उत्तराखण्ड से पहाड़ियों का पलायन और मैदानी अमीरों का पहाड़ों में आगमन, क्या उल्टी गंगा बह रही है ।

Overview

Retired BSF inspector Pur Chand Joshi argues that Uttarakhand’s so-called “mountain exodus” is driven by the lack of three essentials in the hills: education, healthcare, and employment. He says this has led to mass migration from villages, with some villages retaining only about 25–50% of their original/local population.

“Reverse movement” into the hills

Joshi points to what he describes as a “reverse movement” of people—wealthy residents from major cities and the plains (including Delhi, Kolkata, Mumbai, Chennai, and others) moving into hill areas.

He claims that as local land is sold cheaply, affluent outsiders buy it to develop bungalows, cottages, flats, and societies in prime locations, particularly where Himalayan views are available.

Using the route from Ranikhet toward Jalli Maasi (between Jhalodi and Badha village), Joshi says he observes a stretch where none of the houses belong to locals. He adds that this pattern repeats across roads and towns in the region, including Almora, Bageshwar, Pithoragarh, and others.

Migration after statehood and government responsibility

Joshi further claims that migration increased even after Uttarakhand became a state, contrary to expectations that it would slow down.

He argues that successive governments, regardless of party, failed to develop hill regions, leading to “despair,” which in turn pushes people out and facilitates outside settlement.

Proposed way forward

Joshi concludes that the hills could recover—become greener again, revive agriculture, and reduce the need for people to flee their homes—if governments prioritize:

• Strong land-law support
• Local jobs
• Functioning health systems
• Quality education

Presenters / Contributors

• Pur Chand Joshi (retired BSF Inspector)