R’sthan horsemen save crops from stray cattle

Nikhila Pant Dhawan

Tribune News Service

Mansa, December 15

The stray cattle menace being faced by farmers of Mansa villages has forced them to hire the services of “rakhees” from Rajasthan. The situation has come to such a pass that the farmers of more than 55 villages in Sardulgarh and Jhunir have been asking these security guards to keep a vigil through the day and night with the help of dogs and horses to keep the stray cattle and dogs away from the fields.

Kaur Singh, a farmer in Bhamme Kalan village, accused the government of not paying attention towards the demands of the farmers of the state. “Already debt-ridden, we have to now shell out more money to save our crops from being damaged. We have to pay them the money they demand because we do not have any other option,” Singh said.

Rajasthan residents Manglaram, Budhram, Shamin Kumar, Lakhvir and Kaku have been living in Sardulgarh for the past few weeks now and guarding almost 500 acres of fields in villages day and night. Farmers in Bhamme Kalan, Lalianwali, Jodkia, Nahra, Tibbi and adjoining villagers have hired these horse riders and are paying a hefty price for the same.

Farmers of Lalianwali have given the contract of guarding their 1800 acres of fields to these horse riders for Rs 1.57 lakh. Jodkian farmers have shelled out Rs 80,000, while farmers from Nahra village have hired them for Rs 2.20 lakh.

Unable to finalise the charge for the 20 acres of fields in Tibba village, the contract was finalised at 20-kg wheat per acre.

The farmers may be losing but the otherwise unemployed labour from Rajasthan is gaining in the process. One of the horse riders Rambaksh Singh from Peharsar village said, “There are not many employment opportunities in our village. We got to know from labourers working in Punjab that farmers were looking for guards. I have even brought my family along as I will stay here till April and also because the farmers arrange for our food and accommodation. We take turns to guard the fields.”