NEELUM VELLAY (AJK). June 28,2022.
In Azad Kashmir, more than 300 Bakarwal families in the Neelum Valley, that are connected to the Line of Control, are suffering due to severe weather conditions and severe damage to local communities and valuable livestock of the Bakarwal tribe.
According to official figures, 700 animals have died , but sources claim the number of animal deaths is much higher and more deaths are feared.
According to Deputy Commissioner Neelam Khawaja Ijaz, Bakrwal tribes started entering Neelum Valley from March 15 and this trend continues till the end of May. They have entered the Neelum Valley through which the number of sheep and goats is about thirty thousand, while fifteen hundred horses and mules have also been part of these goat caravans for loading goods.
According to Deputy Commissioner Neelam, the number of caravans of Bakrawals entering Neelam Top Neelam from KPK through Noori Top is not included in these figures. Areas of Upper Kala, Kala Pani, Taubat, Dewasi Sharda, Kail, Sargan, Noori Top etc. are included.
According to Deputy Commissioner Neelam Khawaja Ijaz, the Bakarwal familes are facing severe difficulties due to the recent severe cold due to climate change and due to lack of communication system in these remote areas, immediate realization of the real situation is not possible. That the goats of Bakrwal tribe coming from Noori Top are facing loss of life while the administration, Disaster Management Authority and some volunteers have been sent to the areas where Bakrwal tribes may face difficulties to check the actual situation.
In response to a question about the extraordinary change in climate, Deputy Commissioner Neelam said that this extraordinary change has been observed for the first time in the last fifty years and therefore he was not prepared in advance to deal with the effects of climate change. In response to a question, will Bakrwal be able to survive with these climate changes? The Deputy Commissioner said that Member Assembly Chaudhry Latif Akbar had raised questions on the issues of Bakarwal tribe in the Assembly as a result of which a committee headed by Senior Member Board of Revenue has been formed to address the problems and challenges of Bakarwal tribe. The committee will give suggestions on what to do.
Amiruddin is a senior and well-known Muzaffarabad-based journalist from Neelam, who has been instrumental in drawing the attention of the people about the plight of Bakarwal tribe of Neelum valley in recent times. According to Amiruddin, due to climate change, three to four feet of snow has fallen in the upper areas of Neelum during the hot summer months, which is very unusual.
According to Amiruddin, the Bakarwal tribes are facing heavy losses in the upper areas of Rati Gali. He says there is a risk of significant damage due to the avalanches, but it has not been taken seriously at the government level. Snowfall for people and animals has exacerbated food and other problems. The government could have identified problems in a short time by helicopter if it wanted to, but state resources are not for the common man.
According to journalist Amir-ud-Din, no help is being given to the bakrwal tribesmen at the government level. The people are helping at the local level.
Amiruddin says nothing is being done in Neelam to tackle climate change, but no effort is being spared to spoil the natural beauty, which is extremely dangerous. Experts’ views on climate change are not being taken into account at all. Regarding the number of Bakrwal tribes in Neelam, Amir-ud-Din Mughal says that almost the same number of people enter Neelam from Nawsiri through other routes. The tribe and about 60,000 goats and sheep may be present. According to Amiruddin, the Bakrwal tribes are considered important in our culture and economy but the recent rapid climate change will not allow them to continue on their traditional routes for long.
Dr. Humayun Shaheen is the Focal Person for Climate Change at the University of Kashmir and is the Head of the Department of Botany. He has done his PhD research on Climate Change. The year has been the hottest in history, four of the ten hottest cities in the world are in Pakistan while four are in India, which gives us a good idea of our problems. Pakistan is the seventh most affected by climate change. The warmest recent May has caused evaporation in the Arabian Sea, leading to a pre-monsoon in the region.
The Himalayan region has also been badly affected by climate change, with long-term effects. The Bakarwal tribes, which have been around for thousands of years, have been badly affected by the snowfall in Neelum. Snow has long-term effects on grasses and herbs because each plant is a crop in its own right that will upset the ecological balance. If the world does not take practical steps to tackle climate change, rains, droughts, floods , extreme Heat and incredible cold will be part of this cycle. Snow is falling in the areas.
Dr. Humayun Shaheen said that the effects of climate change have encompassed the whole of world. In such circumstances, there is dire need of developing cohesive collaboration between relevant departments and creating awareness among local people about climate change , Private organizations and NGOs should also play their role in creating awareness. He said that most of the people in the hilly areas are dependent on nature. Meteorological Department which forecasts about weather in preview of ensuring safety and security of local people, should take precautionary measures in this regard.
Muhammad Shehzad Khan, another senior journalist from the area, said that the death of animals has caused a loss of billion of rupees to the Bakarwal tribe. The government should take heed of this so that the economic condition of the affected people get improved.
