Fields under siege: Stray menace pushes Kangra farmers to brink
In the lush agricultural landscape of Kangra district, an escalating crisis is turning farming into a waking nightmare. Stray animals — including cows, bulls and wild boars — are invading fields by night, leaving devastation in their wake and farmers in a constant state of anxiety. The menace has become so severe that many farmers are forced to patrol their fields twice each night, sacrificing sleep and peace of mind.
Suresh Kumar, a distressed farmer from Bhattoo village, recounted his ordeal: “In just one night, animals destroyed crops on my one kanal land. I am helpless. After so much effort in sowing and nurturing the crop, seeing it trampled overnight is heartbreaking.”
For him and many others, the fight to protect their fields is becoming an exhausting daily ritual. Another farmer from Sulaha village near Palampur shared, “It’s humiliating to chase stray cows and boars out of my fields every single day. This has become my new routine — not farming, but guarding.”
Despite repeated appeals to officials — from SDMs to Deputy Commissioners — the problem remains unresolved. Farmers claim that authorities have failed to act on their complaints or take meaningful steps to impound or rehabilitate the growing stray population.
The issue has far-reaching implications beyond Kangra. A Tribune investigation revealed a dramatic decline in wheat cultivation across five northern Himachal districts: Kangra, Chamba, Una, Hamirpur and Mandi. In just two years, the area under wheat dropped by a staggering 7,500 hectares — from 31,500 hectares to 24,000. While Kangra has managed to maintain its levels, the other four districts have suffered significant losses, largely due to the relentless destruction caused by stray animals.
What makes the crisis even more bitter is the contrast between government funds collected and action taken. The Himachal Pradesh government has been collecting a “cow cess” — Rs 10 per liquor bottle — with the stated aim of rehabilitating stray cattle. In just the past year, this cess has generated over Rs 100 crore. However, farmers say the ground reality does not reflect the use of this substantial fund.
“There is no sign of new shelters or effective control measures. We see the cow cess on paper, but on the ground, we only see our crops being ruined,” said a farmer leader from the region.
As the population of stray animals in Himachal Pradesh has quadrupled in the past three years, the crisis has spiraled into an agricultural emergency. Farmers are demanding not just compensation, but sustainable solutions — including fencing subsidies, strict enforcement of cattle control laws and accountability for the unutilised cow cess funds.
Until then, thousands of farmers will continue to lose sleep — and their livelihoods — in a battle they never signed up for.
Himachal Tribune