By Sher Bahadur Sharki, Bajura, Nov. 6: The Bhote communities living in the northeastern region of Bajura have started moving down to warm Aaul area with their sheep and goats amidst the COVID-19 pandemic.

The extreme cold in winter season in upper regions makes it difficult for animal to graze on the grass, so herds and human families descend to lower areas. And this they have started their journey notwithstanding the COVID-19 scare.

As it is warm in the lower slopes, it is easy to raise herd of sheep, goat, yak and horse. Therefore, for two- three months we move down, said Dal Rokaya, a local of Budinanda Municipality.

The Bhote communities, who have been raising sheep in Kolti, Pandusain and surrounding areas, migrate to the lower areas of Barhabis, Jayavagyashwari, Kanda and Achham in the winter to graze their sheep.

As in previous years, this year also, animal rears have begun moving to lower regions with their children, animals such as goat, sheep, yak and horse.

In places such as Pandushain and Kolti of Bajura, there is extreme cold during winters which makes it difficult for animal grazing and raising, so we move down to lower areas in every winter, said a local, Bal Rokaya.

As the parents move down to warm places for rearing and caring of the animals, their children also come down along with their parents which in turn impacts the education of the children.

There is no one to care the children back at home, so children are compelled to move along with us leaving their schools, said Parmila Gurung, a resident of Budinanda-19, Pandushaini.

Gurung said that they used to sell daily essentials like rice, oil and salt in the villages by getting the items from the market in town, and added, but now vehicles transport things to the villages and our seasonal business has also been lost.

She said that there was a lot of problem to raise sheep and goats in the lower areas as most forests had been restricted for animal grazing in the name of community forest.