Shillong, March 2: It is not the lethal bullets from the militants’ automatics, nor is it the rampaging elephants that scare the BSF jawans deployed in Meghalaya for poll duty.

It is the killer mosquitoes famed for spreading malaria that has the BSF personnel stuffing their backpacks with tablets and mosquito nets.

Though the election department had categorised 635 polling stations as hyper-sensitive because of the presence of militants and elephants, the 15 companies of BSF personnel deployed for poll duty consider mosquitoes to be their prime enemy.

Most of them will be deployed along the bordering areas of East Khasi Hills, Jaintia Hills and Garo Hills. Some border areas of Jaintia Hills and West Khasi Hills and parts of Purakhasia in West Garo Hills are the worst malaria-affected areas.

Some BSF personnel are reportedly worried over the reports regarding the number of deaths caused by malaria in this part of Meghalaya in 2007, which comes to around 237. The number of deaths in 2006 was 167. In 2005, it was 41, and 2004 saw 21 deaths.

While the state government recently sought the help of the BSF to spray DDT in the border villages, they will have to fend for themselves during poll duty.

A BSF constable said they have been asked to carry Leveron and chloroquine tablets along with mosquito nets while they are deployed for election duty.

In 2006, six BSF jawans in the Northeast lost their lives to mosquito-related diseases. There was one similar case in 2007. This year has already seen one death on the Assam-Meghalaya border.

“A month ago, one of our boys died of malaria in Tura hospital,” said BSF additional DIG V.S. Sikarwar of Assam-Meghalaya frontier.

“If the jawans posted in these areas are affected by mosquito bites, they need to be airlifted for medical help. The BSF is spending at least Rs 2 lakh to airlift the jawans from the remote areas.”

Concerned over the rise in cases of malaria deaths among BSF jawans, A. Jayapal, a BSF official posted in West Bengal, has devised a face net (in picture) to counter the “attack” of mosquitoes.

The face net, which extends to the shoulder, is a protective device to be used by the jawans. Besides the face net, the jawans are also asked to wear gloves and shoes.

However the problem is, if the net is removed and even one mosquito gets in, it would be lethal in these humid condition.

Moreover, the mosquitoes over the years have become immune to medicated nets and medicines. The BSF is providing additional facilities to take care of the health of the jawans.