Severe shortage of clothing and food to soldiers deployed in Siachen: CAG

New delhi date. February 3, 2020, Monday

The CAG report was presented to Parliament. It was reported that soldiers stationed in Siachen, Ladakh, Doklam were struggling against the lack of clothing and food. The government had also delayed the purchase of environmentally friendly clothing and had to operate without the necessary equipment.

The CAG report for the year 2017-18 said that those deployed in high and hostile areas like Siachen, Ladakh, Doklam did not get the goods they needed at the right time.

Elevated soldiers have to run without the calories they need daily. Due to the special scale ration given to them, it is too late, so they have to run with alternative items instead of basic goods.

Veterans are constantly exposed to changing environment and therefore they have to provide environmentally friendly clothing. He was also delayed in buying clothes. Soldiers receiving clothing and equipment were deprived of new equipment and new clothing as per the old norms.

The report said that the government formed a committee in 2007 to meet the needs of soldiers' garments deployed in higher battlefields. Despite this committee, it was four years late when soldiers received their consumables. According to the 2017-18 report, it was too late to buy the soldiers' clothing, late to deliver them and there was also a huge delay in awarding the contract.

Reportedly, everything, including masks, jackets, sleeping bags, was found to be old-fashioned, as it had a serious impact on the health of the soldiers at altitude. The project to improve the living conditions of the soldiers was also temporarily arranged rather than made permanent arrangements.

According to the CAG, the government had failed to properly plan. The estimate was also arduous and was not well planned. Because of the annual planning without proper preparation, it takes longer than expected to complete the project.