Come the summer and the security forces engaged in anti-insurgency operations have to encounter with the grave problem of searching water source in this intriguing hilly terrain of Gondwana, not a simple task specially when the danger of insurgents targeting jawans lurking all the way. The problem is so serious that it even changes the entire course of operation against the rebels.
Notably, Paramilitary jawans sent on combing/search operations in insurgency-hit areas generally take water bottles with themselves but in emergency situations they have to depend on local sources of water like river, ponds, natural springs etc most of which dry up during the summer forcing the security jawans to dig up hole in riverbed to get some water to quench their thirst.
But water found this way is generally contaminated due to which a number of jawans using the water fall prey to malaria. The problem has become so acute that in summer season the direction of anti-insurgency operation is virtually decided on the basis of presence of water sources in the area as the top officials are also familiar with this problem.
Police Superintendent of Bijapur Prashant Agrawal said in summer direction of the search/combing operation is set only after assessing the condition of the health of jawans sent and availability of water in the area.
Around 40 thousand jawans of Central Reserve Police Force, Chhattisgarh Armed Forces and District police force are fighting against insurgents in Bastar. Though the jawans take food packets and water bottles with them while out on operational duty, in emergency situations searching water sources in this hilly terrain is an uphill task for them. But having not many alternatives, they have to use the raw water of river and springs. They take chlorine tablets and hand filter papers with them to use the river water only after chlorination and filtration, the exercise often proves futile leading to jawans falling prey to Malaria as well as other water-borne diseases.
According to police department data, at least 180 paramilitary jawans suffered from malaria during 2007 and 2008 in Bijapur and Dantewada districts alone.