Sanjha Morcha

Army veterans fume at garbage order

Army veterans fume at garbage order
Army lifting garbage left by tourists at a high altitude area.

Rachna Khaira

Tribune News Service

Jalandhar, September 28

Training guns at the BJP-led Union Government asking armed forces to clean up high altitude areas (HAAs) and operational (OP) areas under the Swachata Abhiyan, veterans of the armed forces have slammed the Centre for “further degradation of armed forces”.Defence Minister Nirmala Sitaraman had announced during her recent visit to Kasauli that the PMO had desired that the HAAs be cleaned of litter left behind by tourists and that this order would be carried out by the Ministry of Defence.Launching a full-fledged war against the “wild” decision on social media sites, the veterans have uploaded photographs of serving personnel carrying an AK-47/INSAS rifle in one hand and a garbage bin in the other.Some have even uploaded caricatures with a whole Army squadron giving guard of honour to a political leader with “inverted brooms”. The war veterans have condemned the government for degrading the Army that carried out 18 surgical strikes by making them part of the ‘Kachra division’ having a div sign ‘Red Broom’.Coming down heavily on the Union Government, Lieutenant- General HS Panag (retd) has questioned its silence over the ambiguity of the orders. “Despite much uproar and confusion reported over the issue, the Union Government has not clarified the role of the armed forces in the cleanliness drive. If the government wanted them the role of an educator, it should have provided them funds. However, if it wanted to utilise them as a labour force, no act can be more shameful and degraded for our armed forces till date,” said Gen Panag.He further questioned the need of such orders to be given in the first place. “Why have the state governments in J&K, Uttrakhand and North East not developed the sanitation infrastructure in tourists places and if so, why have they allowed tourists to come to such places? Why should the Army be made a scapegoat everytime?” asked Gen Panag.He also slammed the serving officers to carry out the orders without seeking a clarification on the orders.Maj-Gen Satbir Singh too has slammed the Union Government for the move. “With the recent moves of the degradation of Army ranks, a huge cut in the canteen and other defence welfare services, the government seems to be testing the patience of our serving personnel which is soon running out. It is high time the the Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces should intervene to further prevent the degradation of the armed forces in the country,” said Gen Satbir.Meanwhile, the Army veterans have mooted a proposal to the Union Government to extend employment schemes like MGNREGA in these areas to provide employment opportunities to people living in HAAs and OP villages.The veterans felt that the cost-cutting plan of the Union Government to upgrade the technical expertise of the Army will serve no purpose if its men are made busy to lift the garbage left by tourists in HAA and Op areas.

‘Degradation of armed forces’

Veterans feel that the cost-cutting plan of the Union Government to upgrade the technical expertise of the Army will serve no purpose if its men are made busy to lift the garbage left by tourists in high-altitude and operational areas. The veterans have mooted a proposal to the Union Government to extend employment schemes like MGNREGA in these areas to provide job opportunities to people living in these areas.


“Why have the state governments in J&K, Uttrakhand and North East not developed the sanitation infrastructure in tourists places and if so, why have they allowed tourists to come to such places? Why should the Army be made scapegoat everytime?” — Lieutenant-Gen HS Panag (retd)