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India sends civilian trekkers on Siachen expedition

Xinhua, September 21, 2015 Adjust font size:

Indian military Monday said it has flagged off a group of civilian trekkers on Siachen expedition.

According to officials, the group comprises of 45 civilian trekkers including six females.

"The Indian army deployed in Siachen Glacier- the highest battlefield in the world, in its pursuit to encourage the spirit of adventure and physical fitness, flagged off the Siachen glacier trek today," Col S D Goswami, a military spokesman said. "The trek was preceded by initial training and acclimatization for seven days."

The group was flagged off from Leh town in Ladakh province.

New Delhi opened Siachen glacier for civilian trekking expeditions in 2007. Though Islamabad and separatist leaders in Indian-controlled Kashmir protested the decision, the process continues since then.

"Participants of the trekking expedition are volunteers from various walks of life including government officials, next of kin of soldiers and cadets of Royal Indian Military College (RIMC) & Rashtriya Military School (RMS)," Goswami said. "This trek will go a long way towards enhancement of mountaineering skills in civilians ably honed by the Indian army."

Siachen is referred to as the highest, coldest and perhaps an unforgiving battlefield. It is located at an altitude of 7,000 meters above the sea level in Ladakh of Indian-controlled Kashmir, along the eastern Karakoram range in the Himalayan mountains.

Pakistan army too occupies part of the glacier.

There have been calls of demilitarization of the glacier from environmentalists, a demand rejected by New Delhi, which occupies major portion of the glacier.

The glacier's treacherous sub zero climate costs millions of U. S. dollars in military expenditures for India and counted for scores of lives, more due to frostbite and high altitude sickness than combat action.

Last year India said 50 of its troopers have been killed on Siachen glacier in past three years owing to inhospitable weather conditions.

Reports said an estimated 8,000 troops have died on the glacier since 1984. Endi