This story is from October 19, 2014

ITBP martyrs’ families yet to get promised medals

While the government has as yet neither considered the 15 ITBP jawans, who died in a chopper crash during a rescue mission in the 2013 Uttarakhand deluge, for gallantry medals nor given them the promised PM’s Life Saving Medal, the force on Saturday honoured eight of its ‘martyrs’.
ITBP martyrs’ families yet to get promised medals
NEW DELHI: While the government has as yet neither considered the 15 ITBP jawans, who died in a chopper crash during a rescue mission in the 2013 Uttarakhand deluge, for gallantry medals nor given them the promised PM’s Life Saving Medal, the force on Saturday honoured eight of its ‘martyrs’.
Himveer Wives’ Welfare Association (HWWA), a welfare arm of the ITBP, felicitated the wives and mothers of these jawans in its annual exhibition.
Sources said while families of all 15 were called, only eight could arrive to participate in the felicitation ceremony.
HWWA president Sipra Goswami said the association would look after the concerns of the families of the ‘martyrs’. She also said the association would continue to work for the betterment of lives of the families.
As many as 15 ITBP men apart from five IAF personnel died when an MI 17 helicopter involved in rescue mission during the Uttarakhand deluge crashed near Gaurikund on June 25, 2013. While the IAF men were granted gallantry medals posthumously on the Republic Day, the ITBP men were not considered for the same honour.
They were instead promised PM’s Life Saving Medal. But that too is stuck in bureaucratic hurdles and hasn’t been announced as yet, sources said.
ITBP had recently raised the issue of ‘martyrdom’ with Home Minister Rajnath Singh when he visited the force headquarters in Delhi. The minister had promised to look into the issue sympathetically. While personnel from Army, Air Force and Navy get the tag of martyrs when they die in the line of duty, members of paramilitary forces get no such honours.

HWWA works for the welfare of the families of the force personnel with a specific focus on women empowerment. It trains families in food processing, tailoring, weaving, stitching, beautician course, home management, computer training, yoga classes, embroidery, pattern making, painting and child care.
HWWA also works for rehabilitation of families of force personnel, who have laid down their lives during the course of their duty, said an ITBP spokesperson.
Inaugurated on October 17, the HWWA exhibition will remain open for the public till 8 pm on Sunday at CPWD ground, Sector 12, RK Puram.
ITBP guards the 3,488 km Sino-Indian border at altitudes ranging from 9,000 ft to 18,700 ft.
End of Article
FOLLOW US ON SOCIAL MEDIA