Court orders pension to former soldier
New Delhi, Aug 19 : A former Indian Army soldier who lost his toes due to frostbite
in Siachen has received relief from the Delhi High Court, which has asked the government
to consider his case for war injury pension within three months.
A division bench of Justices Sanjay Kishan Kaul and M.C. Garg Tuesday asked the defence
ministry to consider the parameters for the grant of the war injury pension, attendance
allowance and ex gratia payment as claimed by former Naik Sultan Singh.
Claiming an ex gratia of Rs.100,000, Singh said in a petition that in 1992-93 he was
posted at the Sonam post at Siachen Glacier - the world's highest battlefield where the
temperature goes down to minus 45 to 49 degrees Celsius - as part of Operation
Meghdoot.
Both his feet were damaged due to frostbite and he was admitted to hospital by the army
as a battle casualty in 1993, he submitted.
In November 1994, he had to retire from the service on the ground of 100 percent
disability.
But when he claimed pension, his plea was rejected on the ground that his case did not
fall under the category of the war injured and he was not entitled to it.
--IANS
