BIJNOR: While all eyes are on migratory birds that swoop down on the Ganga basin of western UP, a silent migration of thousands of sheep around this time of the year go unnoticed in this process.If one goes by the reason given by hundreds of shepherds, excessive use of pesticides have triggered their migration from Saharanpur to the wetlands of Ganga in Bijnor and Muzaffarnagar districts. Shepherds said that over the years, this movement has become an annual affair.Surendra Kumar, 32, a shepherd and a resident of Syapala village under Nukud tahsil of Saharanpur, said, “There are thousands of people in Saharanpur whose main occupation is rearing. In our community, each family keeps around 30 to 40 sheep. They are our source of livelihood.”However, Kumar added that for the past few years, they are facing a tough time. “Earlier, we used to graze our sheep in the mango orchards here but nowadays, fodder for our animals is getting affected by the insecticides. Hence, we are being compelled to migrate from Saharanpur.”Echoing similar sentiments, another shepherd Bhogendra Pal said, “We all forced to migrate to the Ganga wetlands around this time of the year due to pesticides. Scores of shepherds have camped here to graze their cattle. We have even constructed some makeshift huts to stay the nights.”According to officials of the horticulture department, mango orchards cover around 25k hectare area in Saharanpur. Orchards are also spreading in Kashipur, Rampur Maniharan , Chhutmalpur, Behat, Islam Nagar Gangoh , Kheda Afgaan, Titaro and Behat among other areas.Arun Kumar, district horticulture officer in Saharanpur, told TOI, “Saharanpur has biggest area under mango cultivation in western Uttar Pradesh and most of the states mangoes come from here. Around this time of the year, the mango trees start flowering and pesticides are sprayed four times during the season to protect the buds from insects and fungus. Pesticides are sprayed till February and it may affect grass and other weeds.”

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