Mule mantra for remote Arunachal villages without roads

State is pushing for pack animal’s inclusion in Border Area Development Programme

GUWAHATI

A hybrid beast of burden could soon be factored in India’s Border Area Development Programme (BADP) that marries development with security on the frontlines.

The mule, an offspring of a male donkey and a mare (female horse), is an essential pack animal for the armed forces to carry food and heavy weapons to remote outposts on difficult slopes in Arunachal Pradesh.

Atul Tayeng, Deputy Commissioner of the frontier State’s Siang district, said the State government was working on a mule track scheme for inclusion in the BADP. This followed an experiment entailing the distribution of 10 mules to be used as a mode of transportation in remote villages under the district’s Payum circle.

Payum, the circle headquarters, is more than 100km from Boleng, the district headquarters. One has to walk for four hours from the last vehicle point to reach Payum.

The villages to be covered by the mules are 10-25 km from another point near Payum where goods-carrying vehicles can reach.

“The distribution of the mules marks the start of an experimental mule service for carrying public distribution system items and other essential commodities. A committee in each village headed by the gaonburah (headman) has been entrusted with the custody and maintenance of the animals,” Mr. Tayeng said.