With security personnel unhappy about the effectiveness of ‘PAVA’ shells that replaced pellet guns, the Centre is planning to ask experts to fix the anomalies and send a fresh lot after reconfiguring the shells.
The security forces deployed in Jammu and Kashmir have given an on ground assessment on the chilli-based PAVA shells, saying these were not able to fully deter the protesters.
In its assessment, the security forces have told the government that canisters of the shells were taking time to melt and this has helped the crowd to pick them up and throw back at the personnel.
They also have complaints about the effectiveness of the chilli fumes emanating from the shells and have asked for its enhancement, sources said.
The PAVA shells used in Kashmir are manufactured by Border Security Force’s (BSF) Tear Smoke Unit (TSU) based in Gwalior. The authorities have now asked the TSU to fix these anomalies.
When fired, the PAVA shells burst to temporarily stun, immobilise and paralyse the target in more effective ways than tear gas shells or pepper sprays.
The use of PAVA shells — Pelargonic Acid Vanillylamide, also called Nonivamide — began after a controversy erupted over the use of pellet guns in Kashmir following several youths getting severely injured, mostly on their eyes.
Following the outrage against pellet guns, the Ministry of Home Affairs set up an expert panel to suggest an alternative for crowd control.
The panel had zeroed in on PAVA shells.
The PAVA shells were under trial for over a year at the Indian Institute of Toxicology Research, a laboratory of Council of Scientific and Industrial Research in Lucknow.