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January 18, 1999

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Finally, Siachen troops have enough snow-scooters!

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Facilities and equipment for the Indian troops on Siachen glacier, the world's highest battleground, have been upgraded significantly.

A defence ministry spokesman said this was announced during Defence Minister George Fernandes' visit to the glacier on Sunday.

The troops now have adequate number of snow-scooters - 30 new vehicles have arrived.

This is the fourth time the defence minister is arriving on the glacier since he assumed charge 10 months ago. The visit was in tune with his pledge to visit the troops when the winter was at its harshest.

Fernandes was also told that 6,254 pairs of high quality gloves had been made available to the troops. The Border Roads Organisation has also completed the feasibility study for constructing a road from the base camp to the outpost in the glacier.

The defence minister met the troops at Rewari (18,000 feet), with the day temperature of minus 20 degrees Celsius. He addressed them at the Chalunka post.

He also visited Turtuk and went up to the zero point on line of control, thus being the first defence minister to be there.

Fernandes was accompanied by Lieutenant General H M Khanna, commander, Northern Command, Major General V S Badhwar, general officer commanding, 3 Division, Brigadier P C Katoch, commander, Siachen Brigade, Brigadier K S Jamwal and Brigadier R Sehgal from the Northern Command.

The heating system in the hospital at Partapur, which was non-functional for the last four years, has been reactivated since the minister's last visit in August.

UNI

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