Peerzada Sayeed
Tangdhar Sep 26 (KNS) Army Chief General Dhiraj Seth reviewed the operational preparedness of forward formations along the Line of Control (LoC) in north Kashmir and visited a mega eye surgical camp where 220 sight-restoring surgeries were performed in two days in an underground operation theatre in a shelling-prone border area.
The Chief of Army Staff (COAS) visited forward areas and formations of the Chinar Corps under the Northern Command to assess the security situation along the LoC and in the hinterland, officials said.
Commanders briefed him on the prevailing security environment, operational readiness and capability development initiatives, besides measures taken to maintain a robust posture along the LoC and preparedness for counter-terrorist operations in the hinterland.
Interacting with troops in operational areas, General Seth commended all ranks for maintaining a high state of vigilance and reiterated the thrust areas of "VIJAY", the Army's five-point guiding framework aimed at transforming it into a future-ready force capable of responding at short notice across the full spectrum of operations.
He also appreciated the close coordination among the Army, civil administration, Central Armed Police Forces, Jammu and Kashmir Police and other security agencies in maintaining peace and stability in the region.
A key highlight of the COAS's visit was his interaction with patients and medical teams at the Advanced Surgical Eye Camp being conducted under Operation Drishti 2026 at Tangdhar.
As part of the two-day Mega Eye Surgical Camp held on September 24 and 25, surgeons of the Armed Forces Medical Services (AFMS) performed 220 sight-restoring surgeries at an underground operation theatre in the shelling-prone border area along the LoC, officials said.
Most procedures were cataract surgeries, while selected patients also underwent retinal procedures and minimally invasive glaucoma surgery, they said, adding the camp demonstrated the ability of specialised medical teams to deliver advanced ophthalmic care in challenging terrain and remote border locations.
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General Seth interacted with patients and distributed medicines and gifts. Director General AFMS Air Marshal Sandeep Thareja also visited the facility and appreciated the surgeons and the local team.
The camp was led by Brigadier Sanjay Kumar Mishra, Head of Ophthalmology, Army Hospital (Research & Referral), Delhi Cantonment. His team carried advanced phacoemulsification, vitreoretinal and glaucoma equipment across mountainous terrain to treat patients from the border region.
Patients from Khawarpora, Tangdhar, Tadd, Bagbela, Yangdar and neighbouring hamlets benefited from the initiative. Following screening and local awareness campaigns, including broadcasts through Radio Rooh-e-Karnah, patients were guided from arrival and registration through surgery and recovery.
The initiative aims to take specialised ophthalmic care closer to serving personnel, Veer Naris, veterans, dependents and civilians, particularly those in remote and difficult-to-reach areas of Jammu and Kashmir.
Specialist teams from Army Hospital (Research & Referral), New Delhi, and 92 Base Hospital, Srinagar, are conducting the wider camp from September 23 to 30, 2026, which envisages screening more than 6,000 patients and conducting over 400 ophthalmic surgeries.
The completion of 220 surgeries in two days marks another milestone in the AFMS series of mega surgical eye camps envisaged by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh. According to the Army, the series has so far screened more than 1.50 lakh patients and facilitated over 3,500 surgeries across 10 cities.
The next camp in the series will be held in Srinagar from September 27 to 29, 2026, while the formal closing ceremony is scheduled for September 30, to be graced by Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha.
Officials said the COAS's visit brought together two important dimensions of the Army's role in forward areas — maintaining a high level of operational preparedness along the LoC while simultaneously extending specialised healthcare and community support to people living in remote and challenging border areas. (KNS)
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