Sunday, October 3, 2010

18,300 feet above sea level-Dhama’s warm salute to the BRO Jawans

KHARDUNGLA PASS, 30th September 2010 – Dhama Team reached K-Top, the highest motorable pass in the world, to conduct trials with the BRO Jawans working for project Himank. Appropriately called the “Mountain Tamers” of Ladakh, these BRTF soldiers bravely endure the tough challenges posed by sense -numbing sub-zero temperatures, inadequate oxygen and hostile air pressure. In a terrain where survival itself is a test, the resilient BRO Jawans untiringly sculpt mountains to build and repair roads and create passageways by shoveling snow and ice-an astounding 11 feet in depth.
Dhama Team met the BRO Jawans and initiated trials of unique climate-control technology embedded ClimaWare-Heating Jackets, Neck Wraps, Gloves and Insoles. These thermal equipments are particularly vital for dozer operators who remove snow and ice to make the road accessible for an additional 150 km stretch to reach further up to the soldiers posted at the Siachen Glacier. The immediate response and feedback from BRO has been extremely encouraging. However, Dhama’s ClimaWare-Heating Equipment has been left with these operators for testing in their most extreme real operating environment when winter sets in and there is a steep fall in the temperatures down to -30oC to -40oC.
Dhama awaits feedback for making design modifications based on the demands of their specific situation and intends to pay another visit at the end of a month-long testing period. The BRO has given a series of their own winter gear to Dhama for embedding the heating technology into their existing equipment. The trial conducted at K-Top is in sequence with the testing earlier done for project Shivalik at Badri Nath.
To conclude, Ladakh has been an eye-opening and humbling experience for the Dhama Team. Words fail us as we again pay homage to the courageous BRO Jawans as they relentlessly fulfill their pledge of “Shramen Sarvam Sadhyam” with their duty, devotion and service to the nation.