Hurting Hides

Kashmir’s social work institutions have lost millions of rupees as hides of sacrificial animals exhibited fall in demand and price. Places with a massive reliance on non-vegetarian food will continue to bleed till situation alters on ground. But the crisis can be a historic opportunity,

- Umar Mukhtar

Gau Rakshaks thrashing Lal Din, 70, in Rajouri might have faded from public memory but the threat still looms large over a vast business involving hundreds of people. Since 2014, after BJP swept into power, the cow vigilantes started their tirade against movement of bovine and related material. Now it has started hitting Kashmir: the animal hides selling at Rs 450 apiece and now fetching Rs 20 as demand nosedived.

Arshad Hussain Kawa, in Srinagar’s Shahr-e-Khas, is in hides business for the last 20 years. During Eid ul Azha he used to be the busiest man. He had to hire extra skilled labour to spray salt and keep the hides in order before transporting them for tanning outside J&K. Salt paste dehydrates hides and makes them bacteria resistant.

Last Eid, Arshad collected quite a few hides. He required only two helpers. He is not accepting new hides as he has already piles of stock in his Jamalta shop.

Since 2014, Arshad said, there is a steep price fall in the hides market. This season it was historic low: from Rs 450 in the UPA era to Rs 20 in the BJP era.

Cow vigilantes’ patronage by the police, Arshad says is the main reason. “Had the authorities acted and not given a free hand to such criminal elements, probably the situation would have been better,”

Arshad said. “On highways, they are at the lookout for trucks carrying hides so no transporter takes the risk.”