Rahi voiced the apprehension that 'tribal migration will become a thing of the past in the next few decades.'

The survey revealed that in the absence of 'disaster management police for tribals,' the community suffers a heavy loss of lives and livestock due to landslides, forest fire, snow and hailstorm and man-animal conflict every year. Owing to these natural calamities the percentage of migratory nomadic groups of Gujjars is fast going down.

But the survey also hinted at the presence of militants in the upper reaches as one of the reasons for the tribe avoiding travel. Several Gujjars have been killed by militants.

The militants are also said to demand food from the nomads, who live in 'dhoks' or summer huts, and attempt to outrage the modesty of young Gujjar women.

Another reason is the restrictions imposed by the security agencies and militants on tribal migration in border and strategic areas, the survey said.

The closure of forests in Jammu and Kashmir since 1996 has led thousands of Gujjars to relinquish the nomadic lifestyle and turn into migratory labourers, the survey added.

The survey suggested that the government should formulate a plan to protect their nomadic identity by providing them education, health and communication facilities during their migration to upper reaches.

The survey further suggested that the government should on a priority basis formulate a disaster management policy for tribal and nomadic communities.

(Binoo Joshi can be contacted at binoo.j@ians.in)