Exchange Siachen Madness for Mountain Peace

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Indian Army plantting trees to save Water for Pakistan.
Look at the latest step taken by Indian..
Siachen soldiers go green

A mention of Siachen ~ the world’s highest, costliest and coldest battlefield ~ reminds us of a huge expanse of a river of snow extending from heights ranging from 15,000 to 21,000 feet in the great Himalayan range. This barren stretch of rugged terrain is one of the most inhospitable places in the world.
The glacier and its adjoining areas will look quite different as the Army’s Siachen Brigade has initiated the “Green Siachen” project in its areas of operation. Siachen will become a green paradise, a few years from now.
With the endeavour of the 102 Infantry Brigade, Siachen has witnessed massive afforestation in an effort to cover the desolate expanses of rock and snow with vegetation on the frozen frontiers. Taking note of global warming, a burning issue worldwide, the Army has planted more than one lakh saplings in the Siachen sector. Being a high altitude, cold desert, Ladakh already poses a challenge in terms of irrigation and afforestation. Falling in the Siachen axis, the valleys of Nubra and Shyok, as elsewhere in Ladakh, are characterised by minimal precipitation and paucity of vegetation, resulting in low oxygen levels, a common feature in the high altitudes.
But no longer will such a situation prevail, given the enthusiasm of the Siachen Brigade. Having planted saplings near the snout of the glacier and the Nubra and Shyok valleys which do not remain snow-bound round the year, the soldiers are now nourishing the plants. “The highest battleground of the world with snow-clad, lofty mountains has sub-arctic climatic conditions, devoid of any vegetation from its foothills,” says Lt-Gen JK Mohanty, Corps Commander, of the Leh-based 14 Corps. The Army has essentially planted saplings to increase oxygen levels.
Each soldier posted on the glacier, while moving further up on the gruesome heights of the Saltoro Ridge, has planted at least five saplings. The responsibility to keep these saplings alive till he returns from his tenure at the glacier is given to another soldier. On his return, he looks after his own saplings as well as those planted by his fellow soldier, while the latter is away.
The exercise to green the Siachen glacier was kick-started by General Mohanty four months ago by planting saplings at the Siachen snout, at a height of 12,300 feet. The target was to plant 1,2000 saplings, signifying the 102 Siachen Brigade under project Green Siachen.
But the number has crossed the target and the plantation drive continues in certain areas.
“We wanted to improve the habitat on which we have spent years with the aim of reducing soil erosion, improving water conservation and oxygenating the rarefied atmosphere,” said Brigadier Om Prakash, commander of Siachen Brigade, adding that the effort is also a quantum leap for the survival of the region’s fauna.
In an area that remains under snow for more than six months, this drive has remained successful. “Afforestation is important. The area is prone to erosion due to wind and water. That can be saved over the years,” says scientist, FRL, Siachen Brigade, Dr Ankur Aggarwal.
Executing the task was not easy. The entire brigade area was divided into Nubra and Shyok. The areas selected were not restricted to Army camps and posts but even villages along Nubra and Shyok.
With the area being allocated, the units began preparations by first carrying out a reconnaissance to select the sites, followed by digging pits, adding village soil to them, making watering arrangements and collecting manure.
Tulu pumps were used for pumping water; check dams were built to channel the water. Water was channelled from rivers and nullahs to the plantation area. Pumps with generators were used to pump out water from tanks to save manpower and time. Then saplings suited to the area such as willows, poplars and seabuck thorn were collected.
The sapling requirement was met from branches grafted from the trees in villages nearby and sia bushes (sia means wild rose) in the neighbourhood. If planting the saplings was not an easy job, ensuring their survival is tougher.
The guardians of the frozen frontiers are carefully nurturing the plants and improvising methods to save manpower and for timely completion of work.
As winter prevails in Ladakh, the saplings in Siachen are being protected from the extreme cold. They are covered with soil from the villages and wrapped in polythene. “This is an indigenous method we learnt from the villagers. We will re-open the cover with the onset of spring when the saplings sprout leaves,” said Colonel Sunil Kumar, commanding officer of a unit posted at the Siachen Base Camp.
“We have planted at least 1, 17,538 saplings. Nurturing, watering and keeping them alive is a challenging task for which an action plan is in place. The fact that the saplings have survived goes to prove the care they receive,” he added.
Today, the cold desert stands greener than ever. Orchards and lush green crops bear testimony to the fact that it is possible to achieve the impossible, with determination

Now enjoy quality WATER...as , reforesting lands surrounding Siachen glacier will improve water quality.
``Water Joke`` for the redears

A man goes to the doctor and tells him that he hasn`t been feeling well. The doctor examines him, leaves the room and comes back with three different bottles of pills. The doctor says:
``Take the green pill with a big glass of water when you get up. Take the blue pill with a big glass of water after lunch. Then just before going to bed, take the red pill with another big glass of water.``
Startled to be put on so much medicine the man stammers:
``Please Doctor tell me, exactly what`s my problem?``
Doctor says,
``You`re not drinking enough clean water.``


................that is problem with the Authers of this Article!!!!!!!!!!..........Ha Haaaaaaaa.......

After decades, Siachen Glacier is making news for all the right reasons. Demilitarisation of the glacier as an option to resolve the dispute about it has been on the table since late 1980s. When the then Indian Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi had come to Pakistan to attend a summit meeting of the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (Saarc) during the first government of Benazir Bhutto, an agreement for demilitarisation had been all but signed. The only thing that could have materialised -- that is, the willingness of the two militaries -- was never forthcoming.