JAMMU, AUG 19: They too braved the Pakistani shelling and five of them laid down their lives in helping the Army with logistics during Operation Vijay. But in the euphoria over the Kargil victory, they have been forgotten. And what's worse, they haven't received their wages.For about two months now, 3,600 Army porters are waiting to be just paid, forget any honours. But transfer of funds by the Defence Ministry into the imprest account opened by the Northern Command for the purpose has been delayed because of bureaucratic hassles.Only food and clothes have come their way so far for carrying ration and ammunition to the troops at the forward posts during the two-month long conflict in Kargil. Sources said many of them have spent whatever little money they had brought from home and are now being forced to borrow or return home.Senior Army officers say the matter has been taken up with the Defence Ministry. The Brigadier (Operational Logistics) has met officials in Delhi and got an assurance that fundswould be released into the Army's imprest account soon, but the delay is proving to be painful.The services of these porters are required for the construction of mule tracks, roads, bunkers and laying of telephone cables to enable troops to keep the heights in Ladakh region occupied throughout the year.Six companies of porters for the 15 Corps had been allowed to be raised by the Defence Ministry when Kargil happened. Each porter was to be paid a monthly wage of Rs 2,550 along with allowances and other benefits available to a civil GT (general transport) driver engaged by the Army.They were also to be provided free food and temporary clothing besides being entitled to benefits available to a civil GT driver in case of death or injury.Earlier, there used to be a Pioneer Company comprising regular troops in each Army division for the construction of mule tracks, roads and other work related to logistics, sources said. However, after these companies were disbanded, the Defence Ministry approved aplan drawn up the Army Headquarters to engage locals as labourers in case of any contingency.Under this plan, the Northern Command engaged porters and opened an imprest account for disbursement of wages to them. It informed the Army Headquarters about the opening of the account and latter asked the Defence Ministry for the transfer of funds to it.However, the bureaucrats in the Ministry raised queries which stalled the entire process. The local unit commanders could not pay wages to the porters, some of whom were engaged by the Army even before June 10, they added.A senior Army official said some porters had left for home only to return with more money, citing the case of Kuldip Raj Sharma of Maira village. He, however, agreed that if there was any more delay, some may never return.
