Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Feb 7: Pleading that Government must take Gujjars on board before introducing the new breeds of animals to State, the speakers of a programme organised by Tribal Research and Cultural Foundation (TRCF) on “Tribal and animal issues”, stated that the community suffered the most with the extinction of the old species of sheep, goats and horses with introduction of high-yielding breed of foreign animals.
Dr Javaid Rahi, Secretary of the Foundation in his presidential address stated that Gujjars of North-western Himalayan have gradually lost main native species of sheep, goats and horses since 1968. Our traditional breeds of sheep were lost when Australian Merino species of sheep were introduced in Jammu and Kashmir in early seventies by the Indian Council for Agricultural Research, he said and added that it was an unfortunate move for nomadic tribes of J&K.
“We the Gujjars-Bakerwals constitute the main livestock rearing community of the State and the Government should take our people on board as a major stakeholder before formulating any new policies about our animals rather treating us as an implementing agency”, suggested Dr Rahi.
We can’t switched back our traditional and indigenous breeds of sheep, goats and horses as it is unfortunate that planners while introducing cross-breeds among the livestock did not plan to preserve the native species of the livestock of the Gujjars and the Bakerwals in any region since 1970, he said and added that the directive of Union Agriculture Ministry regarding preserving of native stock was also ignored.
Dr Rahi suggested that before introducing new high breeds to State, the Government should bifurcate the animal breeds into traditional and commercial category and develop both instead of putting one rule formula on the entire animal.
The speakers urged the State Government to take immediate measures by constituting a special team to save the existing rarest of rare species of livestock of Gujjars and Bakerwals.
Those who spoke on the occasion including Dr Akram Ali, Dilmer Chowdhary, Khadam Chouhan, Ali Mohammad Goolvi, Din Mohammad Chokar, Safeer Ali Gujjar, Mohad Tasduq Gaigi, etc.
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