Shepherds stuck in Dhauladhar mountains rescued

DHARAMSHALA : A team comprising locals from Kwarsi village of Bharmour sub-division in Chamba district rescued two shepherds along with their herd,who were stranded at the Inderhar pass in Dhauladhar mountains.

Kwarsi panchayat chief Mangat Ram, who led the rescue team, said two shepherds from Chanhota village had set off to Kangra valley early this month.

They, however, got stuck below the Inderhar pass due to snowfall on November 3.

The panchayat formed a rescue team comprising six people which started to the mountain pass on November 5.

It took two days for the team to reach the stranded shepherds.

“The shepherds and their herd have reached Kwarsi village safely. They will now cross the mountains through an alternative route if weather is favourable,” Mangat Ram said.

Hundreds of shepherds from Chamba, Kangra and Mandi cross Dhauladhar mountains to reach pastures in high reaches in Chamba in summer.

They return to low areas in winters after snowfall. In October, the Kangra administration had rescued around 100 shepherds with an estimated 7,000 livestock are trapped near 4,700 metre high Thamsar Pass on Bir-bara Bhangal trek in Dhauladhar mountain range.the higher reaches in the state had witnessed early snowfall from September 22 to 24.floods.