BSF tear gas unit cries out for government attention

At the Border Security Force's Tekanpur camp in Madhya Pradesh, a small, dedicated band of jawans work day in and day out with toxic chemicals -- and for their efforts, they get an additional Rs 20 as 'toxic allowance.

The BSF jawans belong to the Tear Smoke Unit, the sole manufacturers of tear gas munitions in the country.

But, despite its monopoly in the field and the vital role it plays in civil defence, the unit remains one of the Force's most ignored wings. The working conditions are bad and so is the technology. Worse, the TSU is today bound hand and foot with administrative red tape.

''For every new project, the TSU has to get clearance from the home ministry. This results in delays and huge cost overruns," says Dr D S K Sharma, the brain behind India's self-sufficiency in tear-smoke munitions, "A draft report for expanding the unit is still pending with the ministry -- we submitted it in 1987!''

New Delhi, officials say, has been playing deaf to the unit's demands for a long time. "The TSU needs full autonomy and also a national scientific status -- teargas munitions have a huge potential market both in India and abroad," Sharma says, ''At present we are able to meet only 33 per cent of the country's demand."

The TSU supplies 18 types of teargas munitions and launching systems to the police force and the Army. (It is one of the two manufactures in Asia -- the other is in Japan).

"We also provide ammunition to friendly countries like Nepal, Bhutan and Maldives,'' says Deputy Inspector General Naresh Mehra, who is the unit managing director.

The unit is now working to develop 'alternative and more humane varities of weapons.'