Badolgaon village youths unite to stop migration

Sandeep Rawat

Tribune News Service

Pauri, April 3

Migration of youths from Pauri Garhwal district of Garhwal division has touched an alarming level.

While the government is yet to take effective steps, youths from Badolgaon village, Sanglakoti, have taken an initiative to empower local people and check migration.

A decade ago, Badolgaon village in Pokhra development block had 60 families, but now the number has dropped to 20.

According to local people, due to lack of development, most of the families have migrated to Dehradun, Haridwar, Rishikesh, Kotdwar or cities such as Delhi, NCR, Mumbai, Lucknow and Chandigarh.

Nearby villages of Kaulagad, Indiyakot, Badalpur, Bhiladi, Patholgaon, Jajedi, Kaulakhal, Patoti, Gadri, Basai, Chaundi, Guajrkhand, Tasila, Kathwada, Kaligad, Kandai, Rota, Bhagalwan, Kotnali, Chaukdi, Barsandu, Bhiku, Mahargaon, Badeth, Tilkholi, Gudinda, Chintgwali, and Lweeth are also facing migration of families to the cities.

Rajesh Badola, president of the Badolgaon Youth Organisation, has gathered like-minded village youths under the organisation banner to ensure that they raise the migration issue effectively and provide employment to villagers in their villages itself.

“Without basic facilities of health, education, transport and employment, all villages are facing exodus of families on a large scale. We are meeting public representatives in this regard and recently we apprised local parliamentarian Bhuwan Chandra Khanduri of our initiative.

Khanduri has approved projects for the construction of a connecting road to Jhajedi-Jhabar village and other public representatives are cooperating with us,” said Badola.

He said Badolgaon could be developed as a Central pilot project village where basic facilities could be provided so that a maximum number of villages of the area could avail benefit easily.

“Badolgaon connects Kolagad, Indiaykot and Badalpur village pattis so it can be developed as the local development village region. We are also coordinating with government departments so that local villagers can avail the benefits of social welfare and employment schemes.

Our organisation is provising information about provident fund and technical help in agriculture, horticulture, handicraft, handloom, dairy production, tourism and industrial training to villagers. Already 12-odd families who were on the verge of leaving their ancestral homes have decided to stay back,” said Badola.

Pauri Municipal Council chairperson and former legislator Yashpal Benam has lauded the initiative of the Badolgaon Youth Organisation. He said unless local people dwell on issues like migration, unemployment and lack of development in hill districts, migration could not be checked.