PIONEER EDGE NEWS SERVICE/Dehradun
The Uttarakhand Swabhiman Morcha (USM) on Saturday demanded that the State’s mountainous regions be brought under the Fifth Schedule of the Constitution, releasing a white paper in support of granting tribal status to the people of Garhwal and Kumaon.
USM president Bobby Panwar said that the document states that during the British era, these regions were classified as ‘Non-Regulated’ and later ‘Excluded Areas’ owing to their distinct geography and culture. It notes that special administrative systems introduced under laws like the Scheduled Districts Act, 1874 form the basis of present constitutional provisions such as the Fifth Schedule.
Citing administrative practices, the USM pointed to laws such as the Kumaon Forest Panchayat Act, 1931 and the Kumaon Police Act, 1916 which provided for community forest rights and a patwari-based policing system, features it says are typical of tribal areas.
He added that the white paper questions why residents of Garhwal and Kumaon have not been granted tribal status, unlike populations in other Himalayan States and Union Territories. It also highlights migration, claiming nearly 70 per cent of the mountain population has moved out due to limited employment opportunities, small landholdings and lack of basic infrastructure. Most families, it states, own less than half an acre of land and face gaps in education and healthcare.
Referring to cultural identity, Panwar stated that the document says traditions and lifestyle reflect characteristics associated with tribal communities. It also cites studies, including those by Dr Laxmi Dutt Joshi, on the region’s distinct social composition.
The USM has urged the State government to pass a resolution in the Assembly and send its recommendation to the Centre, as required under a Central notification issued on December 10.
