By Binoo Joshi, IANS,
Batalkoote : Ghulam Mohammad was late for school by over 15 days. When schools reopened in the first week of March in this remote mountainous area in Poonch district of Jammu and Kashmir, over 8,500 feet above sea level, the 17-year-old boy was in Kargil, over 11,000 feet up in the Himalayas, toiling as a labourer during the bone-freezing winter months.
It is not Ghulam’s story alone. Many other teenage boys from this village leave home to work as labourers to help parents run the family during winter when the schools close and the entire area go under a heavy blanket of snow.
Ghulam left for Kargil in the Ladakh region in November. He had to. The boy’s parents, in their late fifties, cannot earn even Rs.1,000 a year from two kanals of land they have alongside the dilapidated mud house in Batalkoote.
The village was under snow even in late March this year.
“I cannot work as labourer because the local contractor gives work to only those who are recommended by our legislator or officials. And we hardly get anything from the maize that grows in our small piece of land,” Jaan Mohammad, Ghulam’s father, told IANS in frail voice.
The responsibility thus fell on young Ghulam’s shoulders. Like the other boys of his age group, Ghulam packed his little bag and left for Kargil. The entire region remained freezing under snow several inches thick.
After all, it was “vacation” for the boy!
But why Kargil?
Jaan Mohammad explained: “Because we get more wages there and the contractors pay on time.”
Ghulam gets Rs.170 per day and he also works overtime.
But the boy was all smiles.
“This time I earned Rs.12,500 from my trip to Kargil,” he said proudly.
Ghulam Mohammad has an elder sister who is married, a younger sister and brother.
“I started going to work when I was 14,” he said.
When reminded it was illegal under child labour laws, Ghulam said: “But we manage to get work. Otherwise how can we survive?”
His friends Shabir Ahmad, Bashir Naz and Nazir Ahmad also work during the winter months, earning a little more or less than what Ghulam gets.
Batalkoote, about 280 km northwest of Jammu by road, is a village of extreme poverty. On the way there are quite a few state or centrally sponsored development projects that can offer employment.
“But even for a menial job one must have political or official recommendations,” rued Aijaz Khan, a villager.
His wife died last year of some illness. “When we go without food for days, how can we afford medicines?” Khan asked.
Hence the teenagers make use of their winter vacations to earn for the sustenance of the family.
“This way we also earn to continue with our studies,” said Ghulam Mohammad.
It takes them a day to reach Jammu by bus and a day more if they are heading towards neighbouring Punjab or Himachal Pradesh.
It takes two days for the boys to reach Kargil via Srinagar. They prefer Kargil as the money is better there.
The number of boys working to earn is growing every year. Last year it was about 50 while this year at least 15 more joined them in this village of around 1,800 people.
There are similar stories in many surrounding villages as well. Road connectivity is very poor in the region.
Ghulam Mohammad has already fixed work for next year when he plans to put in a few more days.
“I require some money for my studies too,” he said.
Ghulam has set his goals – become either a teacher or a soldier.
“There is no one to make recommendations for me. But I have faith in Hazrat Elahi Baksh (a local Muslim saint whose mausoleum is thronged by many faithful). He will help me,” said the boy.
(Binoo Joshi can be contacted at [email protected])