Notwithstanding the threat of COVID-19, the Border Roads Organisation (BRO) personnel are working relentlessly to completely replace Daporijo bridge (430 feet Multi-Span Bailey Bridge), the only lifeline of Upper Subansiri district, Arunachal Pradesh to restore Lines of Communication for all 451 villages and security forces located along the Line of Actual Control(LAC)facing China.
The armed forces have also activated isolation wards near the LAC and the Line of Control(LOC) facing Pakistan to deal with any case of the pandemic. The Army may also recall retired personnel with medical expertise if a need arises to shore up resources.
Giving details of the BRO undertaking the mission to construct the bridge, officials said here on Saturday more than 100 personnel of 23 BRTF/Project Arunank, on special request from the local administration, is working in full swing in spite of the dilapidated state of the existing bridge.
They said the BRO is committed to opening this vital line of communication by planned date, with all necessary precautionary measures. This bridge will ensure uninterrupted supplies like food and ammunition to the soldiers deployed on the LAC besides catering to the needs of the local population, sources said.
The BRO is the lead construction agency to build strategically important roads all along the LOC and LAC in inhospitable terrain and inclement weather. At present, the BRO is entrusted with the responsibility of constructing 72 strategic roads mostly in states having the LAC facing China.
Given this backdrop, the BRO in the northern part of the country is presently engaged in snow clearance operations on Manali - Leh axis, day and night despite inclement weather and COVID 19 threat to provide relief to Lahaul valley and Ladakh in an earlier time frame. Presently, Rohtang Pass and Baralachala Pass are being cleared by four snow clearance teams. This is the first time, BRO personnel were inducted by air to Sarchu to carry out snow clearance of mighty Baralachala Pass from Sarchu side.
In a connected issue, Director General Armed Forces Medical Services(AFMS) Lt General Anup Banerji said here isolation wards at peripheral hospitals were activated at Army formations along LOC and LAC.
Moreover, “Intensive information, education and communication campaigns are going on for serving personnel. Leave extension of those on leave as well as curtailment of leave to bare minimum have been imposed. Segregation facilities have been set up to observe troops already back from leave from various States,” he said.
As regards the ongoing efforts to fight the pandemic, he said 28 Service Hospitals were earmarked as COVID hospitals for managing purely Corona virus cases. This will include Armed Forces as well as civilian patients transferred from state health authorities, in case their capacity is overwhelmed.
Banerji also said as of now, there are five hospitals across Army, Navy and Air Force which can carry out COVID test. These include Army Hospital Research and Referral, Delhi; Command Hospital Air Force, Bangalore and Armed Forces Medical College, Pune; Command Hospital (Central Command) Lucknow; Command Hospital (Northern Command) Udhampur. Six more hospitals are being equipped shortly with the resources to begin testing.
On the availability of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), the AFMS chief said it is a challenge at national as well as global level, adding that advisory for rational usage of PPE has been issued to the Services.
“The AFMS is presently geared up with adequate PPEs for use in our hospitals. Additional procurement is also being planned to tide over crisis foreseen during the coming weeks and months since the Armed Forces have been directed to augment medical resources for the civil health set up also,” he added.
