Raksha Rajya Mantri Shri Ajay Bhatt has informed that Troops deployed in High Altitude Areas are suitably equipped with modern gadgets to include Avalanche Victim Detectors, Trackers and Ricoh reflectors. Apart from this, weather conditions in snow bound areas of Jammu & Kashmir (J&K) are closely monitored by Snow & Avalanche Study Establishment (SASE) stations at Sasoma and Srinagar. Due cognizance is taken of weather warnings and the same is communicated to troops in real time. Defence Geo-Informatics Research Establishment (DGRE) established under the aegis of DRDO has a well-established mechanism to provide advance warning of avalanches in mountain regions to all concerned including BRO. The establishment has a series of observatories and automated weather stations in the mountain regions which are operational in avalanche prone areas. DGRE has established 39 observatories in J&K, Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh & Sikkim and additional 10 are being established.
Routine meteorology data collected at these observatories is collated at DGRE, Chandigarh and based on this Avalanche Warning Bulletin is subsequently forwarded to all concerned in near real time. Avalanche warnings issued by DGRE assist troops in operational planning and safeguarding against impending avalanches.