Transforming Lives: J-K govt's truck initiative brings hope, relief to nomadic pastoralists in their biannual migration

Srinagar (Jammu and Kashmir) April 13 : In a move to facilitate the biannual migration of pastoral tribal families and their livestock from Jammu to the upper reaches of Kashmir to escape the rising temperature in the plains, 100 trucks have been dispatched to the districts along the National Highway and Mughal road by the administration to facilitate them well transport facility.
Notably, every year by ending March, thousands of nomads begin their annual seasonal journey with lakhs of 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.
The hard journey from Jammu on foot to the greener pastures of Kashmir used to consume a lot of precious time for nomads leading to financial loss and physical strain. The hardships of these nomads were further aggravated over the years due to the dwindling number of the primary source of transportation, horses.
Transportation of their household goods and cattle to the upper reaches through trucks and load carriers was a long pending demand of these nomads before the administration. The same was fulfilled by the L-G administration in J&K.
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.
The Jammu and Kashmir's tribal affairs department used trucks for the transportation of livestock and families of the migratory tribal populations from various highland pastures in Kashmir to Jammu districts
"100 trucks have been already dispatched to the districts along the National Highway and Mughal road by the administration to facilitate their transport facility reducing their travel time considerably and saving the livestock from any natural disaster on the highways," an official said.
He said that the Mughal road is set to open next week, and this initiative aims to support the unique ecosystem services and rangeland management provided by the transhumant population.
He said that the transhumant population of Jammu and Kashmir, consisting of over 630,000 individuals, has played a crucial role in environmental management for generations, but this contribution has never been quantified. "To address this issue, efforts are being made to document their role and contribution to the ecosystem," the official said.
He further said that this evidence-based approach would help policymakers in creating welfare policies for the transhumant pastoral tribal population. "It will also support international efforts towards promoting sustainable development and preserving their rich culture," he said.
"This initiative is a significant step towards recognizing the importance of transhumance and the valuable contribution made by pastoral tribal families towards the environment. It also demonstrates the government's commitment to ensuring the welfare and preservation of their cultural heritage," he added.
Transhumant pastoralism (THP)--is the seasonal migration of livestock and humans between many agroecological zones.
The official also said they had directed the respective administrations to mobilise resources for providing necessary logistics to the migratory tribes, like the establishment of mobile animal dispensaries and health facilities on the migration routes.
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.
The transportation system put in place by the Tribal Affairs Department has reduced the travel time from 20-30 days on foot to 1-2 days while it has also helped in smooth traffic management. These trucks have been deployed both on National Highway-44 and Mughal Road. More trucks are being inducted this year by the department to ensure coverage of 100 per cent of families.
The deployed trucks shall ply along the National Highway from Kathua, Samba, Jammu, and Udhampur to various destinations in Kashmir and on the Mughal road axis from Rajouri and Poonch to various destinations in Kashmir. The services are being provided on National Highway and Mughal Road from the concerned districts.
Furthermore, the L-G Manoj Sinha-led administration said that it had launched two major initiatives of the Cooperative department- A diploma in Cooperative Management and an MoU between Cooperatives and the Department of Tribal Affairs. The initiatives will strengthen the cooperative spirit in the UT and transform the lives of the tribal community, it said.
Meanwhile, Abdul Hakeem, an elderly tribal from the Rajouri district says that they used to face a lot of problems during their journey. The government has now provided them with transport facilities which he described as a positive measure for his community.