Lack of rations, gear for soldiers in Siachen, Ladakh: CAG

There are huge shortages and grossly inadequate reserves of specialised winter clothing, snow goggles, multi-purpose boots and other equipment for Army troops deployed in high-altitude areas like Siachen, Ladakh and Doklam.

CAG report says that the soldiers are also not getting proper rations sanctioned for the requisite calorific intake.

The defence ministry, on its part, told CAG that the deficiencies in the high-altitude clothing and equipment were in the Army HQs reserves “which will be made up in due course of time” despite budgetary constraints, but they “did not exist” at the level of troops deployed in the field.

An Army officer, in turn, said, “The CAG audit covers the period from 2015-16 to 2017-18."

"Soldiers are deployed in areas like Siachen, where posts are located at heights ranging from 16,000 to 22,000-feet.”

It takes around Rs 1 lakh to clothe a single soldier for the forbidding Siachen heights.

The “upgradation as well as indigenisation” of specialised extreme winter clothing and gear is still pending due to lack of funds.

The CAG report, tabled in Parliament, said there are 24% to 100% deficiencies in the authorised holdings for different items in the Army HQs reserves, which must be always maintained for any exigency.

Soldiers, for instance, had to make do with recycled multi-purpose boots, which protect feet at temperatures up to minus 55 degree Celsius. These shoes were not available from November 2015 to September 2016.

Similarly, the stock level of all-terrain goggles was “critically low”, ranging from just 5.6% to 16.1% against the authorised levels.

On the ration front, the audit watchdog said special scales of ration are authorised for the troops to meet their daily energy requirements.

“But sanctioning costly substitutes in lieu of basic items on same cost resulted in reduced quantity of calorie intake ranging between 48% to 82.75%, of the troops. Provision of rations at reduced scales with lesser calorific value would have impact on the health and fitness of troops posted at high-altitude areas” it said.

Asking the MoD to take strong action against those responsible for lapses, the CAG said, “Delayed procurements and delayed receipt of contracted items led to an acute shortage of essential clothing and equipment and timely issue of the same to troops. Sub-standard items like face-masks, jackets and sleeping bags were procured of old specifications which deprived the troops from the benefits of using improved products.”

The facts of the CAG report are alarming and show the careless approach of the government towards the national security.