NCC BOYS SCALE BANDARPUNCH
PEAK
The National
Cadet Corps (NCC) Boys’ Mountaineering Expedition to Bandarpunch
Peak-II at a height of 21,831 ft was flagged-in here today by
Defence Secretary Shri Yogendra Narain. The team of officers and
cadets of the NCC successfully scaled the peak on June 12, 2002.
It is one of the most technically difficult peaks, which required
specialized skill and fitness on part of the climbers. During
the climb the team faced extreme weather conditions including
snowstorm, glare and diminished oxygen in the atmosphere. The
cadets drawn from different parts of the country were selected
for the mission based on their performance in mountaineering courses.
This expedition has developed a strong comradeship among the cadets
and instilled self-confidence and pride in the individuals.
Addressing
the cadets, Defence Secretary Shri Yogendra Narain praised the
achievements of the team and offered his best wishes in their
future ventures. He said that last year more than seventy-five
thousand additional cadets were enrolled in the NCC and hope that
similar number will be added this year. Shri Narain informed that
the entire additional expenditure on the expansion of NCC in Jammu
& Kashmir and North Eastern states would be contributed by
the Government of India. He said at present all the 535 districts
of the country are having NCC units but there is a need to expand
the organisation further.
Major
General TPS Brar, the officiating Director General of NCC informed
that this is the 49th mountaineering expedition undertaken
by the NCC. He said every year two mountaineering expeditions,
one for the boys and the other for girls are undertaken by their
organisation. In 1970, for the first time a NCC mountaineering
expedition for boys was undertaken. The first expedition for the
girls NCC cadets was conducted during the year 1979. Hitherto,
29 mountaineering expeditions for boys and 20 expeditions for
girls have been undertaken by the NCC. Major General Brar thanked
the Defence Secretary for sparing his precious time to attend
the function on the last working day of his official tenure as
Defence Secretary.
Major
Jasbir Singh Thind leader of the team gave a brief account of
the expedition. On the way back, the team Doctor along with his
medical staff also conducted a free medical camp for the local
villagers.
