Having been at Kargil and commanded large mountain formations in high altitude, one is aware of the problems one confronts. These include, among others, acute loneliness, difficulty in breathing, cases of pulmonary odema, snow blindness, no fresh vegetables and greens, delayed mail, and families forced to stay on “separate accommodation” for years.

My wife and children had to suffer such living in Chandigarh twice over and one can imagine the case of jawans today when the joint family system of living together in villages and towns has vanished altogether. Yet, the niggardly attitude of the government to the jawans’ salaries and pension as doled out in the Sixth Pay Commission report seems to be our only fate.

Defence Minister A.K. Antony and Finance Minister P. Chidambaram should read this article, if they have missed it out, so that they can come to grips with reality and do what must be done for the soldiery that they often swear by so frequently.

A quick flying visit by a minister for an hour or so to these regions does not give one the true picture of life at these terribly inhospitable heights. The government should start looking after the soldiers before it is too late.

By- (Maj-Gen HIMMAT SINGH GILL (retd), )