenure in the glacier heights is 90 days at one stretch. Units which serve in the glacier are sent to good peace stations. Soldiers are given Glacier Allowance and rewarded with gallantry medals, good postings and faster promotions after their successful tenures in the Siachen Battlefields. They live closer to the God and are cared by the Almighty. Some emotional anecdotes expressed below may give an idea of spiritual belief in soldering:-
The soldier stood and faced the God
With shinning shoes and bright brass.
Step forward you smart soldier
How shall I deal with you my dear.
God, I did my duty on the highest battle field
I am violent b’coz the world was awful and rude.
Many times I was shaken with fears
God, forgive me I have wept unmanly tears.
That I never took a penny extra for the job
Whatever was given was my genuine reward.
Step forward happily, you Soldier
Walk peacefully on Heaven’s streets
For having done well in Siachen hell.
Let us express our gratitude to military personnel who have served their country in times of peace and war in hostile and unlivable habitat and to their families for supporting them. I hope the govt fast tracks, whatever it can, to improve living conditions and fighting capability of troops deployed in Siachen particularly after disastrous avalanche of 7th April and Army Chief’s revelations of chinks in defence preparedness. It is high time the govt got serious about strengthening Army’s fighting ability in the highest, coldest, barren and bloodiest battlefield of India.

Col J P Singh, Retd
On 13 April 1984, while the Northern region of India and Pakistan was celebrating Baisakhi festival, Indian Army, in a swift and surprise move physically occupied Siachen, the un-demarcated Northern limb of line of control (LOC). Pakistan made a huge hue and cry on this unprecedented Indian move. Pakistan Army resorted to offensive actions on seeing the presence of Indian Army in the glacier. Heavy shelling and intermittent physical assaults failed to deter Indian Army from establishing a firm foothold in the uninhabited glacier. There after entire glacier and its highest peaks are under Indian control. LOC, the line which is not legally recognized as International Border; is the de facto boundary between India and Pakistan since the1972 Simla Agreement. Starting from Akhnoor sector, this 470 km line passes through Keran Sector and Gurais Valley and ends at Point NJ9842 which is short of inaccessible glacier massifs of North Kashmir where India, China and Pakistan rub shoulders thus rendering the areas North of it un-demarcated and disputed.
Siachen is called the highest and the coldest battlefield of the world where Indian and Pakistani armies have fought intermittent hand to hand battles since 1984. What prompted Indian Army to occupy the glacier was consequent to Pakistan allowing mountaineering expeditions to the glacier with Pak Army officers accompanying them. In1984 Pakistan gave permission to a Japanese expedition to attempt Peak Rimo which overlooks Eastern part of Aksai Chin. Such expedition would have established links between the Western route from Karakoram with the Eastern route from China; the ancient trade route. Hence the Indian Army, committed to the sovereignty of the nation, had to preempt such a move to defend the peaks and the passes of the glacier and guard national frontiers.
The Siachen Glacier is 72 Kms in length and is the second largest glacier in the world. It is located in the Eastern Karakoram Range of great Himalayas. Highest point of the glacier at Indira Col is 18,875 ft in altitude. This peak divides Southern and Central Asia. The lowest altitude at the terminus of glacier at Chinese border is 11,875 ft. The glacier lies immediately South of Himalayan watershed that separates the Eurasian Plate from the Indian Sub Continent in the extensively glaciated portion of Karakoram. The glacier lies between Saltoro Ridge to its West and main Karakoram to its East. The Saltoro Ridge originates from Sia Kangri peak on Chinese border. The major passes on these ridges are Sia La, Belafond La and Gyang La. The average temperature dips to – 50 and the average snow fall is 35 ft. The glacier is feeder of the Nubra River in Ladakh which enters into Shyok before flowing into Indus. Siachen is world’s greatest non-polar glacier and hence called ‘Third Pole’.
Siachen is beautiful to look at but arduous to live in. In spite of the severest climate, the word Siachen ironically means the land of plenty of roses. Sia in Balti means rose and Chun means in abundance. Watching from a distance, Siachen looks like a heaven but living there is like hell. Men live and sleep in ice coverings, Igloos or small Arctic Tents and breathe air so sparse of Oxygen that they feel breathlessness all the times. Fainting spells and pounding headaches are common among the troops. Frost bites chew its way through flesh and limbs. Despite wearing five layers of insulated warm clothing, they shiver and suffer the miseries of harsh cold. Cold kills more men than the bullets. The men often fall victims to loss of hearing, memory and despite putting on snow goggles, loss of vision. Many lose their eyes, hands, feet and many a times limbs to the frost bite. Hair fall is very common. Pulmonary Odema, a disease of lungs is so dangerous a ‘high altitude disease’ that it persists as a life long slow poison. Prolonged mountain sickness depresses and demoralizes soldiers. For a soldier this is a real sight of mythical hell often referred to in religious discourse. It is 72 Kms long sea of slow moving ice surrounded by stupendous towers of snow. They see snow, snow and snow 24X7. How does an 18 years adolescent soldier cope with the climate and combat which is feared even by the veterans for its random application of death and destruction on the glacier. The sudden blizzards can bury field fortifications and its occupants in seconds. While some soldiers fall to enemy fire, far more perish in avalanches and crevasses. Tragic death of 150 officers and men of Northern Light Infantry in an avalanche which slammed into Pakistan army base in Siachen at 5.45 AM on 7th April 2012 is an example of this stark reality. This avalanche hit Pak Battalion HQ at Gyari in Siachen base when the men were fast asleep, leaving no survivors. Indian army has also lived through such disasters in the past and taken them in the stride. Undeterred by such calamities, the brave soldiers are always ready and wait to battle on the roof of the world and once there, they remain engaged in endless battle with the enemy and the nature.
Tinned, pre cooked and vacuum packed meals are issued to the troops for ease in cooking and eating. But an average soldier coming from rural background does not cherish such meals. He is used to normal peace time langar food which is akin to his family and regional delicacy. Wanted dishes are not only difficult but nearly impossible to cook to taste on small stoves in sub zero temperature. Hence he starts ignoring meals consequently losing his appetite, weight and strength.
At Siachen the drinking water is made by melting ice on small kerosene stoves. Bathing and washing are out of question. Men are generally issued 14 pairs of thermal socks which are worn in layers. They sweat during movements and marches. Once removed, the sweat freezes in them and when worn again they re-sweat causing abrasive wounds and lasting damages. Hot water bottles freeze immediately.
Indian Army is maintaining its troops at Siachen at a prohibitive cost. Most of the maintenance and transportation is by choppers. Smaller quantities of loads are ferried on each sortie due to high altitude constraints. Transportation cost of a can of Kerosene oil on which the survival of the soldiers depends is roughly $1000 and a cooked Chapatti would roughly cost Rs 1000 each. Certain stores from the dropping areas / landing areas are moved with the help of snow scooters and pulley systems. Porters, ponies and Yaks are also employed for carriage of stores, rations and medicines up to certain points. But their load carrying capacities are very less. Wastages in stores, medicines and rations are enormous due to avalanches, snow storms and blizzards. Igloos and bunkers where the men live are made up of fibre glass panels which are imported from Russia, Siberia and Mangolia. All the casualties are evacuated by choppers. A chopper landing in Siachen can neither switch off its engine, nor can it stay there longer. The rough maintenance cost of the troops in Siachen per day is between $ 300,000 to 500,000. Five to six soldiers live and sleep under a small and congested roof. Solar panels are affixed to some Igloos. In either case the kerosene stove is the companion of the soldiers around which his survival exists. The black soot of the stoves colours everything black including his lungs. Sometimes soldiers have to live and sleep in tunnels gouged out in the frozen ice with a pickaxe. Hardly any one sleeps at night because of insomnia and for the fear of enemy sneaking in. Sentry duties and patrolling are difficult to perform. Normal tenure in the glacier heights is 90 days at one stretch. Units which serve in the glacier are sent to good peace stations. Soldiers are given Glacier Allowance and rewarded with gallantry medals, good postings and faster promotions after their successful tenures in the Siachen Battlefields. They live closer to the God and are cared by the Almighty. Some emotional anecdotes expressed below may give an idea of spiritual belief in soldering:-
The soldier stood and faced the God
With shinning shoes and bright brass.
Step forward you smart soldier
How shall I deal with you my dear.
God, I did my duty on the highest battle field
I am violent b’coz the world was awful and rude.
Many times I was shaken with fears
God, forgive me I have wept unmanly tears.
That I never took a penny extra for the job
Whatever was given was my genuine reward.
Step forward happily, you Soldier
Walk peacefully on Heaven’s streets
For having done well in Siachen hell.
Let us express our gratitude to military personnel who have served their country in times of peace and war in hostile and unlivable habitat and to their families for supporting them. I hope the govt fast tracks, whatever it can, to improve living conditions and fighting capability of troops deployed in Siachen particularly after disastrous avalanche of 7th April and Army Chief’s revelations of chinks in defence preparedness. It is high time the govt got serious about strengthening Army’s fighting ability in the highest, coldest, barren and bloodiest battlefield of India.