Donkeys smuggling so far
This has also affected the four-day Khalkhani Mata donkey fair, held during the Sharad Navratri in Jaipur’s Bhawgarh Bandh, where only 15 donkeys were sold this time, compared to over 25,000 donkeys that used to come from all over the country two decades ago. Donkeys from Ladakh, Afghanistan, Kathmandu, Sindh, Punjab, and Gujarat used to come to this fair. Initially, the organizers thought it was due to the decreasing utility of donkeys, but the report has forced the animal husbandry department to think again. According to the 2019 livestock census, there are only 1.2 lakh donkeys left in the country, which is 61.23% less than the 2012 census.Report on China’s Cosmetic Industry
The report states that China’s cosmetic industry uses donkey skin on a large scale, leading to the illegal smuggling of donkeys from India and other countries to China. Brook India’s study has revealed that donkeys from India are being sent to China via Nepal. The organization has submitted its report to the Indian government’s animal husbandry and dairy department.More States Apart From Rajasthan
Under the RTI Act, information was sought from the DGFT regarding the export of donkeys and their skin between 2016 and 2019. However, no data was available. Later, Brook India commissioned a study by Sharat Verma of Ludhiana, which revealed that donkeys from Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh, Rajasthan, Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, and Gujarat are being sent to China.Government’s Step
Earlier, donkeys used to come from far and wide to the donkey fair. The decreasing number of donkeys was attributed to mechanization, but the report has left everyone stunned. The government should take concrete steps to conserve donkeys, just like it does for camels. -Ummed Singh Rajawat, President, All India Donkey Fair Development Committee