Once a pride of terraced fields, bulls & oxen in Kangra valley leading a wretched life

The plight of bulls and oxen, once the pride of the terraced fields in Kangra valley, is a heartbreaking reality. Revered as symbols of agricultural prosperity and strength, these majestic animals are now leading a wretched life.

Abandoned and neglected by their owners, these can be commonly seen on roads.

“The official announcements are confined to files and the ground reality is extremely different. There is no concrete roadmap for their rehabilitation or re-engagement in the fields,” said Chatter Singh of Pathiar village in Nagrota Bagwan who once had a pair of oxen ploughing his fields.

There are frequent reports from almost every pocket of the district about these poor animals getting hurt due to the fast-moving traffic, with the collisions at times proving fatal. There are a few enthusiasts who voluntarily collar these stray cattle with radium strips, but this is just a drop in the ocean. Micro-chipping cattle to identify owners and tracking their movements is also of no use unless there is a designated agency to keep a tag. Implementing sterilisation programmes to control population growth and providing shelters to them are also moving at a snail’s pace.

Chaudhary Chander Kumar, state Agriculture Minister, recently talked about a monthly stipend of Rs 1,200 per animal to the one who provides it shelter, but this announcement is still a distant dream.

“It was not long ago when these animals were considered members of the family by the farming community in the hills, who would affectionately care for them to boost their morale while ploughing a rough terrain. They were worshipped and engaged in multiple tasks in the fields. It is a pity to see them roaming around on roads,” said Duni Chand, a farmer.