Tribune stories

Army restrictions on taking cattle to grazing fields
Farmers a worried lot
Shariq Majeed
Tribune News Service

Gali Maidan-LoC (Poonch), July 7
Farmers in this area which is close to the LoC are a worried lot as the Army due to “security concerns”, has imposed an “undeclared ban” on their taking their cattle to dhoks (grazing fields in higher reaches of mountains) on the other side of the fence.

The ban has forced them to sell off their cattle at much lower prices due to the fear of these dying of starvation.

Locals of the area comprising Urripora, Gagrian, Dachiyaan, Chapprian, Kunda Barmiyaan villages, predominantly farmers, who also work as potters with the Army, complained that since the Army had imposed the ban in Makhiari Doba, Pathera and Jibla, they were left with no other option but to sell off the same to prevent losses as the livestock might die of starvation.

Farmers in the Sawjian sector.

They added that even as they urged the local MLA and the district administration to take up the matter with the higher authorities, the administration seemingly did nothing to mitigate their sufferings.

The locals rued that they always proved their nationalism by supporting the Army in defending the border, but the force by imposing such curbs on their movement as well as that of the important mode of livelihood (cattle) had put a question mark on their survival. They added that even during three wars and about two decades of insurgency in the state, no one imposed a ban on their entry.

“We are not anti-nationals and have been supporting the Army in defending the borders. During the three wars as also during about 20 years of insurgency, the Army didn’t impose such a ban, but now when the things are racing back to normalcy in the state, it has taken this unrealistic step.

Since the Army has imposed the ban, we are forced to sell off our cattle at cheaper prices to prevent huge losses which we would suffer as the cattle may die of starvation at home,” said Ahad Lone of the Gagrian area, who, out of his total livestock comprising four buffaloes, six cows and a horse, had to sell a buffalo and three cows for Rs 10,000 and Rs 7,000 against his purchase of Rs 22,000 and Rs 15,000 each, respectively, to prevent losses he would have suffered due to their death.

“Since we are poor people, we don’t think that we can sustain ourselves for long in the absence of our sole mode of livelihood since the other mode of our survival (farming) is not profitable in this part of the state. We took up the matter with the local MLA as well as with the district administration, but they virtually did nothing,” he added.

Habibullah, another farmer, who, along with his son, Ali Muhammad, works as a potter with the Army, said they carried eatables and other commodities for the Army, but the latter by imposing the ban was posing problems for them.

Local MLA Ajaz Jan said the problem was genuine. A senior Army officer said since the dhoks of these farmers were on the other side of the fence, they could not allow the people without ascertaining their identity due to security concerns.

“We cannot allow the people to the dhoks without ascertaining their identity. Since our men are not locals, we have asked the district administration to issue identity cards as also adequate policemen to ascertain the identity of the farmers before allowing them on the other side of the fence. We are awaiting their reply,” he added.

Col Biplab Nath, Jammu-based defence spokesperson, said: “The issue has been raked up in the past also. Write whatever you want”.