Indian Army soldiers and Border Security Force personnel guarding the border with Pakistan in the Rann of Kutch to guard themselves against enemies of a different kind during peace time.
These enemies are dangerous quicksand, deadly vipers and scorpions, blazing heat and hostile weather conditions, which change so dramatically that an area where not a drop of water exists can suddenly get covered by sheets of water.
"This region is unique in the world. On one side, there is an area where there is perpetual water while the other side is totally dry. The side where there is no water gets totally covered by sheets of water during monsoons, making movement practically impossible," said an army officer.
It is very risky for persons to walk in such areas because they can get sucked into quicksand from which it is practically impossible to come out, said the officer.
The Rann of Kutch comprises 10,000 square miles between the Gulf of Kutch and the mouth of the Indus river in southern Pakistan. The Luni River that originates in Rajasthan empties into the northeast corner of the Rann.
In peace time, the area is guarded by the Border Security Force while the army is responsible for all military operations. In the event of hostile enemy activity, the army takes full control of the region while the BSF plays a secondary role of providing assistance.
The hostile weather too creates problems for soldiers and BSF troops. The intense heat and salt-laden wind create pulmonary and joint problems for them.
"A number of soldiers suffer from lung problems because of inhaling salty air for a long time as this has a direct effect on the alveoli of the lungs," said a medical officer of the army.
Besides, they also suffer from joint pain because of inhaling such air, he said.
Irrespective of the extreme climatic conditions, the soldiers are highly motivated.
"There is no doubt that Indian soldiers are among the best in the world," Brig P C Choudhary, the commandant of the Bald Eagles formation, a wing of the army's Golden Katar division, told PTI.
The sector is unique in the country, perhaps even in the world, due to the combination of tasks handled by the army. These include the defence of the Rann of Kutch, a desert sector, the quicksand in the creek and the coast of northern Gujarat.
In arid areas, one will not find a drop of water even though the soil appears to be wet. If one scratches the surface, one would find that it appears wet below. But there will be no water because the composition of the soil is such that water does not percolate.
