Nuclear quick reaction teams set up

As part of new measures to speed up forces' preparedness to fight in a nuclear war scenario, the army has set up nuclear quick reaction teams in all commands and a special unit for Delhi and armed these personnel with special equipment.

The troops in forward areas have also been equipped with minimum individual protective equipment and trained in mitigation techniques, decontainment drills and evacuation of people, government has informed a high-powered Parliamentary committee.

Besides, the Defence Ministry has informed that an Armed Forces Institute of Nuclear, Biological and Chemical protection has also been set up, which is conducting training programmes for all service personnel.

"These trained personnel go back to their units and disseminate the knowledge and skills of NBC protection," the government said.

Pointing out that the threat of nuclear, biological and chemical warfare to India had increased, the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Defence has recommended that training of Armed Forces Medical Service personnel to cope with such threats be speeded up.

"The threat of non-coventional wars, including nuclear wars, have increased and the country has to be well prepared to meet any eventuality in case of such a attack," the committee said in its latest report tabled in Parliament on Wednesday.

The committee recommended that proper equipment and training should be provided to troops and bio-medicine developed at the earliest.

It expressed serious concern over increasing number of stress related deaths in the army, particularly in insurgency-prone areas, and recommended posting of doctor counsellors in all field units.

"A proper study of reasons responsible for creation of stress should be conducted and feedback received should be given to specialist counsellors," it said.

Strongly recommending posting of doctor counsellors in all field units, the committee felt that troops engaged in counter-insurgency operations should be exposed to yoga to help them maintain mental equilibrium in high engagement areas.

Lamenting that the status of director general of Armed Forces Medical Services had been "slowly downgraded" over the years, the committee said this had impinged on the working of Armed Forces medical services.

It recommended that the status of the DGAFMS should be upgraded to that of secretary to government of India as in the case of director Health Services (Civil).