Lockdown spells doom for horse & bullock cart owners in Sun City

Jodhpur: Lockdown has raised a question mark on the livelihoods of bullock cart and horse tonga owners as they are neither in a position to feed their cattle or their families.

They had somehow managed to feed their animals for some time, but the extended lockdown and ceasing of all kinds of economic activities proved disastrous.

“Now, the big question before us is whether we arrange food for our family or our animals. We could not desert them either as they are not just part of our family but bread winners for us as well,” said Chand Mohammad, who owns a bullock cart and earns by transporting petty goods on it in the industrial areas of Sangaria. There are about 30-40 ox carters here.

“We have somehow managed to feed our oxen with vegetables and watermelons, but those are not enough as they need fodder, which we cannot afford,” said Mohammad, adding that it was not available either.

They have been trying to meet the administrative officers for the past three days but in vain. “We have been trying to meet the administrative officer but are not being let in. We wish that fodder is provided to us until the lockdown is lifted and trade activities begin,” said Ghanshyam, another bullock cart owner. The woes of tonga owners in the city are no different, who earn their living by ferrying tourists around the city. About two dozen tonga owners have been sitting idle in absence of tourists and are unable to feed their animals.

A tonga owner Mohsin Khan, said that it is not just the lockdown period but they will be affected for longer, as tourism industry suffers across the globe in the wake of the pandemic. “Even now, we are not in a position to feed our animals, but there is no hope for future either,” a dejected Mohsin said, who has been looking for some alternate work.

The cancellation of weddings during lockdown has led to a similar predicament for those, who rear and provide mares for grooms in baraats (wedding processions). Even they have been finding it difficult to feed their cattle.