Life is hell on those icy tops
By Himmat Singh Gill

FORBIDDING, majestic and aloof stands the dreary, barren and windswept plateau land of Dras, as one enters Ladakh from Zoji La, on the winding road from Srinagar to Leh. From here on, there will be little greenery or foliage besides the odd village grove or the barely discernible stunted treeline found deep down in the river valleys of the Suru, the Shingo, the Dras and the mighty Indus as it makes a sharp U-turn near Khaltsi, a small hamlet nestling in the rocky outcrops of the gigantic mountains that rise a towering height of 16,000 feet and more.

Somewhere midway through Zoji La and Leh lies the district headquarters of Kargil, and its military headquarters assigned to look after security of the Kargil sector. This is an operational command, covering the entire security of Dras, Channigund, Kargil, Budhkharbu and Batalik, where the Indian posts rise to 18,000 feet and above as, in Batalik Top, Shangruti Top and Chorbat La.

Life is never easy in these areas from the first day of the "acclimatisation" period itself, with the body undergoing certain metabolic changes due to the rarefied air and the lack of oxygen, especially at the highest of our positions and ‘listening posts’. The body is tuned in, in stages, and then only is the soldier sent in for his operational role, be it patrolling or manning the forward posts. The ‘battalion aid posts’ and the section hospitals take care of any medical disorders or casualties that may take place with the serious ones being pulled out by "casevac", which is another name for casualty evacuation by helicopter. These are not the heights for those who are not fully physically fit, and everyday brings its own challenges, which have to be expeditiously met.

The posts that our troops man on the Line of Control, have to be kept supplied with water, rations, equipment and munitions of many kinds throughout the year. Since nearly all of these locations do not lend themselves to air supply and air maintenance, the posts have to be stored with tinned meat substitutes, dehydrated foods and powdered milk, besides the "fresh" vegetables, potatoes and fruit, and the "Meat on Hoof", (MOH), another name for live animal stock which is often slaughtered on site. This to be supplied on a regular basis. Lack of fresh food stuff can lead to vitamin deficiencies, and this eventuality is avoided at all cost. A force comprising of local porters and ponies, mustered in each defended sector, transports on a daily basis the supplies and ammunition to each forward post, with the troops themselves often chipping in, in an emergency.

Some of our posts lie in such formidable terrain, where the gradient is often over 60°, that even mules and ponies are seen to be reluctant to negotiate the climb. No sensible militaryman ever rides these sturdy mules at these heights, where often even the wild mountain goats fear to tread , because one step on a loose mountain trail, can hurtle you down 14,000 feet into the stony gorge or river valley below. It is the land of the fittest, both mentally and physically. The arrival of letters and the post, the field cable line to the nearest post or the base below, and the transistorised radio provide the only outlet to the outside world. Life up there on these rugged, icy tops, is tough and lonely.

The operational routine and tasks on these posts guarding the LoC take up the better part of the day and night. At night, a ‘stand to’ is carried out on the post, where extreme vigilance is necessary so that the enemy cannot creep in and attack our position. Throughout the night, till early dawn, small-sized reconnaissance patrols monitor the area of responsibility, seeking out at any signs of enemy movement, build-up or activity, and reporting it to their higher commanders. Listening posts, (LPs), in ones and twos take up static positions at vantage points and heights, reporting any movement of the enemy. Often such small parties are accompanied by the "observation post" or the "OP" which is trained to bring down artillery fire on identified targets. Each defended post in the mountains is linked by fire and patrolling, with the adjoining post. Aggressive patrolling, in the shape of a "strong patrol", is often carried out by day and night in winter and summer so that any discernible shift in the enemy placement is not missed out. Recce patrols are normally lightly armed and move quickly to gain information of enemy dispositions and designs, and can often be ambushed by a clever, waiting enemy. "Protective patrols" are stronger in manpower and firepower, have sustaining power and can inflict heavy damage even on an entrenched enemy. All these activities, carried out continuously and in all seasons, leave little time for rest and recreation for a soldier on an LoC that is now 50 years old. When open hostilities are in progress, the jawan has to strive all the more, to also take care of his buddy who may have fallen in an attack or a bombardment.

There is no substitute to continuous and effective patrolling on these borders. Patrols are the eyes and ears of ground intelligence from the forward lines, and provide the latest information and intelligence, even more than satellite and air surveillance, which by its very nature can become outdated in next to no time. Certain tell-tale signs in Chorbat La or Batalik Top today, located from the air, might not be there in the next few hours. It is only effective patrolling by the infantryman which will get one this intelligence. Our patrolling along the entire LoC in J&K needs to be expeditiously toned up.

The terrain in the Kargil sector is in many ways tougher than that found in the Siachen sector. It is not always the height that matters, but more often than not, the vertical gradient that one encounters on certain mountain massifs. A very steep gradient from the river valley floor makes climbing up extremely difficult, with no footpaths or mule tracks available. The jawans have to often do rock climbing before they can reach anywhere near the top. In the Kargil sector, all along the LoC, the gradient to the mountain tops is easier (more gradual), on the Pakistan side, making their task of movement, build-up and surprise a little easier. It also enables the other side to construct their laterals and tracks needed for daily maintenance, in lesser time and with lesser effort. Nature has not been that kind to us in this regard, resulting in fatal casualties to our forces, especially when the intruder is dominating the battlefield by fire from the hilltops.

The other point that must be explained here is that in the mountains only the fittest will survive. Recruitment from the hills, to fight in the hills, a younger age command profile of the officer cadre which in our case leads from upfront, (note our officer casualties), and a fully acclimatised field force, are the need of the day. The officer and the jawan who give their lives for the nation must be continuously assured that in case they do not return, their families and near and dear ones will be the complete responsibility of the Government of India.

So, do spare a thought for those who are now climbing up the heights of Pt 13,620, the high post straddling Kargil town, or standing in the sunglare of the icy wastes of Chorbat La.