2021-08-21 10:48:30
Union Minister for Social Justice and Empowerment Dr. Virendra Kumar flags off āOperation Blue Freedomā to create a World Record at Siachen Glacier Trained by a team of Armed Forces veterans, a team of people with disabilities undertakes an expedition till Kumar Post
Largest team of people with disabilities to reach the worldās highest battlefield in Siachen
Operation Blue Freedomā brings India on the global stage as a leader in empowering Divyangjan
Team of people with disabilities from across the country undertook an expedition till Siachen Glacier to create a new World Record for the largest team of people with disabilities to reach the worldās highest battlefield.
Siachen Glacier Located in the
Karakoram range in the Himalayas.
The Siachen Glacier is theĀ longest glacier in the Karakoram rangeĀ and the second longest in the world outside of polar regions.
The Siachen GlacierĀ lies in that part of Karakoram which is referred to as the ā
Third PoleāĀ of the world. It gets this name because Siachen Glacier lies south of the great drainage divide that separates the Eurasian Plate from the Indian subcontinent.
Including all tributary glaciers, the Siachen Glacier system covers about 700 km2 .
The region isĀ home to rare species includingĀ snow leopard, brown bear and ibex that are at risk because of the military presence in the region.
At the height of 6000 ft, theĀ Siachen Glacier is the worldās highest battleground.
Dispute over the Siachen Glacier has played a crucial role in the relation between the two countries Pakistan and India
Both have claimed total sovereignty over the entire Siachen region.
In the 190s and the early 1980s, the United States and the Pakistanās governments, beingĀ Cold WarĀ allies at the time, showed incorrect maps of the Siachen Glacier with point NJ9842 having a dotted line all the way to the Karakoram Pass.
As far as India was concerned this was a cartographic error and a violation of the 1972 Shimla Agreement which stipulated that neither India nor Pakistan would take unilateral steps to change the representation of the Line of Control without consultation.
In 1984Ā
Operation MeghdootĀ was launched by India.
It resulted in India gaining complete control over all of Siachen Glacier and included its tributaries.
It pre-empted Pakistanās own military move ā Operation Ababeel by a day to occupy the dominating heights on Saltoro Ridge located at the west of Siachen Glacier.
The harsh conditions in the Siachen Glacier have led to loss of life on both Indian and Pakistani sides.
Frostbites, avalanches and frequent winter storms kill more troops than bullets. Despite the harsh conditions, India and Pakistan continue to deploy troops to Siachen.
Attempts to demilitarize the region have proven to be unsuccessful so far.
Present heads of state of India like Prime Minister of India, President of Pakistan have visited Siachen Glacier from time to time.
Erstwhile President of India, APJ Abdul Kalam (born onĀ October 15 1931) was the first head of state to visit from either country to visit the region.
Since September 2007, India has opened up limited mountaineering and trekking expeditions to the area.
The first group included cadets from Chail Military School, National Defence Academy, National Cadet Corps, Indian Military Academy, Rashtriya Indian Military College and family members of armed forces officers.
The Indian Army is planning a cleanup campaign called āGreen Siachen, Clean Siachenā to clear the region of biodegradable wastes with the use of biodigesters in the absence of oxygen and freezing temperatures.
At least 40% of the wastes left at the glacier is of plastic and metal (The metals like cobalt, cadmium and chromium.)
This is dangerous as the Indus River being in close proximity to the Siachen Glacier, the metals will find their way into the water of its tributaries such as the Shyok River and can poison the entire water supply.
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