While there is a raging debate over the Rafale fighter jets, it is distressing that nearly 82% of border outposts of the Indo-Tibetan Border Police deployed along the Chinese border do not have basic amenities (Page 1, “Life on the edge: border units lack basic amenities”, December 16). It is an unpardonable disservice to have them operate under such trying conditions. It is apparent that the defence budget is aimed mainly at amassing arms and ammunition, with little regard for service conditions.
V. Subramanian,
Chennai
The 214th Report on ‘Working Conditions in Border Guarding Forces’ gives a very disquieting picture. That troops in our outposts are deprived of basic needs and adequate facilities to combat health hazards peculiar to such remote border areas suggests a situation that is no better than the bonded labour system. Why the step-motherly treatment?
Ayyasseri Raveendranath,
Aranmula, Kerala
This past month, large sections of the media have been reporting every minute of a series of celebrity weddings, where crores were spent. Though the money spent in these events was personal wealth, one cannot help contrasting this with the sorry plight of our defence personnel and also how money could have made a major difference to bettering their service conditions.
Brijender Singh,
Hyderabad
