Dehradun, July 20, 2013: The recent catastrophe in Uttarakhand, the last straw in a series of floods and landslides that have struck the hills over the past few years, has forced several families in the Uttarkashi, Chamoli and Rudraprayag districts of the State to migrate to safer places like Dehradun, Haridwar and Sahranpur.

Before the floods, large numbers of young men were migrating to the plains in search of jobs but now families are migrating in search of safer places to live in.

This is a dangerous trend which will require Uttarakhand Chief Minister Vijay Bahuguna to introduce a major confidence-building drive to keep the population in the hills, said Jai Singh Rawat, a senior political analyst.

This drive should include measures that ensure the generation of local revenue.

Victims of the disaster do not believe that the government will rehabilitate the residents of 280-odd villages who have been identified for rehabilitation.

“The extent of corruption and the chalta hai attitude in the system will only ensure shifting of some villages. It will take several years to shift the others,” said Ram Singh, a former Gram Sabha member.

Although living with nature’s devastations was part of the hill life, this mid June’s massive catastrophe seems to have shattered the otherwise tough resolve to continue staying in the hills.

Virender Singh Negi who has shifted to Dehradun from Narainbagar with his entire family said that he he had a flourishing business and his children were studying in good schools. “All our property got swept away in last month’s mayhem and we decided to start life afresh, ” he said on Friday, adding that he had never dreamt of moving from his village.

Bishen Singh of Narainbagar, a businessman in the town also decided to shift to Dehradun after his possessions were swept away in the floods.About 50 families of the area had shifted to Dehradun or elsewhere, he said.

A large number of families of Kameda village have shifted to Gauchar and nearly half the residents of Augustmuni have shifted to safer areas to stay in rented houses or with relatives. Some residents of Pandukeshwar, a buzzing town on the Char Dham Yatra route until mid- June, are preparing to migrate as the Alaknanda is threatening to destroy their village.

“The inability of the government in helping us during times of trouble has forced us to think about migrating to Saharanpur permanently,” said Reena Rawat, Sushila Negi and Rekha from Bhatwadi.

“Earning a livelihood in the city would require enormous efforts but it is the only way out.”

Source: The Hindu, DT. July 20, 2013.