BSF guards endure 55 deg C, blinding sandstorms in Rajasthan desert to protect Pak border

Sam (Rajasthan): From enduring 55 levels Celsius in summer season to zero diploma Celsius in winter – BSF personnel have their share of woes, as they maintain a watch on the Indo-Pakistan border within the sprawling desert terrain in Rajasthan’s Jaisalmer district. The vagaries of nature additionally embrace blinding sandstorms, when SUVs have to present approach to camels and the border guards must know easy methods to trip them to guard the worldwide boundary.

A strict vigil and patrolling alongside the 464 km-long boundary is maintained to make sure that there isn’t any incident of intrusion or drug trafficking from the opposite aspect, Commandant of the BSF’s 154 Battalion Manjit Singh informed PTI.

That is the longest stretch of the Worldwide border in Rajasthan. “Excessive climate circumstances of very excessive temperature and sandstorms in summer season and freezing winters are a significant problem for the troops patrolling the border,” Singh mentioned.

In summers, the temperature rises as much as 55 levels C and in winter, it drops to zero diploma C, he identified.

After they’re posted in these areas they undergo an acclimatisation course of and so they adapt simply to the circumstances, Singh mentioned. There’s a proposal to introduce “cool jackets” for the troops patrolling this patch of the Worldwide border, which is able to assist scale back the physique temperature by six to seven levels C. “A pilot testing (of cool jackets) shall be quickly carried out and if it proves profitable, it will likely be included within the BSF stock of the realm”, the BSF official mentioned.

Sandstorms in summer season are additionally a significant problem with patrolling SUVs unable to maneuver within the terrain.

“In such a scenario, patrolling by the troops is finished on camel backs and 44 animals are deployed on this sector. Camels are an integral a part of border patrolling within the deserts and our personnel quickly turn out to be adept at using the animal,” Singh added.

On the safety angle, he mentioned monitoring of drone motion is a significant surveillance exercise of the troops.

There’s a menace of drug trafficking with the assistance of drones however excessive alert is maintained and there was no such incident within the latest previous, the BSF officer added.

“Drone actions have been sighted however it’s totally on the Pakistan aspect of the border and has not intruded into our house as a strict surveillance regime is adopted by the BSF,” he mentioned.

The drone exercise could also be for surveillance or reconnaissance functions, he mentioned.

A powerful intelligence community on the floor degree coupled with the digital surveillance of susceptible patches has additionally ensured that there isn’t any crossing of the border from both aspect, the officer mentioned.

“The individuals of the border villages report instantly to the BSF if any outsider is seen of their space and we have now been in a position to apprehend those that had been planning to cross the border or intruded into our aspect,” he added.

The double fencing of the border has additionally decreased the potential for intrusion, Singh mentioned.

Because the inhabitants is scarce on both aspect of the border, any try to intrude is straight away noticed, he added.