For ITBP, snow and lack of oxygen deadlier than bullets, bombs

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According to the data, more than 50 per cent of the disabled jawans and officers of the ITBP, which guards the Sino-Indian border in the higher reaches of the Himalayas, have either suffered amputation of limbs or paralysis due to extremely harsh weather conditions. Only 10 per cent of the jawans suffered blast injuries.

The data was released at a counselling-cum-rehabilitation and training programme organised on Tuesday by the ITBP in association with the Aditya Mehta Foundation (AMF), an NGO that helps athletes with disabilities pursue sports. ITBP calls its disabled jawans Divyang (specially abled).

Of the 86 disabled jawans called to the workshop — the invitation was only extended to those who could show up at short notice — 65 turned up. According to ITBP records, these jawans have suffered disabilities in the last 15 years but continue to work with the force. Analysis of the disabilities shows that 29 jawans suffered amputation and frostbite due to extreme weather conditions. Hypertension and nerve-related problems led to disabilities of 11 jawans, while paralysis and spinal injury incapacitated eight jawans. Most of these disabilities have been attributed to extremely cold conditions and lack of oxygen, said ITBP sources.

Conversely, only nine jawans suffered blast injuries owing to their deputation in the Naxal-hit Chhattisgarh. Eight jawans have suffered fractures or deformity of limbs, while 13 have either lost their sight or hearing. The remaining eight have been incapacitated for various other reasons.

“Deficiency of oxygen and the biting cold make survival very difficult on the China border. We never fear the enemy, but what can we do about the weather? My brain has been operated on twice and I am now recovering. It took me two years to accept that a commando like me could be paralysed,” said Yadav, who is now engaged in administrative work at the force’s Alwar-based unit.

An ITBP officer, who has worked both in Ladakh and Arunachal Pradesh, said, “Many officers and jawans also suffer memory loss after they come back from deputation to Ladakh. They fail to recognise their own colleagues. Cerebral and pulmonary edema are very common during postings there.”

Hinting at how some of these injuries are caused, ITBP spokesperson Vivek Pandey said, “During to and fro movement of troops through uneven terrain, snow areas, avalanche-prone zones, landslides, rainforests, mountain rivers, glaciers and rocky areas, the personnel of the force are exposed to various challenges.”

Notably, the data is available only for those who were invited to the workshop. Sources said about 20 more such disabled personnel could not be invited. “It also does not include jawans and officers who have quit the force after their disability. This is the first such data analysis. Full data would be available only after a detailed analysis,” said an ITBP officer.

The force is now trying to rehabilitate such jawans. Speaking at the workshop, ITBP DG Krishana Chaudhary said Divyang personnel should use facilities provided by the AMF to take up the sports. “The force is committed to the welfare of its Divyang personnel,” he said.

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