Chassana: A welcome change is taking place in the far-flung areas of Jammu and Kashmir as the Bakerwal tribes revive their tradition of moving to the upper reaches of mountains during summer.

This was not possible earlier owing to militancy.

After years in the far-flung meadows of Chassana situated on the edge of the Pir Panjal in Reasi district, there is activity here as the Bakerwal clans are headed for summer destinations.

The movement of the tribes on this route had come down over the years as the heights of Kosernag on the Pir Panjal were the target of militants.

Attaullah Khan, a clan head, says: "It is after six years that my clan has resumed the tradition of moving to the heights. Many of us had dispensed with the tradition as we became the soft targets of militants who used to enter our dhoks (summer huts) and rob us of our sheep and goats. They also forced us to become informers."

Says 45-year-old Mohammad Ramzan: "We were [forced to be] on the streets and have become beggars. This year, we heard the presence of militants [has] declined so we decided to take this route again."

Five years ago, Ramzan had a flock of 1,000 sheep and now he is left with 70.

Risk exists

However, the risk to Bakerwals exists as three local militants of the Hizbul Mujahideen are still active in the belt. Village Protection Committees in the belt have proved a big deterrent for them.

The tribes take this route to move to the higher reaches in the summer while their movement is reversed in winter when snow caps the higher reaches.

The farthest these tribes go during summer is Drass area of the Ladakh region — the second coldest inhabited place on earth after Siberia.

Drass is the first stop as one crosses the Zojila mountains from the Kashmir valley.

Bakerwals depend on animal produce, mostly goat and sheep meat, for their livelihood.

The authorities have paid only lip service to the tribes instead of improving socio-economic conditions.

The concept of mobile schools, where the teachers would travel with the clans, is non-existent as many tribals have not heard about the scheme.

Consequently, illiteracy is rampant among them.

Animal husbandry centres were started by the State Government to provide subsidised medicine to the animals the Bakerwals rear.

But the tribes are not satisfied with the execution of the scheme. Attaullah Khan says,

"The centres are open but the field staff are rarely cooperative and they inflate the prices of medicines. Therefore, we mostly rely on traditional ways to treat the animals."

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