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| Life at Siachen |
Siachen, the world's highest battlefield, has taken another toll ...10 Indian Army Bravehearts who got buried under 35 feet of snow in an avalanche last week
Siachen is one battlefield where more lives are lost due to extreme weather than due to actual warfare.
Here are some Bone - chilling facts of Life...and death at Siachen :
Location :
It is located in Karakoram range of Himalayas, at an altitude of 18000 - 20000 feet above sea level.
Challenges :
The extreme weather conditions at the glacier have made the region practically un inhabitable.
Temperature : (-) 25 degree celsius to (-) 60 degree celsius
Blizzards (Snow storms) : Winds @ 100 miles per hour, lasting for weeks at a stretch
Avalanche : A regular affair
Such extreme weather conditions make Life tough in many ways :
1.Frostbite :
Gross danger to limbs. If finger touches metal (trigger of rifle), it will stick and has to be amputated. It may even fall off.
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| Holding Gun with antifrost gloves |
3. Snow winds / Blizzards : Winds @ 100 miles per hour , lasting for weeks at a stretch
4. Low oxygen : Oxygen is only 10% of Oxygen available at Sea level. It means soldiers have to continually wear Oxygen masks.
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| Oxygen Mask-can't do without |
5. The soldiers take bath once in 1-3 months. They wear Thermal socks (14 pairs for 90 days duty)
6. The soldiers stay in Igloos, the size of a King size bed wherein 6 soldiers stay together. And they have nothing but Kerosene to keep themselves warm
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| Igloo- The size of a King Size bed - Home to 6 Soldiers |
8. They have to constantly shovel snow during snow fall to save their posts from getting buried underneath.
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| Shovelling Snow-Daily |
10. Logistics : Food, arms & ammunition are supplied by IAF helicopters. Two engine helicopters cant land there. Supplies are thrown from air and soldiers at the glacier have to retrieve the same. A make shift helipad is made at a height of 21000 feet (world's highest helipad) where small helicopter (Cheetah) lands, with its engine & rotor on). The operation has to be completed quickly to escape firing by enemy.
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| World's highest Helipad @ 21000 feet |
Eyesight impairment, Hearing impairment, Loss of memory, Loss of appetite, depression, damage to limbs
12. And yet our gutsy soldiers have the spirit to play cricket & do yoga at Siachen.
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| Cricket at Siachen |
It is really difficult to tell what is more difficult at Siachen .... Life or Death ?
But then, For our braveheart soldiers :
"Doing Difficult things is a matter of Routine. The Impossible takes a little longer"
Our soldiers Live where even vegation can't survive.
But at what Cost ?
Casualties : India has lost close to 850 soldiers at Siachen since 1984.
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| Amar Jawan |
Cost : It costs Rs 5 Crore per day to maintain army outposts at Siachen.
Strategic Importance of Siachen : The glacier is strategically important to keep Pakistan & China from encroaching into Kashmir / Ladakh and to avoid another Kargil.. India now controls 2/3rds of the glacier, thanks to Operation Meghdoot launched in April,1984, just days before Pakistan was about to capture the region.
The latest tragedy : Last week, we lost 10 more bravehearts.
"They(and their families) gave their Today so that we can live our tomorrow."
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| Salutes to You...and your families |
And finally, the unanswered question :
जीने के लिये बहुत है , छोटा सा जहाँ
बस थोड़ी सी जमीं और थोड़ा आसमाँ
होना चाहिए खेतों में ,अन्न और जल जहाँ
क्यूँ बोते हैं मौत की , हम फसल वहां ?
A tribute to braveheart Indian Soldiers who go down fighting but keep the Indian Flag High......always
A tribute to braveheart Indian Soldiers who go down fighting but keep the Indian Flag High......always
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| झंडा ऊँचा रहे हमारा |
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