They have no hosts on this long journey

TUMKUR: This caravan has turned nightmarish for 39 camels and three of their calves as well as for 35 youths between 8-18, who are taking them on a walk back to Sendwa village of Barwani district in Madhya Pradesh. This walk of life will last for at least 50 days and things turned from bad to worse as a camel died near here on Sunday. A family of 35 members had come from Rajasthan to Bangalore as care takers of the camels and to eke out a living about nine years ago. They had reportedly settled in Avalahalli area. They used to earn by entertaining the people.Meanwhile, one Uttam Chand, an animal rights activist in Bangalore, moved the state High Court claiming that the climate was unsuitable for camels which amounted to their abuse. In May 2009 the HC passed an interim order forbidding the entry of the camels into the state. Some camels were sent to ‘goshalas’. The owners of the camels led by one Bharath, filed a petition in the High Court and ensured the release of the animals. But in it’s final order dated May 25, 2011, the High Court said that the camels should be shifted back to their village, the lawyer who argued for the owners, Nagaraj told Express over phone. “The HC had asked the state Animal Husbandry Department to take steps to shift the animals by train but the department cited lack of funds and assured of medical care if the owners took them by walk, the lawyer clarified,” he said.“Meanwhile, the police had forced the owners to take away the animals as early as possible from their jurisdiction, he alleged.So, the elderly and women entrusted the shifting of the animals by walk to the young boys. They started their journey on September 20 and had been forced to cover a 15-20 km distance per day. With no proper water and food they are exhausted.The elders had suggested them to earn themselves and the animals some food by entertaining the public en route. Since the trees alongside the highway have been chopped off for road widening and as the farmers did not entertain them in their fields, the camels starved.Three of the camels seemingly conceived, informed Ravi, one of the caretakers.