To strengthen Indian positions along the Indo-China frontier,
ITBP has launched a drive to procure local varieties of tough mules and yak to
reach supplies to its snow-hit posts as also to keep in good humour the native
population while securing the border.
The border guarding force, which secures 3,488
km of this icy frontier from the Karakoram Pass in Ladakh to Jachep La in
Arunachal Pradesh, has launched an aggressive drive to purchase sturdy
livestock like horses, mules, ponies, yak and dogs from the locals living in
these areas.
"The initiative has been launched keeping
in mind two things. First, by purchasing local born and reared animals the
force is getting trained and tough four-legged companions who are accustomed to
the Himalayan climate and hence are more reliable. They need less care and
rarely get ill.
"Secondly, the force stands to make some
good friends with the local population as it gives money and financially
empowers the locals by procuring these animals from them at government rates which are quite
handsome," a senior Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) commander said.
Earlier, the official said, the procurement was done in a
semi-centralised fashion and the ground units based in Itanagar (Arunachal
Pradesh), Dehradun (Uttarakhand) or Guwahati (Assam) used to float tenders and
procure animals for the ITBP Animal Transport (AT) wing.
These animals were later sent to the upper
reaches from where they would trek to border posts.
"While what ITBP got was good, what it is
getting now is the best. A good number of yaks and ponies have been procured
under the new initiative which is being conducted under the modified strategy
of the Border Area Development Programme (BADP) of the Union Home Ministry
which aims to take along local border population while securing country's
borders," sources said without giving out the exact number of animals
bought.
To supplement these numbers, the force is also hiring over 70
personnel for working as handlers and caretakers in the AT wing of ITBP. The
force calls this wing as its most 'vital' component and 'backbone' for survival
in the hills and extremely harsh border areas.
Sources said new ITBP DG Krishna Chaudhary has fast-tracked
the recruitment of these personnel so they can be quickly trained and deployed
in the AT wing.
The move assumes significance as the government
has recently sanctioned over 50 new ITBP posts in Arunachal Pradesh and Sikkim
and bolstered its strength at a number of posts after a spate of transgressions
by the Chinese PLA in the Ladakh sector.
According to available data, the AT wing carried 39,24,701
kilograms of logistics, ration, supplies, medicines, arms and ammunition and
other load by traversing 4,62,121 km last year.
"The AT is the most vital component to keep open the
axis of maintenance in border posts along China which witness frequent snow
blizzards and remain cut-off from the base for a number of months. The AT
functions largely between the months of April-October after which the climate
becomes so harsh that they cannot be used any further," they said.
A number of ITBP posts are located at heights
ranging between 9,000 and 18,500 feet amidst thin oxygen levels and a
continuous threat of avalanches and snow storms.