VoL Desk, April 02, 2022: After the damage caused to crops and trees by unattended mules at Bagh-e-Khomeini village, reported by Voice of Ladakh on March 31, 2022, sources from Pushkum village also reported that they had written to the Deputy Commissioner/ CEO, Kargil over similar damages at Kurbathang plateau.

On March 31, women from Bagh-e-Khomeini were found chasing and driving off unattended mules, donkeys, and horses from the village. Enquiring about the matter, the women told the VoL correspondent that 10-15 unattended mule are damaging their crops and trees in the village.

In a letter to the Deputy Commissioner/ Chief Executive Officer, LAHDC, Kargil on March 28, the inhabitants of village Pashkum sought attention towards a large number of horses and ponies set open on the Kurbathang plots of the command area at the end of the agriculture season. This is a practice adopted by the owners for the last several years.

* Click to Follow Voice of Ladakh on WhatsApp *

The horses continue to roam and devastate the plateau day and night during the entire winter season. The stray horses and ponies greatly damage the plantation particularly they mow up the popular even matured trees. They completely peel up and denude the trees from barks, read the letter to the DC.

For the Lasts several years the stray horses /ponies are inflicting great damage to our poplar trees which was brought to the notice of District Administration authorities by the villagers through the Numberdar and Sarpanches.

The issue seems a concern for a decade. It is pertinent that in 2014 Notification No: DM-K/JC-CRPC/133 Dated 22-01-2014 was issued by the DC/ CEO office, but the owner of the horses and ponies continue to violate it and set free in the Kurbathang command Area of Pashkum village, the letter maintained.

On March 30, the villagers of Bagh-e-Khomeini also submitted a representation to the Assistant Commissioner of Revenue on the issue. The letter requested to kindly take necessary action to safeguard the villagers’ plantation/ properties and redress the problem once and for all to prevent the massive loss caused by these stray Horses/ponies.

The letter further demanded legal action against the owners and violators to prevent similar damages from now onwards.

Pertinent to mention that, the DC/ CEO order No: DM-K/JK-CRPC/133, Date: February 07, 2014, stated that “the people of Karkit and other villages are bringing their Mules in Kurbathang command area and are left there un-attended even during the crop season. When the area is snowbound the mules damage the plantation both fruit and non fruit plants.

“On the demand of the people, several notices were issued from time to time directing the owners to take their mules from the area. This year notice was issued vide No:- DM-K/JC- CRPC/133 dated:- 22.01.2014. But there has been no response.

“The people of Pashkum on 06.02.2014 brought more than sixty mules to this office. The SHO Kargil and the people were asked to confine these mules within the fenced store premises of PDD. They are bringing all remaining mules and intended to get out beyond Chanigund. Police assistance may kindly be provided. In case the issue remains, unattended there is apprehension of clutch between the mule owners and land owners and damage to the mules. “Therefore, it was suggested to the people that they will also keep their persons on rotation basis at Police Post Shilikchey to check re-entry of mules especially during night hours. In this connection it is requested that Police may also be deployed at the Police Post so that the menace is controlled jointly”, the letter suggested.