NEW DELHI: New Delhi: The Army’s age-old system of keeping fuel dumps at military camps in operational areas is turning out to be one of the biggest threats to the lives of our jawans.
Nineteen soldiers have been burnt alive and nearly a dozen others suffered injuries in attacks involving fuel dumps on the border with Pakistan in the last five months.
According to an internal report prepared by the Army headquarters, fuel dumps at military camps pose a ‘high-level threat’ to the safety and security of soldiers. This is perhaps a bigger threat than the increasing sophistication terrorists are acquiring in their methods of attack these days.
The Army’s internal report assumes importance in the wake of the deadly Uri attack in September, in which 19 soldiers were killed. This was one of the worst attacks against the Army on the Line of Control.
Army Supply Corps is responsible for providing logistic support to the operational units, and the issue has been causing serious worry. “Depending on the size of the operation, this may mean that several thousand liters of fuel must be received and stored each day, which is susceptible to enemy shelling and terrorist action,” the report pointed out.
To overcome this problem, petroleum units have to quickly establish large, fire resistant fuel storage and dispensing systems, it said. “Old vintage barrels and jerrycans being used for storage and transportation of fuel in operational conditions are susceptible to enemy artillery shelling and terrorist actions,” the report warned.
While looking at solutions, the report suggested collapsible fabric petroleum tanks as the best alternative. Technological advances in materials and fabrication techniques have enabled the manufacture of large and lighter fabric tanks made from thinner thermoplastic urethanes, which are fire resistant. The new technology permits the development, manufacture and fielding of collapsible tanks with a capacity of over 50,000 litres, the report said.
An advantage with such tanks is that these can be deployed rapidly and recovered using fewer personnel and equipment. As it is constructed with heavy duty, reinforced fabric, the tank can be rolled into compact, transportable units and different modes of transport, including dropping via parachute, can be used depending on the operational terrain.
The report also examines the contemporary practices employed by other countries. NATO forces, for instance, use pillow tanks while the US marine forces use collapsible storage containers that provide temporary as well as long term liquid storage.