The
16-member team headed by the panel's chairman, retired judge A.K.
Mathur, spent time at the base camp in Siachen and went to other forward
areas. The three services have submitted a joint memorandum to the Pay
Commission regarding their "wish list". The panel will visit other
defence installations as it continues its deliberations till January 1,
2016.
The
panel spent considerable time at the Siachen base camp, interacting
with soldiers and asking them about the conditions in one of the
toughest areas of the world. They were also flown over the glacier and
landed at a forward post. The soldiers work under extreme climatic
conditions where the weather is a constant enemy. The soldiers shared
their experience and talked about the harsh climatic condition they face
on the line of duty. The punishing weather does not allow a person to
spend more than a week at the glacier and the forward posts, they told
the panel.
The panel members also witnessed ice craft and mountaineering training being carried out at the Siachen Battle School.
The
Pay Commission team also landed at the advanced landing ground at
Daulat Beg Oldie on the border with China. It is the world's highest
landing strip and air operations in the rarefied high altitude air are a
challenge.
During
their visits to the forward areas, the delegation laid floral wreaths
at the Siachen War Memorial, Kargil War Memorial and the Rezangla War
Memorial while paying tributes to our martyrs, a defence PRO said.
At
the Line of Actual Control, the Pay Commission members interacted with
personnel from the Indian Air Force and Indo-Tibetan Border Police
(ITBP).
Officials
said the panel will have to consider the unique situation faced by the
jawans, who are exposed to severe medical conditions because of the
inhospitable environment. "The climate does not suit human habitation
but the army jawans are positioned in the area manning the territory all
through the year," an official said.
This is only the first round of interaction and more inputs would be sought by the team in the coming months.
Meanwhile,
a delegation of the All Ladakh Central Government Employees (ALCGE),
which comprises staff of Doordarshan, High Altitude Research Centre,
Kendriya Vidyalaya, Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalaya, Institute of Buddhist
Studies and Air Force Authority of India, met Justice Mathur's team.
