I sometimes wonder why?

It’s not only children who wonder and have curiosity to know the reasons to many unanswered questions they have in mind but even grown ups wonder at times to get answers to many unusual situations of life those that relate to them or the society. I too wonder sometimes if human beings are still dwarfs even though they claims to have conquered the depths of the earth, sea’s and the oceans or for that matter the infinite Space. To me all these successes look like a jest at times when we fail to have an answer to a simple and small thing when compared to the size of the so-called achievements of science.

In an age when human being have set foot on the Moon, aiming for setting up human residential colony’s there or exploring Mars and other celestial bodies in our galaxy and even planning a pleasure trip for people on a specially designed spacecraft to the boundless Space not to mention the deadly weapons possessed by the leaders of the world which can bring an end to the human civilization in just seconds or for that matter the countless civil and military satellites hovering over our heads meant to keep a watchful eye, are tremendously tedious and unthinkable task. However, contrary to this we do not still have the power, know how to certain basic things at our command. This indeed makes the tall claims of science look dwarf.

The amazing news of a brave and lucky Indian soldier from among a group of few unfortunate ones, his colleagues, guarding the country in one of the world’s toughest, all through the year snow-bound battlefields at a height of over 20,000 feet rescued after 6 days from under tons of ice buried deep in the snow as a miracle. Army men consider the miracle a blessing of ‘OP Baba’. OP Baba an unknown soldier who died here somewhere in early eighties but whose spirit roams around this icy region often guiding and warning the soldiers of mis-happening is a revered soul by those serving here.

Siachen has sub-zero temperature that goes down to as low as -50 degrees, lurking danger of a crevasse or an avalanche that are normal and often met by soldiers. Upon return from here soldiers often experiences memory loss, shivers at night, stunted hair growth and at time many other dreaded ailments as a result of climatic conditions here.

The news and such unfortunate happenings and tough work conditions could make any reasonable person bent upon thinking on what need be corrected to make sure the well-being of the guardians of the country serving at such creepy places while they are alive and not just extending help to their dependents after they are gone!

So why are scientists rejoicing of their conquest of the depths of the earth, sea’s and the oceans or for that matter the infinite Space when there is totally no control of humans or methods devised to save lives in places like Siachen. Why are we still after the out-of-date means of securing this region when better options exist?

The recent few days has made me think of some minute details of the living condition of soldiers in the deadly terrain. Imagine how a soldier without any lament expected to guard while living in all averse conditions of the nature in a tented accommodation. These tents are specially designed! What on earth is special of it when there is no second line of defense attached to these for its occupants in case of their facing the fury of nature?  Though nature is supreme and incidences like ice wall collapsing or a crevasse are unavoidable, there certainly remains room for way out and alternatives. Pity! But we are still in primitive age on this account. Though some efforts carried out by DRDO but they seem negligible to the amount of research and alternatives that need be devised for people serving these regions.

As per official data adverse climate conditions in glacier ridden areas claim an average of 10 lives a year, these numbers do not say the everyday challenges like frost bite or the dreaded Chilblain that can dismember limbs, teeth and any other vulnerable part of the body. It’s a pity that we are unable to zero off this data even after human presence in Siachen for over three decades.

It is time to think out-of-box to make sure of alternatives to rid the men of these areas from a continuous basis. Randomly, I think of hi-tech Robots, Drones and extensive Satellite surveillance a good alternative at such unearthly places. When Robots, Drones and Satellite can do many impossible tasks in different spheres why similar alternatives can’t be devised and thought of here to replace men? Its time our planners and leaders gave a serious thought on this issue.

In similar disaster of three years back in Uttarakhand – The Kedarnath tragedy which saw the worst ever death toll in the hills that numbered in thousands of human beings and livestock being killed at the hands of nature besides the livelihood sources public properties and aquatic biodiversity destroyed at places. Numerous settlements in the hills even wiped out of existence due to this unforeseen disaster which combined deluge, flash-floods as a result of unprecedented rain and landslides leaving the topography of the place unrecognizable in no time. Here also there were no effective measures of early disaster warnings even though tall claims of our scientific achievements.

Special satellite systems capable of early warnings appraisal of avalanche, storms, deluge, flash-floods landslides and other natural calamities launched for treacherous, inhabitable and eco-fragile regions can do away with around the clock human presence. This does not mean lowering the vigil in the area, but in fact a better and more effective way to watch while saving precious human lives. While out-of-box thinking is a must the need of the hour is also to do away with the mundane and primitive style of functioning by the country in this context. Can somebody from the higher echelon of the government have an ear on this!

India mourns the passing away of Siachen avalanche survivor Lance Naik Hanamanthappa and his other colleagues. May their soul rest in peace!