Empty jam bottles are great: Fill ’em up with kerosene, drill a hole for the wick and light it. That’s what they — 10 in all — did at a post located at 19,600 feet on icy barren Siachen Glacier. Those were the darkest nights and sunless days. That’s how Akshay Singh (name changed on request) had his first day at the glacier. He was a young lieutenant with only six months of service in 2003. He got there after acclimatizing at 6,000 feet, 9,000 feet and 12,000 feet. He had to learn, and learn fast, in about 15 days how to cope with deadly ice at altitudes where even moving one’s limbs can cause breathlessness. There are several things that work against you simultaneously: Your own weight, a blinding white wilderness, gravitational pull and a load of clothes, bedroll, ration, weapon and the climbing rope. Fear is a constant companion, occasionally overcome by the desire to survive.Akshay remembered all the points in the rule book drilled into his head at Siachen Battle School, like: If left alone, what he will do, how he’d survive an avalanche, and most importantly, how he’d have nothing but himself to depend on.The first night was as if a black cloud had engulfed his post. “There was snow and darkness everywhere. The power generator lay at the headquarters, thousands of feet below. And that was meant for the equipment,” he recalls.“The jam bottles did the trick for the next four months,” he said. Then began the routine at 22,000 feet where temperatures at times drops to minus 50 degree Celsius. The task was cut out: Be alert 24×7, keep watch over the frontiers, ensure patrolling, maintain routes, clear snow, cook, and secure the Actual Ground Position Line (AGPL). Akshay’s post was on an area of about 100 metres. For his solace was a separate accommodation, he being an officer: a Fibre Reinforced Plastic (FRP) tent. Inside, there is no bed, no furniture, no posters and no family pictures. There is a bedroll, which he had carried to the post and a pillow made of a plastic sandbag filled with food wrappers to make it “fluffy”. “The first two nights I could not sleep. I had never been in this kind of atmosphere. My FRP was on a crevice (cracks in the ice). The crevice shifts in and out and at night I could hear it cracking,” he recalled.The other area of the post consisted of the men’s barrack, two toilets and a kitchen which was open from one side. “Fire hazard prevented us from cooking our food inside the tent or the barrack. We seldom felt hungry even though we had special ration such as chocolates and chicken nuggets. The drinking water came from the melting ice,” he said.Going to the kitchen also means chances of falling sick. When a man falls sick, he is a huge burden because he has to be taken on a stretcher to the nearest post with a helipad by four men 3,000 feet below. “Walking there is like tying weights to your feet and then pushing ahead. Out of the four rescuers, at least two fall sick because of exposure. Similarly, if one falls into a crevice, saving him is like rescuing a drowning man with weights attached to your body,” he said.When he was there, Pakistani side would often fire artillery guns and other weapons at his location. “We hardly used the bathroom because it had a bullet-riddled door,” he says. Right below this post at 18,500 feet was Bhagwan Singh (name changed on request) with about 28 other men. He recalled that attending the call of nature was done in the open or through a wooden board shaped as a toilet and placed among rocks. Before leaving with a group of other soldiers to a “half-link”, he remembers how OP Baba’s blessings were evoked. A half link is located between two posts. The men from a post at a lower altitude place the rations for the higher post here, because covering the entire distance is very difficult.“We would report to our commander before leaving. And the commander would turn his back to us, stand in attention and say aloud: “itne bande gaye hain” (these many men left). While returning, he would repeat the same drill and say “itne bande wapis aa gaye” (these many men have returned). Everyone believed in OP Baba. He is our protector,” said Bhagwan.Akshay recalls the no non-vegetarian days in respect for Baba. “He was in the artillery regiment and posted at the glacier. No one knows how he died. But he is known as the Guardian of the Glacier. Sometimes, he’d come in a soldier’s dreams to warn him of a disaster. Some say during their duty if they dozed off, they’d be slapped and when they awoke they would find none,” says Akshay.Akshay and his men had their own “look out man” at their post, a dog named Moti. “He was brought there as a pup. And he never slept inside the tents. He could not bark, but only whimper, and he did when the men went to the half-link. He would stop yapping when they returned,” he says. Almost four months later, Akshay and his men returned to the base camp at 12,000 feet, as per their rotation. “I had not shaved and bathed for four months. And when I returned I took a bath for one-and-a-half hours. When I shaved I got blisters, but it felt good. The unit had made continental food for us. We began eating at 8.30pm and finished at 11pm!” he says.

The condition of Lance Naik Hanamanthappa, who was miraculously found alive after remaining buried in snow for six days after the avalanche in Siachen, remains critical, according to the medical bulletin.

Lance Naik Hanamanthappa, who was earlier declared dead by the authorities, was found to be conscious but drowsy and disoriented yesterday after he was located during rescue operation.

Lance Naik Hanamanthappa Koppad, who was miraculously found alive after remaining buried under snow for six days, is comatose and his condition is extremely critical, Army Hospital Research and Referral said after he was flown in here from Siachen Glacier today.

Fortunately, there was no cold exposure-related frost bite or bony injuries to him, a medical bulletin issued by the hospital said.

“He has been placed on a ventilator to protect his airway and lungs in view of his comatose state. He remains extremely critical and is expected to have a stormy course in the next 24 to 48 hrs due to the complications caused by re-warming and establishment of blood flow to the cold parts of the body,” it said.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi with Army chief Gen Dalbir Singh and head of the medical team in the ward at a ward of Army’s Research & Referral Hospital where Lance Naik Hanumanthappa who is critical, is being treated in New Delhi on Tuesday.

The soldier, who was earlier declared dead by the authorities, was found to be conscious but drowsy and disoriented yesterday after he was located during rescue operation.

Watch: Here’s how Sashastra Seema Bal jawans brave extreme weather conditions 

“He is currently comatose and continues to be in shock with low blood pressure. He has pneumonia and his investigations have revealed liver and kidney dysfunction,” the bulletin read.

He was “severely dehydrated, hypothermic, hypoxic, hypoglycemic and in shock. He was immediately resuscitated by the doctors at the site, who had been there for the past five days in the hope of a survivor,” it said. He was treated with warm intravenous fluids, humidified warm oxygen and passive external re-warming.

Koppad was flown out from the site today by helicopter along with a medical specialist to the Siachen Base Camp, from where he was brought to the Thois air base.

He was then transferred to Delhi by a fixed-wing aircraft of IAF along with a critical care specialist of the force and a medical specialist from the base camp.

Koppad is being treated by a team of intensivists, neurologist, nephrologist, endocrinologist and surgeons. He has been administered fluids, drugs to bring up his blood pressure, besides antibiotics.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, along with Army Chief Gen Dalbir Singh Suhag, had visited the hospital earlier today.

Modi said Koppad is an “outstanding soldier” whose “endurance and indomitable spirit” cannot be described in words. “We are all hoping & praying for the best,” Modi added.

On his part, Suhag commended the brave heart for his indomitable mental robustness and his refusal to give in to harsh elements of nature.

He also conveyed best wishes on behalf of all ranks of the army for his early and complete recovery.

– See more at: http://indianexpress.com/article/india/india-news-india/siachen-avalanche-survivor-lance-naik-hanamanthappa-critical/#sthash.2Jh4ENnw.dpuf

Manav Mander

Tribune News Service

Ludhiana, February 8

Pulses are cooked in every Indian household but one hardly knows that these days, pulses are not loaded with proteins but with poison. With little check on adulteration, traders continue to put the lives of consumers at risk.From coloured stones to hazardous “khesari dal”, adulterated pulses are being openly sold in the market. The most dangerous adulteration in pulses is mixing khesari in arhar. Pure arhar costs around Rs 160-180 per kg while khesari is very cheap. Both look similar.“The cheap and low quality khesari was banned by the government in 1961. It was used to feed cattle but was banned by the government due to its side effects. Adulteration is more common in other states and traders in Punjab do not resort to such adulteration,” claims Tarsem Sharma, a wholesale pulses trader from the Kesarganj market.Commenting upon the side effects of khesari, Dr Gurmeet Singh said: “Khesari contains diamino-pro-pionic acid which could lead to paralysis of the lower body and numbness in limbs and spine”.Sources said traders start mixing khesari with normal variety of pulses after the prices of arhar soared to more than Rs 200 per kg in some markets, due to poor harvest.Khesari costs just around Rs 40-50 per kg, said sources.Don’t get attracted to the shining pulses as these may be polishes or artificially coloured.“Artificial polishing and colouring leads to cancer, so I opt for organic pulses. They might not look attractive and cost high but when it comes to health I do not compromise and always go for unpolished and chemical-free pulses,” said Neeru Grewal, a residen

Adulterants and their side-effects

• Sand, marble chips, stones are some of the adulterants found in pulses which affect the digestive tract.
• Asbestos in particulate or powder form (for polishing), which causes cancer.
• Metanil yellow (non-permitted food colour) is added to old stocks of pulses to enhance colour. It is carcinogenic and causes stomach disorders. It also causes testicular degeneration in men if consumed for a long time.
• Soluble coal tar dye is used to enhance quality and make pulses look clean. It is highly injurious to health.
• Khesari pulse is often mixed with other pulses. Regular consumption of this pulse causes paralysis of the limbs.

What is adulteration

• The technical definition of food adulteration according to the Food and Safety Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) is: “The addition or subtraction of any substance to or from food, so the natural composition and quality of food substance is affected.”

Be cautious

• Buy commodities from familiar shops and cooperative stores.
• Buy reliable brands of food with ISI mark.
• As far as possible, buy food item in sealed packets.

Check it yourself

• Dissolve half a spoon full of “besan” or turmeric powder in 20 ml of lukewarm water. Add a few drops of hydrochloric acid or any commonly available acid at home. If water turns pink, violet or purple, it shows that metanil yellow, a non-permitted colour, is present.

New York, February 7

Pakistan’s powerful intelligence service has long acted as the “manager” of international jihadi forces and it may have been involved in the rise of the Islamic State, a leading US daily today said, in a stinging commentary on Pakistan’s “intervention” in a number of foreign conflicts.Underlining that experts have found “a lot of evidence” that Pakistan facilitated the Taliban offensive, an op-ed in the New York Times said: “This behaviour is not just an issue for Afghanistan. Pakistan is intervening in a number of foreign conflicts.”“Its intelligence service has long acted as the manager of international mujahedeen forces, many of them Sunni extremists, and there is even speculation that it may have been involved in the rise of the Islamic State,” it said.It said that though Pakistan denies harbouring the Taliban and al Qaeda, and points out that it, too, is a victim of terrorism, “many analysts have detailed how the military has nurtured Islamist militant groups as an instrument to suppress nationalist movements, in particular among the Pashtun minority, at home and abroad.”“Pakistan regards Afghanistan as its backyard. Determined not to let its archrival, India, gain influence there, and to ensure that Afghanistan remains in the Sunni Islamist camp, Pakistan has used the Taliban selectively, promoting those who further its agenda and cracking down on those who don’t. The same goes for al Qaeda and other foreign fighters,” wrote Carlotta Gall, the North Africa correspondent for NYT.It said there are reports that Pakistan had a role in the rise of the Islamic State. “….It might come as a surprise that the region’s triumvirate of violent jihad is living openly in Pakistan,” Gall said as she listed out top terrorist leaders living openly in Pakistan.“First, there’s Sirajuddin Haqqani, the leader of the Haqqani network, and second in command of the Taliban. He moves freely around Pakistan, and has even visited the Pakistani intelligence headquarters of the Afghan campaign in Rawalpindi,” she said. Then there is the new leader of the Taliban, Mullah Akhtar Muhammad Mansour, who has openly assembled meetings of his military and leadership council near the Pakistani town of Quetta, the author said. — PTI

What NYT wrote

• An op-ed in New York Times says though Pakistan denies harbouring Taliban and al-Qaeda, ‘many analysts have detailed how its military nurtured militants
• “…Pak has used Taliban selectively, promoting those who further its agenda and cracking down on those who don’t”
• It says the country may have been involved in the rise of the Islamic State as well

NEW DELHI: The three service chiefs on Tuesday met defence minister Manohar Parrikar to discuss the concerns of the armed forces arising from the recommendations made by the 7th pay panel. Sources said issues related to the OROP scheme were also discussed.

President Pranab Mukherjee should have returned the government’s recommendation.

BR AMBEDKAR’S 125th birth anniversary is being celebrated with too much pomp. November 26, 1949,  the day the Constitution was adopted and which is celebrated as ‘Law Day’, was declared as ‘Constitution Day’ in November 2015. Eloquent speeches were made, reiterating the government’s commitment to the Constitution and constitutionalism. In 66 years of our republic, the BJP has been critical of successive Congress governments for their onslaught on federalism, particularly through the imposition of President’s rule. Invocation of Article 356 in Arunachal Pradesh has exposed the hypocrisy of the BJP. Since the apex court was already seized with the matter, this has become the first case of its kind where precipitative action has been taken in spite of oral assurance of Harish Salve, the Governor’s counsel. This is an effort to interfere with the judicial process. Similarly, the Governor’s decision to prepone the Assembly session without consultation with the Nabam Tuki government, with the  instruction to first take up the resolution of the Speaker’s removal,  smacks of political mala fides. The court in VB Chodhary decision of 1979 held that so long an elected government is in office, the Governor has to act on its advice. After the imposition of President’s rule, the court will have limited powers of judicial review, ie except in cases of mala  fide exercise of power. One wants to salute the Bench headed by Justice JS Khehar for asking the government to produce within 15 minutes the Governor’s report. The learned judges are aware that even serious incidents of public disorder may not be sufficient to conclude that there is breakdown of constitutional machinery.The BJP’s criticism of Congress governments as to the gross misuse of Article 356 is justified. But is it not emulating the Congress? Have earlier opposition and BJP governments been any different from Congress on President’s rule? Article 356 empowers the President to dismiss a democratically elected state government. It is an extreme and unusual power. No liberal democratic constitution of the world, except Pakistan, has such a provision. Both India and Pakistan adopted this provision from the infamous Government of India Act, 1935. Our freedom fighters protested and so the British did not implement  it. Even the Constituent Assembly witnessed a heated debate on the discretion being given to the President in dismissing a state government as presidential satisfaction, as to the breakdown of the constitutional machinery in the state, can be based either on the ‘report of the Governor or otherwise’. The term ‘otherwise’ may include anything and is against the ideals of constitutionalism.Moreover, if any advice is given by the Centre to the state and it does not pay heed, it shall be deemed under Article 365 that there is ‘breakdown of the constitutional machinery in the state and the government of the state cannot be carried on in accordance with the Constitution’. HV Kamath argued that “let us wind up the Constituent Assembly and go home. This is not the place for us: let us go to the market-place and let us go into streets”. Shibban Lal Sakena said: “We are reducing the autonomy of the states to a farce. These articles will reduce the state government to great subservience of the central government.” He said since the Government of India Act had omitted the identical provision, it was far more progressive than the proposed constitution. Naziruddin Ahmad also took it as a serious encroachment of provincial autonomy when he said: “I think we are drifting, perhaps, unconsciously, towards a dictatorship. Democracy will flourish only in a democratic atmosphere and under democratic condition.” Pointing out serious procedural flaws in the adoption of major amendments in the original clause, he said the Constitution Drafting Committee may now more aptly be called ‘Drifting Committee’.Ambedkar got Article 356 approved with the assurance that the article shall remain ‘a dead letter’. He was proved wrong as this provision has been used/abused about 150 times.In Arunachal, the Congress is making much hue and cry. There is some merit in its argument as the Congress, with 31 legislators, enjoys majority and defection was possibly engineered by the BJP. But in dismissing the Communist government in Kerala, the Congress Governor in his report had the audacity to say that “while the securing of a majority of seats in the legislature, however meagre, is a very relevant factor at the time of forming a government, it cannot be pleaded as conferring a continuing right to claim the confidence of the majority”. Indira Gandhi made extensive use of Article 356 on political considerations. She did not hesitate in using it even against the Congress governments. But the first large-scale misuse of Article 356 was made by the Janta government, of which the BJP was a constituent and its stalwarts like Advani were ministers in it. Home Minister Charan Singh wrote a letter to nine Congress chief ministers advising them to seek fresh mandate as people in the 1977 Lok Sabha polls had voted against the Congress in these states. Unfortunately, the Supreme Court approved this logic, ie President’s rule can be imposed not only in situations of political instability or loss of majority, but also if the ruling party in the state gets defeated in parliamentary elections. In 1980, when Indira returned to power, she replied in the same currency with nine similar dissolutions in one go as this time people had voted for the Congress.The dismissal of three BJP governments after the demolition of the Babri mosque in 1992 for supporting karsevaks was another instance of the misuse of powers by the Congress. This too was also upheld by the court in the famous SR Bommai case on the ground that these governments were a threat to secularism. If the court was convinced about the BJP’s lack of faith in constitutional ideals, it should have considered the cancellation of BJP’s registration as a political party rather than upholding the dismissal of BJP governments.The Vajpayee government’s recommendation for President’s rule in 1988 in Bihar was another instance of the misuse of powers under Article 356. Sunder Singh Bhandari, as Governor, sent a report that there was a breakdown of the constitutional machinery due to the deterioration of law and order. He also quoted CAG report and talked of financial anarchy. Strangely, he also noted that 1,200 contempt of court cases were pending in the Patna High Court. The charge of ‘constitutional vandalism’ was not substantiated. In fact, law and order had improved according to ‘Crime in India’ report of the Union Home Ministry. President KR Narayanan asked for the reconsideration of the recommendation and the presidential minute rebutted all charges. He also referred to the Sarkaria Commission to conclude that the Rabri government enjoyed majority. Similarly, Governor JP Rajkhowa’s report has cited absurd reasons like ‘I was abused’, ‘there was no semblance of a state government’. These are general and subjective statements. President Pranab Mukherjee should have also returned the recommendation and reminded the government that due to lack of majority in the Rajya Sabha, getting parliamentary approval would be difficult.In Bommai case, the court held that powers under Article 356 must be used sparingly. Let the Modi government rise above petty politics by revoking President’s rule in Arunachal, as the apex court is likely to quash the presidential proclamation and order a floor test. — The writer is the Vice-Chancellor of NALSAR University of Law, Hyderabad

Comrade Modi

Beware when politicians talk of poverty

Boasting, as usual, at a business summit about what a good job his government is doing, Prime Minister Modi has said that his goal is “reform to transform”. He has tried to “reform” land acquisition, making it easier for businessmen to take over land of poor farmers but it did not work out as planned. One should be cautious when politicians talk of poverty or the poor, more so when the BJP or Modi do so since they have earned a reputation for being pro-business and pro-rich.  Modi emphasises that “poor governance hurts the poor more than it hurts others”. A big government is a burden — and contrary to Modi’s own (now abandoned) slogan of “minimum government, maximum governance”. Not reining in party men instigating communal trouble or mob violence cannot be part of good governance. An atmosphere of fear and insecurity drives away foreign investment. It was amusing to see Comrade Modi bat for the poor. He chided experts who described benefits to business people as “incentives” and those to the poor as “subsidies”.  He may not like to be reminded that his government has cut budgetary allocations for the social sector, including education and health, as well as the rural employment guarantee programme. A universal access to banking is meaningless in the absence of universal social security. Recurring farmer suicides and protests indicate agrarian discontent. If 60% Indians dependent on agriculture struggle for survival, the talk of financial inclusion makes little sense. The Modi government spends to spur growth for the benefit of industry. Instead of effecting austerity and cutting administrative expenditure, it taxes people to fund its pro-business policies. Oil prices have tumbled from $115 a barrel to $30 but cooking gas, diesel and petrol still cost as much as under the UPA. New taxes have been levied for pet Modi projects such as clean Ganga and Swachh Bharat. Tax relief has been denied to the salaried class but extended to foreign firms. Service tax has been raised across the board. The promised action on black money has not happened. The government is working to create new opportunities — but mostly for the well-off in India, leaving the poor in Bharat in the cold.