Govt policy leads to decline in Yak population

Gangtok, Aug 6 (UNI) Squeezed between two diametrically opposite policies pursued by the Sikkim government, Yaks, considered the main economic stay of the people residing in snowbound hills, are gasping for breath.

On the one hand, the state government is initiating steps to conserve Yaks, declared an endangered species four years back, while on the other it has launched a massive drive to demolish the yak sheds and evict the yak herders from the reserve forests, forcing them to distress sale their animals across the border in Nepal.

Ironically, both the conservation programmes and the demolition drive is headed by Secretary Forest T R Poudyal.

Mr Poudyal said the government is committed to clearing the reserve forest land occupied by the yak herders. The herders were posing serious threat to the wild animals and rich forest resources by indulging in all sorts of illegal activities like smuggling of rare plants and poaching of endangered animals, he added.

The forest secretary said the drive was in compliance with the Indian Forest Act 1927, Wildlife Act 1972 and the Sikkim Forest Act 1980 and aimed at protecting the rich forest resources of the state.

In India, Yaks are found in the Himalayan states like Arunachal Pradesh, Nagaland, Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh and Sikkim.

According to the latest livestock census J&K has the highest number of 33,000 yaks while Sikkim has a little over 5000.

Mr Poudyal said so far 110 Yak sheds had been demolished in the West district and the department was keeping a close vigil to ensure that the yak herders did not resettle again.

In the absence of any alternative rehabilitation plan, the Yak herders had already sold at least 60 per cent of the total around 1200 yaks of the district in Nepal at a very lower rate.

The government's step had created a furore with the animal lovers apprehending that it would further contribute to the declining Yak population in the state.

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