Dismissing apprehensions that the disaster experienced in Uttarakhand might have damaged some of the Army posts along the international border between India and China, Chief of Army Staff General Bikram Singh on Friday said that the Army posts of strategic importance in the border areas are safe.
Interacting with the scribes at the GTC helipad here, after paying tribute to the martyrs who laid their lives while carrying out rescue and relief operation in disaster-hit Kedar Valley when the chopper they were in crashed on June 18, the Army Chief said, “There has been no damage to any of the Army posts of strategic importance along the border in the disaster faced in Uttarakhand.” Singh claimed, “All the army posts are safe.”
Asked if the army had any plan to set up the bases in disaster-hit Kedar Valley in order to ensure prompt rescue and relief operation in case of any such catastrophe in future, the general said, “No. So far, we don’t have any such plans. But Army always plays proactive role during such disasters.” Asked what if the State Government asked the Army to set up such a base in the valley, he said, “No comment.” He, however, indicated that if the State Government made such a request to the Ministry of Defence, the Army might give it a thought.
He called the death of 20 personnel, including five of Indian Air Force, Six of ITBP, and nine of the NDRF in the chopper crash on June 18 in Gauri Kund, as a massive loss. He praised the Army personnel for saving people were stranded in the disaster affected areas. On a query, how long the rescue operations would carry on, he said that the rescue operations would be continued until all the stranded persons were rescued to safer places. He said that the Army is always there to serve the people where its role is required. PNS n Dehradun
Dismissing apprehensions that the disaster experienced in Uttarakhand might have damaged some of the Army posts along the international border between India and China, Chief of Army Staff General Bikram Singh on Friday said that the Army posts of strategic importance in the border areas are safe.
Interacting with the scribes at the GTC helipad here, after paying tribute to the martyrs who laid their lives while carrying out rescue and relief operation in disaster-hit Kedar Valley when the chopper they were in crashed on June 18, the Army Chief said, “There has been no damage to any of the Army posts of strategic importance along the border in the disaster faced in Uttarakhand.” Singh claimed, “All the army posts are safe.”
Asked if the army had any plan to set up the bases in disaster-hit Kedar Valley in order to ensure prompt rescue and relief operation in case of any such catastrophe in future, the general said, “No. So far, we don’t have any such plans. But Army always plays proactive role during such disasters.”
Asked what if the State Government asked the Army to set up such a base in the valley, he said, “No comment.” He, however, indicated that if the State Government made such a request to the Ministry of Defence, the Army might give it a thought. He called the death of 20 personnel, including five of Indian Air Force, Six of ITBP, and nine of the NDRF in the chopper crash on June 18 in Gauri Kund, as a massive loss. He praised the Army personnel for saving people were stranded in the disaster affected areas.
On a query, how long the rescue operations would carry on, he said that the rescue operations would be continued until all the stranded persons were rescued to safer places. He said that the Army is always there to serve the people where its role is required.