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| Siachen dispute a major drain on economy | | | NIRBHAY JAMMUAL
If the machinations of Islamabad and militants in Jammu and Kashmir has been causing economic bleed to India,the Siachen mountain glacier conflict,since 1984 when the two sides fought fierce battle,has sucked India's economy.For the first seven years of the conflict India had to suffer biggest ever economic bleed and loss of Army manpower.It would cost anything between Rs.300 to Rs.400 crores a day for sending eatables and other necessaries to the troops deployed on the 19000 ft high and 64-km long mountain glacier where not a blade of grass grows.Carrying kerosene oil and diesel to these heights was a colossal job involving heavy money.In the initial years at least 10 per cent of jawans,deployed on the snowy slopes,where the temperature drops to minus 45 degrees celsius were maimed on account of frostbite.Others either died or were incapacitated for sevring in the Army because of pulmonary ailments.The Defence Ministry had to bank on imports,imported jackets,snow boots and prefabricated tents etc.These jackets would save jawans from the icey winds which could form ice in the arm pits.
Though during the last 20 years there has been no major incidents of exchange of fire between the two sides,the dispute has not been resolved.It has cost India billions of rupees but Delhi did not want to give an opportunity to Pakistani troops for snapping the supply lines to people and the troops in Ladakh.The Siachen glacier does not have any potential of changing the face of India's economy yet Delhi has preferred to pay heavily for retaining the mountain glacier which is a strategic belt in eastern Ladakh.It is important in terms of India's defence and geographical gains.It is in this context that India has preferred to retain the mountain glacier at any cost.During the last 15 years improvement in the mode of suupply line has been made with the result the level of cost escalation in carrying troops,ammunition and essential items has been reduced.The world has appreciated the guts Delhi has shown.The world has lauded the stamina and strength of the Indian troops for guarding the mountain glacier despite severe odds.And if the US rmy Chief,Gen.George W.Casey,flew to the heights close to the Siachen mountain glacier two days he was not doing so for trekking or for sightseeing.He wanted to study the measures the Indian Army authorities have taken in hand for defending the mountain belt in highly unfriendly weather conditions.What help the US Government will gain from the study of the belt by Gen.Casey ?The American Government would like to use the procedure adopted by India in making its soldiers survive in difficult circumstances in Afghanistan where the NATO forces are engaged in fighting the menace of the Talibans.
Gen.Caey's visit could help both Pakistan and India to cut down their expenses on the defence.But again Islamabad is in favour of needling India by keeping the Siachen and Sir Creek dispute alive alongwith the Kashmir issue.During the past nine years we had reports suggesting that India and Pakistan were on the threshhold of hammering out a solution of the Siachen and Sir Creek disputes.But the settlement continues to dodge India.Even those who have no knowledge of economy and economics would not waste time in saying that by keeping the Siachen and Sir Creek dispute alive both India and Pakistan were frittering away whatever little economic gains they were achieving.By keeping these two disputes unsettled India is a bigger loser than Pakistan because the former has to pump in more resopurces,in terms of man and machine power,for defending the glacier than the latter because India has not shown any extra territorial ambition.One thing is certain if these disputes are settled Pakistan will not face any threat of bankruptcy.It is for Islamabad to understand it and not for the separatists in Kashmir to tell Pakistan to mount pressure on Siachen. |
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