Srinagar: The Tribal Affairs Department has pressed into service trucks for the transportation of livestock of nomads.
In a first, J&K’s tribal affairs department used trucks for the transportation of livestock and families of the migratory tribal population from various highland pastures in Kashmir to the Jammu districts. Instead of their regular movement on foot which would take weeks of marches and halts, the tribal families and their livestock have now been offered a lift.
As winter is around the corner, the nomadic Bakarwal tribe of Jammu and Kashmir has begun to move from the upper reaches to the plains of Jammu.
The nomads follow this routine in October in order to avoid the harsh Kashmir winters. Every year by the end of March, thousands of nomads begin their seasonal journey with lakhs of livestock including sheep and goats from the Jammu region to reach the Kashmir Valley.
These families embark on their journey towards the alpine pastures for grazing during the summer before returning to warmer districts of the Jammu region in October as the temperature goes down.
Instead of their regular movement on foot which would take weeks of marches and halts, the tribal families and their livestock have now been offered a lift.
A senior government official said that seven lakh people from tribal communities, including Gujjars and Bakerwals, travel every year with their livestock mostly from Jammu to Kashmir in summer and back in winter. The transport facility will reduce the travel time of some of these families from 20-30 days on foot to 1-2 days.
The official said that migratory tribal families are starting their journey from central Kashmir’s Budgam district to Rajouri. “District administration Shopian and Budgam have made arrangements for transport and other facilities,” he said.
He said that the reverse vertical migration of tribal families has started while govt transport is being provided from pick-up points in district Ramban. “DC Ramban Mussarat Zia is supervising the arrangements for them, besides the help-desks have been established,” he added.
The official further said the administration is working continuously at different levels to safeguard the rights of tribals and will work in a mission mode for their development and betterment.
Deputy Commissioner Anantnag, Dr. Basharat Quyoom said that the first batch of 10 trucks with tribal migratory families and livestock on-board from Anantnag departed for Jammu region. Out of ten, eight trucks reached safely while two were on the way.
At South Kashmir’s Anantnag, several tribals while speaking to this reporter said that they are feeling very happy that the government is taking their journey seriously and helping them to go back. “We can’t believe that the government would provide us with transport facilities,” says Abdul Suliman an elderly tribal from Rajouri district.