The eco taskforce, which has played a crucial role in regreening Doon and Mussoorie over the past 15 years, is celebrating the 51st raising day of the territorial army in Dehradun from October 9 to 11. “A special Sainik Sammelan, march past by amounted column and a civic reception by the citizen council of Dehra Dun are the highlights of the celebrations,” according to Lt. Col Nirbhai Singh, Commanding Officer of the battalion.
The ecological task force (127 infantry battalion of the territorial army) was raised at Garhwal Rifles regimental centre, landsdowne as the first of its kind in the world. This unit was raised in 1982 as a territorial army and is affiliated to the Garhwal Regiment. Comprising only ex-servicemen of Garhwal and Kumaon, the unit was raised to restore the depleting ecology of the Shivalik Hills and Garhwal Himalayas by afforestation and soil conservation techniques. Bureau Report