Details

Category: ENVIRONMENT

Published: 26 March 2017

JAMMU: To curb  the  alarming rise in  man-animal conflict in the  Jammu and Kashmir - the Tribal Research and Cultural Foundation -a leading organisation of Gujjars- today  advised  the State government to  introduce a brigade of 'Bakerwali Dogs'   to protect  human lives residing  near forests. It said, that the nomad Gujjars are using  the rare breed of  tough and honest  'Bakerwali Dog'  as protector of their lives and livestock  in forests , since centuries.

The suggestion was made by the intellectuals of Gujjar community while addressing  a programme  organised by the Foundation on 'Man Animal Conflicts and Gujjars Tribe". The event was presided over by noted Tribal researcher Dr. Javaid Rahi while a number of Tribal dignitaries participated in the programme. Dr. Javaid Rahi, in his presidential address stated  that  only tranquiliser guns, cages, nets, crackers cant combat the human-animal conflict solely  but it needs a  proper planning at ground level.

Quoting a government document wherein it said that   42  people have been killed  by wild animals in Jammu & Kashmir during the last two years and at least 515 have been injured. He said the situation is growing grim on the ground day by day. He suggested that  the  J&K Wild Life Department  must introduce a brigade of 'Bakerwali Dogs'   to curb the incidents immediately to save human lives.

He suggested that the  wild life to identify most effected  villages across the state to introduce a fleet of 'Bakerwali Dog' after training in each areas to rein in man animal conflict strategically . He said  nomads are using innovative technique in this context  since centuries. He said a Bakerwali Dog is extremely courageous with a power  to kill a lion, a tiger or a bear alone in a situation of extreme conflict . This dog can solely  fight with an  animal larger in double  than itself. Being human friendly the  breed cannot attack any  human being during migration /or in the day light especially in thickly populated areas. In night they can  guard a cluster of houses efficiently. 

He said Jammu & Kashmir has witnessed increase in man wild animal-conflict, which is due to the expanding human populations,  construction near forest lands and wastelands, fragmentation of wild animal habitat due to development activities and conversion of habitats into croplands and orchards. He appealed the nomadic community to support state forest  department to introduced the concept of  Bakerwali rigade  to curb man-animal conflict in J&K.