02-09-2004, 09:00 PM
<b>N-shelters on border, LoC, in PMO</b>
Vishal Thapar
New Delhi, February 9
Almost six years after South Asia went overtly nuclear, the Indian Army is getting some cover against a tactical nuclear strike on its forward or advancing formations.
<b>Defence Ministry sources said the army was planning to build hundreds of underground field shelters near the border and LoC and nuclear-biological-chemical (NBC) warfare gear will soon be made available to troops in bulk</b>.
<b>âThe shelters will be installed at various places along our boundaries, including the LoC, and the Punjab and Rajasthan borders,â the sources said</b>.
<b>âThe shelter is a self-contained unit with sleeping bunks for 30 personnel, captive power and water supply, toilets, a decontamination module, waste disposal and fire-fighting systems,â </b>explains Pradeep Dass of Dass Hitachi, a Delhi engineering company, which will manufacture the shelters.
âThe shelter can also be used as a decontamination centre for troops,â says Brigadier G.R.C. Rajan, an NBC expert. âIn the event of an attack, soldiers (who escape a N-strike) can pass through the shelter for decontamination and rest,â he points out.
Developed by the Defence Research and Development Organisation, <b>12 prototypes of the shelter costing Rs 70 lakh each</b>, have been handed over to the army.
Former vice-chief of army staff Lt.-General (retd) Vijay Oberoi says the shelters are not designed to protect everybody. âIn a million-man army, we canât protect everybody. The shelters will protect key commanders and command centres.â
Dass agrees. âIt is designed for ensuring the survival of key personnel in a near-miss situation,â he says. In a direct nuclear hit, itâs going to be instant vaporisation.
Experts say itâs the perfect opportunity to construct the shelters as N-hell has broken loose in Pakistan. With Pakistan accused of proliferation on a massive scale, Indiaâs move can only be construed as defensive.
Besides, building permanent defensive structures along the LoC, gives it even more legitimacy.
The go-ahead for the construction of the shelters presupposes that Pakistan is likely to use tactical nukes against an Indian armoured thrust early in a war. However, experts doubt if Pakistan has the expertise to make tactical nukes.
Vishal Thapar
New Delhi, February 9
Almost six years after South Asia went overtly nuclear, the Indian Army is getting some cover against a tactical nuclear strike on its forward or advancing formations.
<b>Defence Ministry sources said the army was planning to build hundreds of underground field shelters near the border and LoC and nuclear-biological-chemical (NBC) warfare gear will soon be made available to troops in bulk</b>.
<b>âThe shelters will be installed at various places along our boundaries, including the LoC, and the Punjab and Rajasthan borders,â the sources said</b>.
<b>âThe shelter is a self-contained unit with sleeping bunks for 30 personnel, captive power and water supply, toilets, a decontamination module, waste disposal and fire-fighting systems,â </b>explains Pradeep Dass of Dass Hitachi, a Delhi engineering company, which will manufacture the shelters.
âThe shelter can also be used as a decontamination centre for troops,â says Brigadier G.R.C. Rajan, an NBC expert. âIn the event of an attack, soldiers (who escape a N-strike) can pass through the shelter for decontamination and rest,â he points out.
Developed by the Defence Research and Development Organisation, <b>12 prototypes of the shelter costing Rs 70 lakh each</b>, have been handed over to the army.
Former vice-chief of army staff Lt.-General (retd) Vijay Oberoi says the shelters are not designed to protect everybody. âIn a million-man army, we canât protect everybody. The shelters will protect key commanders and command centres.â
Dass agrees. âIt is designed for ensuring the survival of key personnel in a near-miss situation,â he says. In a direct nuclear hit, itâs going to be instant vaporisation.
Experts say itâs the perfect opportunity to construct the shelters as N-hell has broken loose in Pakistan. With Pakistan accused of proliferation on a massive scale, Indiaâs move can only be construed as defensive.
Besides, building permanent defensive structures along the LoC, gives it even more legitimacy.
The go-ahead for the construction of the shelters presupposes that Pakistan is likely to use tactical nukes against an Indian armoured thrust early in a war. However, experts doubt if Pakistan has the expertise to make tactical nukes.