The nomadic communities of J&Okay have been supplied sensible playing cards and free transport to assist their biannual migration
The nomadic communities of J&Okay have been supplied sensible playing cards and free transport to assist their biannual migration
For centuries, Jammu and Kashmir’s nomadic neighborhood, often called Gujjars and Bakerwals, have undertaken arduous journeys on foot as a part of their seasonal migration to seek out higher pastures for his or her livestock. They usually lose cattle and, now and again, relations to accidents and hardships alongside the way in which. However, technological options and transport companies have been supplied this yr to assist them cowl lengthy distances in much less time and extra safely.
J&Okay’s Tribal Affairs Department has surveyed 98,000 such households to map their routes and transit areas. “Technology has been leveraged in various aspects, including the development of smart cards to replace multiple annual (No Objection Certificates) NOCs and permissions for migration. A pilot project covers 10,000 families over the next three months,” Dr. Shahid Iqbal Chaudhary, Secretary to the Tribal Affairs Department, informed The Hindu.
Using distant sensing know-how and geographic info system, officers delineated pastures and the grazing land in every district. This step was adopted by mapping of routes and the migration sample to grasp when Bakerwals and their livestock use the highways, first in spring once they begin from the plains of Jammu after which in autumn once they go away the higher reaches of the Kashmir valley. A communication community was labored out and radio messaging was used to achieve these grazing livestock within the higher reaches to relay messages about free transportation and the halting factors.
The Tribal Affairs division additionally collaborated with the Forest Department and the Census Operations Department to offer sensible playing cards to tribal households. “The smart cards will replace the multiple permission regime and offer a unified central database to all the organisations and agencies for smooth and hassle-free movement of families during the biannual vertical migration,” Mr. Chaudhary mentioned.
Embedded with a chip, the sensible card comprises demographic particulars, transit routes, originating place, vacation spot and different very important statistics.
Every yr, Niyaz Khatana, 67, his spouse, two youthful brothers and 4 kids, migrate from the Jammu area’s Rajouri in May, when the temperature soars and turns into insufferable for cattle. They stroll alongside the Mughal Road for 230 km distance to achieve Margan Top in south Kashmir, the place the highland meadows supply a cooler surroundings throughout summers. Thereafter, they trek as much as subalpine and alpine meadows and grazing pastures together with their sheep, the principle supply of earnings for the household.
“It takes two or three days to reach our bahaks (traditional mud huts) from Margan Top to grazing pastures. From May till October, sheep live in pastures surrounding Margan Top and are able to gain weight due to quality grass available in these areas,” Mr. Khatana mentioned.
However, after working laborious for 4 months on sheep-rearing, the journey will get troublesome and harmful once they return to the Jammu plains from Kashmir’s hills in September or October.
“I lost 112 sheep to a speeding truck on the Kokernag-Shopian highway in the middle of the night in 2017. In 2015, our family got stuck and lost cattle due to the harsh weather on Mughal Road (which connects Shopian valley with the plains of Poonch),” Mr. Khatana mentioned.
Transhumance refers back to the observe of shifting animals to completely different fields in several seasons. According to the first-ever survey performed by the Tribal Affairs Department on transhumance in 2022, round 98,000 households undertake biannual vertical migration in Jammu and Kashmir. Close to 12,000 of those households use the Mughal Road and the Srinagar-Jammu nationwide freeway.
“Their journey takes 30-45 days end-to-end, out of which more than half is on roads, involving several transits and halts. Hundreds of animals and even several people were lost in accidents during migration. They also cause traffic obstruction,” Dr. Chaudhary mentioned.
A shepherd along with his flock at Pahalgam, 96 km south of Srinagar on October 7, 2022.
| Photo Credit: Nissar Ahmad
However, the journey to the plains alongside these highways has eased this yr after the intervention from the federal government.
“In April 2022, the department provided transport for families and livestock during migration, mainly on highways and the Mughal Road. This move is also an outcome of policy collaboration with the University of Shkoder, Albania,” Dr. Chaudhary mentioned.
Fifty vans and 100 gentle industrial automobiles have been deployed and Deputy Commissioners have been authorised to rent automobiles to ferry nomads and their livestock safely on the highways. The service is presently supplied in 13 districts with the migration routes.
“Out of 13 districts, Anantnag, Shopian, Ganderbal, Pulwama are focus areas with maximum migration followed by Kupwara, Baramulla and Bandipora. Ten trucks each, along with lighter vehicles, were provided in Anantnag, Shopian and Ganderbal,” Dr. Chaudhary mentioned.
He mentioned two transit lodging have been organized and work on seven such amenities are occurring. “More than 12,000 families will be provided services over a period of one month up to October 25 this year,” he added.
The free transport service will see households travelling from Kashmir to Khwas and Budhal in Rajouri, Akhnoor in Jammu, Mendhar in Poonch and Mansar in Samba, decreasing their journey time significantly and saving the livestock from any pure catastrophe on the highways. “In the first four days of the launch of the service in September, 1,688 families have been provided transport service across all districts,” Dr. Chaudhary mentioned.
The Tribal Affairs Department has despatched messages to individuals in dhoks (mud hutments) within the higher reaches. Announcements have been additionally made on the radio and several other assist desks have been established at roadside factors to tell the nomadic households concerning the transport service.
Source: www.thehindu.com