The Tekanpur-based Tear Smoke Unit (TSU) of the BSF has undertaken an ambitious project to automate the entire manufacturing process to produce 10 lakh tear smoke munitions every year from its present capacity of 1.25 lakh munitions per annum to meet the increased domestic demand of tear smoke munitions from the Central security forces and State Police.

Exceeding its capacity, the Unit has been producing over 4 lakh munitions every since 2010. With a robust research and development (R & D) unit, the TSU has so far developed 24 new products, including Chilli grenade. Apart from the Central paramilitary force, the Unit also supplies munitions to the State police forces.

“TSU has lived up to its expectation and achieved the record production of 4 lakh nos. of Tear Smoke Munitions continuously from the year 2010 and onwards against the rated capacity of 1.25 lakh munitions per year,’ BSF Director General DK Pathak told the inaugural session of the annual governing body meeting of TSU on Tuesday.

TSU has been awarded with ISO 9001:2008 &14001:2004 Certification for Quality and Environment Management and placed at par with similar production units in the world. TSU is producing 19 types of munitions matching global standard for all State Police and Armed Forces of the Nation, Pathak said.

TSU provides a wide range of products which enable law enforcing agencies to handle various challenging law and order situations without using lethal weapons.

Products offered by TSU include lachrymatory munitions, stun munitions, impact munitions and customized munitions for special operations. Timely and proper utilisation of tear smoke munitions has saved valuable human lives and public assets. During previous year, TSU supplied 4.32 lakh tear smoke munitions to all the State Police Forces.

The TSU has completed more than 38 years of its existence since it began operations in 1976.In his address to the Governing Body, Pathak congratulated the management of TSU for continuing with the past tradition of ensuring highest standards of quality, timely production, introducing innovations and improvement in the field of less lethal munitions.

Others who attended the annual meeting included Additional Directors General (ADG) of Bureau of Police Research and Development (BPR&D), CRPF, BSF Academy and officials from Delhi Police, State Police, Ordnance Factories Board besides officials from the ministries Home and Finance. General Manager of TSU Edwin John Bennet and IG (Provisioning) of BSF Anil Kumar also attended the meet.