Amid no signs of an immediate troop withdrawal by China, India is ready to live in harsh conditions in eastern Ladakh this winter, for which preparations have already been made. The Army has completed the establishment of habitat facilities for troops in the sector.
A video released by the military shows troop accommodation with beds, cabinets and heaters. Some bedrooms have single beds, while the living room has bunk beds.
#CLOCK East Ladakh: To ensure operational efficiency for the troops deployed in winters, the Indian Army has completed the establishment of habitat facilities for all troops deployed to the sector. pic.twitter.com/H6Sm5VG541
– ANI (@ANI) November 18, 2020
The Army said that in addition to the smart camps with built-in facilities that have been built over the years, additional state-of-the-art habitats have recently been created with built-in arrangements for electricity, water, heating, health and hygiene facilities to accommodate the troops.
“Troops on the front line are housed in heated tents based on the tactical considerations of their deployment. In addition, adequate civilian infrastructure has also been identified to meet any emerging requirements,” he said. In the region, the temperature drops to minus 30-40 degrees Celsius and experiences up to 40 feet of snowfall after the month of November. Furthermore, road access to the region is also affected for a short period of time, he said.
“In order to ensure the operational efficiency of the troops deployed in winters, the Indian Army has completed the establishment of habitat facilities for all troops deployed to the sector,” the Army said. India and China have been locked in a military confrontation since the beginning of May in eastern Ladakh.
News18 had previously reported that the Army is acquiring Russian tents to cope with the winter conditions. A source said that the ordinance factory in Kanpur has been contacted to acquire these stores. China has built semi-permanent structures in Pangong and other LAC sticking points. Officials explained that the closure meant that some of the contractors that may have helped the Indian military build pre-fabricated structures to house the troops were unavailable. Russian tents that can withstand the cold of Siberia have been reached as the quickest and most effective alternative.
ITBP jaws, having a better understanding of the climate and living conditions due to prolonged deployment, have also decided to rely on ‘shakkarpara’ as the superfood. ‘Shakkarpara’ is a North Indian snack where wheat flour dough is fried and dipped in sugar syrup.
“The wheat it contains is filling up, the sugar gives you energy. It is easy to make and transport,” explained a jawan deployed about this unusual choice. Troop headquarters in Delhi also confirmed that batches of ‘shakkarpara’ were being prepared and shipped to outposts.
The water supply is the other big concern in the heights that the Indian soldiers have occupied. In some outposts, running water has been provided from a land-based source. The people of Chushul have helped the Indian army transport water to other places.
(With PTI inputs)
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