Bureaucracy responsible for rising suicides in force: BSF DG

New Delhi, Nov 28 (UNI) Holding the bureaucracy responsible for the rising suicide figures in the force, the BSF has asked for counsellors to help jawans on the high-stress job while punishing such ''inconsiderate officials''.

''There are odd hats in the bureaucracy who do not look into the problems of the jawans sympathetically leading them to take the extreme step, and we are taking strict action against such officials,'' conceded BSF Director General A K Mitra in response to a query at a press conference here today.

''Though no doubt it is a high pressure job, our investigations and analysis have revealed that most of those who committed suicide did it due to domestic reasons. We found that of the 35 cases reported this year 27 had recently returned from home.'' Also, in 70 per cent of the cases, the victims called home several times before committing suicide, he said adding that this was perhaps because of the fall of the joint family system which provided a cushion against adversity.

''Besides other reasons, long periods being away from family, and at places with very less amenities, does take its toll.'' However, we are looking into the problem and taking several remedial steps like seeking appointment of counsellors to look after their mental health and increasing their 'resting period', he said.

''For officials who are inconsiderate to even the general demands of jawans, severe punishemnt is being given. Also, in Punjab now we have started giving them one day 'sleep' for two days of work, instead of the earlier ratio of 3:1.'' We have also sought raising of 20 additional battalions so that rest, relief, recuperation and training of jawans was not adversely affected, he told the media.

''Lack of training could adversely affect the peformance of the force in the long term and due to shortage of manpower training was a big casualty.'' The BSF chief also informed that of Rs 2,330 crore alloted for modernisation programme, 1,068 had been spent, another 1,065 crore projects were in the pipeline while plans on spending the rest (230 crore) were still being done.

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