With the seasonal migration of Bakerwals to plains ahead of winter underway, transport offered to them by the government for lifting their livestock has eased their journey.
As per news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO), Bakerwals desert high altitude pastures and migrate towards plains in Jammu with the dip in temperature beginning late September. Every year, hundreds of Bakerwals along with their livestock including sheep, goats and cows walk on foot through treacherous mountains and highways to reach their destination. In April, they embark on their journey towards the alpine pastures so their animals can graze during the summer and return to warmer districts of Jammu region in September-October.
But this year is witnessing a departure in their traditional journey with the assistance from the government.
Abdul Qasim, a nomad said that they have now become accustomed to the journey. "Whether there is happiness or suffering in it, but it is only for us and not for anyone else," he said, adding that over the years, their journey has become easier because the government has been very supportive to them.
This year, he said that the government has provided them with a transport facility for travel which had never happened before.
Similarly, another Bakarwal group at Baramulla who were leaving for Jammu said they heard that the government is providing them a transport facility. "This is a good initiative and we want to thank the government for providing us with all the facilities during our journey," he said.
Noor Mohammad, another nomad, said that they faced hardships during their foot journey as they would lose livestock in road accidents.
For the first time, the authorities provided tribals with transport facilities and deployed 500 trucks and 100 other commercial vehicles.
An official said that more than 300 vehicles have been deployed by the government for facilitating movement of migratory tribal families from highland pastures “Dhoks” in Kashmir to their native places in Jammu. "First time ever an exercise at such a scale initiated for tribal welfare," he said, adding that transport facilities for migratory tribal families are provided by all district administrations in Kashmir.
The official said that the facility is reducing their travel time considerably and saving the livestock from any natural disaster on the highways.
Meanwhile, nomads suffered loss to their livestock due to untimely snow in the higher areas in the Valley.
"This year we have suffered a lot because when we came to higher reaches of Sonamarg, it started snowing and we suffered a lot of damage to our livestock," said Abdul Kalam Khan, a nomad from Rajouri.
He said that the administration had helped them a lot during difficult times.
"Natural calamities, livestock damage or any other grief that we face in our journey have become a part of our life now. We tolerate all these things," he said—(KNO)