Gujjar-Bakerwal shepherds may return to J&K hills

SRINAGAR: Nomadic shepherds and cattle grazers from the Gujjar- Bakerwal community, who first alerted the Army about Pakistani intrusions in 1999 that led to the Kargil war, may return to the icy heights of Gurez and Drass with the state government attempting to ease security restrictions on the strategic border.

The J&K government is writing to the Army to allow access to pastures located along the border that were sealed off following the Kargil war due to security considerations.

The PDP-BJP government says that the main pastures are located in these areas and ironically, the closure has impacted the very livelihood of nomadic shepherds who gave the first alert on intruders.

“Grazing area is shrinking considerably in the state. And this has directly impacted the livelihood of Gujjar bakerwal community especially after Kargil war, when most of the areas on the border were sealed for the movement,” J&K’s animal husbandry minister from BJP, Abdul Gani Kohli told ET.

The minister is writing to the top Army brass, including the commanders of the 14 Corps and 15 Corps to take a ‘lenient view of the matter as situation is better and peaceful now.’ “They should be allowed to go for grazing on the other side of Kishan Ganga River in Gurez and Batkulan and Beemath areas of Drass,” the minister said.