New Delhi. The 39th Annual Governing Body Meeting of the Tear Smoke Unit (TSU) of Border Security Force, MHA was held at BSF HQrs, New Delhi on August 6 under the chairmanship of KK Sharma, IPS, Director General, Border Security Force.
The meeting was attended by board of governors from BPR&D, CRPF, MHA, Delhi Police, State Police, Ordnance Factories Board and Ministry of Finance. Rajesh Nirwan, IPS, IG (Provisioning) BSF welcomed the delegates and Edwin John Bennet, DIG/General Manager, Tear Smoke Unit presented the annual report highlighting the achievements and future plans.
Addressing the governing body, KK Sharma, DG BSF brought out that TSU, which was established in BSF Academy in 1976, is effectively producing and supplying anti-riot tear smoke munitions to all Police Forces in India for managing law-and-order situation. Indigenous production of non-lethal munitions by TSU has reduced the country’s dependency on foreign munition. He also complimented TSU for ensuring highest standards of quality, timely production and introduction of new products, thereby, meeting the needs of Police in local area specifically law-and-order management.
It is heartening to note that the Prime Minister and MoS Home and NSA visited TSU in January this year and showed keen interest in its functioning and products. TSU is an ISO 9001:2008, ISO 14001:2015 and ISO 50001:2011 Certified unit, producing non-lethal munitions matching global standards and caters to fulfill requirement of all State Police and Armed Forces of the country. Plastic lab of TSU is also under National Accreditation Board for Testing and Calibration Laboratories (NABL) certification.
TSU products broadly include Lachrymatory munitions, Flash-Bang munitions, Impact munitions and customized munitions for special operations. In 2017-18, TSU introduced Oleoresin Capsicum (OC) based Chili Grenade in technical collaboration with DRDO. TSU is also working on designing 38 mm & 40 mm Training Munition to impart training in training institutions. TSU is in the process of automation of production process and introducing new variants of lachrymatory munitions. TSU has already applied for patenting two of its products and few others are in the pipeline for patent.
Currently, TSU is working on four different combination chemicals for introducing in lachrymatory munitions which will be a potential force-multiplier to the Security Forces in law &order management.
The governing body appreciated TSU and its management from BSF for their exemplary role in timely meeting requirement of Forces. The effective utilization of TSU munitions has saved valuable human lives including public assets worth crores of rupees. Governing Body Meeting (GBM) emphasized the need for more Bio-safe, non-lethal indigenous products complying international standards suited to the changing security scenario.
