Shepherds stuck amid snowfall

vinder Sood

Palampur, April 22

Following unusual snowfall in the month of April in high-altitude areas of Kangra, Chamba and Lahaul Spiti districts of state, scores of shepherds have been held up in Palampur and other areas of Kangra district. These shepherds were on their way to Bara Bhangal and parts of Chamba district. With the onset of summers these tribes move to high hills along with their flock of animals every year.

These shepherds are from traditional Gaddi community and have been moving like this for generations. In summers, they move up in high-altitude areas of Dhauladhar hills, Chhota and Bara Bhangal, Lahaul Spiti, Kinnaur and in parts of Chamba district. In winters they roam from one place to other in Una, Bilaspur, Kangra, Hamirpur and Sirmaur districts in search of greener pastures for their animals.

Talking to The Tribune, Bhag Singh, who is camping near Palampur along with his animals for the past 20 days, said that he had planned to move to Bara Bhangal in the first week of April but because of unusual snowfall he had been held up.

The change in the snow lines in the past few years and global warming have impacted the traditional routes of seasonal migration making their lives risky and rendered difficult search for new pastures. Global warming has led to erratic rain and snowfall also shifted the snowline.

A Divisional Forest Officer, while talking to The Tribune, said the global warming and unusual rain and snow in the high-altitude areas had forced these tribes to camp near Palampur, Baijnath, Gopalpur and Paror. They are camping here for the past few days. He said since all traditional routes of shepherds had been blocked because of heavy snowfall in Dhauladhars in the past 15 days there was no possibility of their moving further areas in the next 10 days.

Trilok Kapoor, chairman, state wool federation, said that unusal snow and rain had made the lives of these Gaddi tribes miserable and forced them to camp in open. Animals are suffering from different diseases because of bad weather. He said the new generation was also not willing to take over this profession anymore. He said the state government had launched a number of new schemes for the benefits of shepherds, providing them high resolution torches, medicines to animals, tents, etc. Besides, the best breeds of sheep and goat were also being provided to them free of cost by the government.