Shrinking pastureland in eastern Ladakh sounds death knell for pashmina goats

A majority of the population close to borders comprises nomads in eastern Ladakh and is dependent on livestock.

Restricted access to nomads in traditional pasturelands for grazing of their livestock in eastern Ladakh amid the year-long military tussle between India and China is leading to pashmina goats dying due to lack of food.Even though disengagement has taken place in the Pangong Lake, many areas remain a no-go zone for the army as well as local nomads who are unable to take the animals for grazing to some mountain tops. While there is no consolidated figure on the number of deaths, the situation is alarming, owing to the breeding season of goats. It is a common fact that a mother goat would need more food for the unborn.Around 85 per cent of the population close to borders comprises nomads in eastern Ladakh dependent on livestock who are not being allowed to use pasturelands, which is crippling the Union Territory’s economy. Pashmina, mainstay of Ladakh's economy