Where have all the camels disappeared?

By Narvijay Yadav
The population of camels is decreasing rapidly in India. Even the Border Security Force (BSF) is reportedly unable to find sufficient camels for patrolling. The 832 km long border of Bikaner, Jaisalmer and Barmer districts of Rajasthan has desert areas on 130 points, where camels are suitable for patrolling. But the problem is that BSF has not been able to get camels for two years to monitor this border area. Pak infiltrators remain active in this area. The BSF has only 200 camels left in this region, while its requirement is much more. The BSF is sanctioned 1,052 camels, while it has only 470.
The decline in camel population in Rajasthan was first noticed in the 1990s. Between 1998 and 2003, the camel population in Rajasthan declined from 7,56,000 to 500,000. Then by 2012, this number dropped to 3,26,000, falling further to 2,13,000 by 2019. In states like Haryana, Uttar Pradesh and Gujarat too, the number of camels has decreased after 2012. There are barely 2.5 lakh camels left in India, of which 86% are in Rajasthan only. Camel has is the state animal of Rajasthan. There was a time when India was at third in the world in terms of camel population, however now we are not even in the top 10 among 46 camel-dominated countries.
Why did this happen? The main reason behind this is rapid development and mechanization. With the expansion of the road network in the desert, the increase in the use of vehicles and the arrival of tractors, the dependence on camels has decreased. After the construction of Indira Gandhi Canal, the pastures of camels in the state kept decreasing. The canal passes through 7 districts – Barmer, Bikaner, Churu, Hanumangarh, Jaisalmer, Jodhpur and Sri Ganganagar. With the increase in irrigation and agricultural land, there was a lack of open pastures. In most parts of the desert, owners leave their camels free to roam for eight months a year. The state government’s Rajasthan Camel (Prohibition of Slaughter and Regulation of Temporary Migration or Export) Act, 2015 also became a major hurdle, under which the sale and purchase of male camels was banned. There was also a complete ban on the camel meat trade.
Don’t compromise with security
Indian Air Force war planes showcased the country’s might by demonstrating touch and go capability on Purvanchal Expressway on Tuesday. But pulling the air show into politics by certain groups is objectionable and also dangerous for the country’s security. It was said that if the enemy destroys our military bases, then our fighter aircraft can not only land on the expressway, but can also take off for their next mission from these places after getting necessary service. Prime Minister Modi and Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath himself witnessed the flying prowess of powerful aircraft like the Mirage 2000 and Sukhoi. The Samajwadi Party made a gimmick to inaugurate the expressway. The question arises whether the places of defense importance should be publicized and politicized? If our enemies come to know about our war bases, is it not compromising with the security of the nation?