Camel Act: Catch-22 situation for breeders

KHETOLAI (Pokhran): Late President Dr A P J Abdul Kalam had expressed his desire to visit Khetolai village after coming on to the international map following the Pokhran nuclear tests.

But tourist buses lined up on the highway in front of Khetolai that hardly stop for a minute or two definitely are here for reasons else. They are here for 'freezing a moment with the Sinking Ship of Desert'.

Nearly two scores of camels (both bulls and cows with their calves) along with once affluent owners are today on mercy of alms given by the tourists.

Camel

population is declining and breeders grouse despite the state having passed the

Rajasthan Camel

(Prohibition of Slaughter and Regulation of Temporary Migration or Export) Act, 2015. The reasons ranging from wrong deciphering either deliberate or unintentional and exploitation stemming from the ignorance of these breeders need to be redressed immediately lest this 'dromedary', which so much represents Rajasthan, vanishes from the landscape of these sand dunes.

Shiv Karan

of Khetolai used to have 200 camels while

Hukum Singh

from nearby Keralia has about 50 of these camels left. What these camel breeders understand and have been communicated is that they 'cannot sell their camels'. "We were told that if our cow (camel) breeds, we would get money in lieu of that but didn’t get anything till date. Further, we have been prohibited from even using these for any commercial reasons as well", said Hukum Singh pointing at other camel breeders sitting along the roadside and expecting some tips in 'kind or cash' from the tourists.

Camel breeders like Birdha Ram and Bhera Ram have been forced to leave most of their one humped livestock in wild. " We couldnot provide fodder to our camels since we couldn't earn any money by selling these in 'melas' either in Rajasthan or outside. Earlier, each camel used to fetch about Rs 30,000-Rs 40,000. While the government says it is for protecting the dwindling population of camels, the new rules fail in their very purpose with camel breeders shying away from their ancestral occupation of breeding and rearing camels for agricultural, transport and dairy purposes", rued Hukum Singh adding that breeders have been threatened of jail if the animal gets injured.

On the other hand, officials from the Animal Husbandry department of Rajasthan have an entirely different version with respect to the grievances of these camel breeders, dwindling population of camels and provisions under the Act. Dr N M. Singh, Additional Director (Medicine Cell), Animal Husbandry who all happens to be the Nodal Officer for the

Camel Development Scheme

started in October 2016 admits that the camel population as per 2012 Census reduced by 25%.

" Previously unchecked smuggling to abattoirs in UP, Bihar, Madhya Pradesh and Bangladesh that land this state animal into the danger zone. Markets in Baghpat and Meerut fetch almost upto one lakh per camel while being use dfor slaughtering purposes compared to the usual market rat of Rs 20,000 to Rs 40,000. We pay Rs 10,000 per calf in three installments to the breeder and if somebody is not getting the same, then there must be some missing links somewhere. Further, the Act has the provisions for taking the animals outside the state and even sale within and outside. Just that selling Camel for meat is prohibited", said he.