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Siachen allowance is just Rs 14k
The tragic death of Saichen soldiers has brought into focus the harsh realities under which the bravehearts protect the nation on the frontiers. Besides braving the bullets from enemy across the border, the soldiers have to be on the vigil under severe weather conditions.
New Delhi/ Hyderabad: The tragic death of Saichen soldiers has brought into focus the harsh realities under which the bravehearts protect the nation on the frontiers. Besides braving the bullets from enemy across the border, the soldiers have to be on the vigil under severe weather conditions.
Most of the time soldiers fall victims to vagaries of nature than to the enemy’s bullets. More than the savage conditions under which they function, it is appalling to know how much allowance the soldiers are paid as “Siachen Allowance”. It is a shocking Rs 14,000 per month.
The deaths of soldiers have renewed the debate on the allowance. While the Telangana law-makers now get an allowances of Rs 83,000 per month, the State government is mulling to increase the law-makers’ salaries to Rs 3 lakh, including the allowances. Like the debate on the Saichen soldiers’ allowances continues, there is an outcry against the Telangana State government’s decision to increase the salaries of legislators and council members.
More soldiers died from the threat of the harsh climatic conditions and accidents related to that than the enemy bullet. A total of 879 soldiers have died on the Siachen Glacier since 1984 till date due to climatic conditions, environmental and other factors. 33 of them are Officers, 55 of them are JCOs and the rest of 791 are Sepoys/Jawans, according to a report by factly.in The Indian Army extends various types of allowances to the soldiers.
They are also paid a Siachen Glacier Allowance. Officers/ Sepoys posted to the Siachen Glacier are paid a special monthly allowance apart from their monthly salary. The current Siachen allowance for Junior Commissioned Officers (JCO) and others is Rs 14,000 per month.
The Seventh Pay Commission has proposed to increase this amount to Rs 21,000 per month. The 7th Pay commission has proposed an increase of 50% in this allowance. Soldiers at such high altitudes require 55 items out of which 20 are imported.
The Indian troops have been deployed at Siachen Glacier at an altitude of about 20,000 feet for decades to protect the borders. The harsh conditions result in multiple health related issues. As per a DRDO bulletin, high altitude is characterized by hypoxic environment, cold and ultraviolet (UV) radiations,
which causes adverse effect on work efficiency and cognitive functions of an individual along with acute mountain sickness, and sometimes debilitating frostbite or life threatening diseases like high altitude pulmonary edema (HAPE) and cerebral edema (HACE).
The Life Sciences wing of DRDO is focused on developing diagnostic, preventive & treatment protocols for acute mountains sickness, HAPE and other such conditions faced by soldiers posted on the glacier.
