Army lost 163 men in Siachen in last 10 yrs
TNN Bureau. Updated: 3/22/2018 10:31:18 AM
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Armed forces 52,000 soldiers short
NEW DELHI, MARCH 22 : The Army has lost 163 personnel deployed at the Siachen Glacier, the world’s highest battlefield, during the last 10 years, according to details provided by Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman.
Six officers were among the army personnel who lost their lives while guarding the glacier which is at an altitude of above 20,000 ft.
The Siachen Glacier in the Karakorum range is known as the highest militarised zone in the world where the soldiers have to battle frostbite and high winds, even as Avalanches and landslides are common occurrence with temperatures dropping to as low as minus 60 degrees Celsius.
Giving year-wise details on the deaths in a written reply to a question in the Lok Sabha, Sitharaman said nine army men lost their lives in 2008 followed by 13 in 2009, 50 in 2010 and 24 in 2011. Twelve army men had died in 2012, 11 in 2013 and eight in 2014.
The number of deaths in 2015 was 11 while it was 20 and five in 2016 and 2017, respectively.
“Indian Army soldiers deployed in extremely harsh terrain and weather conditions are suitably equipped and properly trained to undertake operational challenges and carry out their mandated tasks,” Sitharaman said.
Meanwhile, the government informed that the armed forces are facing a shortage of over 52,000 soldiers with the Army topping the list with over 21,000 vacant posts.
According to the details provided by Minister of State for Defence Subhash Bhamre in the Lok Sabha, the Army is reeling under a shortage of 21,383 personnel, while the number of vacant posts in the Navy is 16,348 and 15,010 in the Air Force.
Replying to a question, he said 7,680 posts of officers are lying vacant in the Army.
Asked about the implementation of a project to strengthen 73 strategic roads along the India-China border, he said the work on 23 roads with a total length of 981 km had been completed.
He said the work on 33 other roads having a total length of 2,436 km was going on.
The project was approved by the government in 2006-07 and it was to be completed by 2012.