Chuphal claims wildlife threat and decline in farming main causes of migration

PNS | DEHRADUN

Bharatiya Janata Party MLA from Didihat in Pithoragarh district and the party’s former State president, Bishan Singh Chuphal claimed that the increasing threat of wild animals and significant decline in farming are the main reasons for migration from Uttarakhand’s villages. Addressing the media in Didihat on Sunday, he stated that monkeys have become a major problem in the mountainous areas, forcing many villagers to leave.

According to him, setting up camps in every development block to capture monkeys could help control their population and encourage people to stay. Chuphal said that a significant number of people will return and focus on self-employment if villages will be freed from the impact of monkeys and wild boars. He stated that agriculture is the primary means of livelihood for villagers but the presence of these animals discourages farming. He also claimed that children in mountainous areas often travel on foot to school and are sometimes attacked by monkeys, making parents hesitant to send them. He urged the government to establish enclosures for monkeys across different areas to address the issue.

He said that earlier, it was permitted to kill wild boars as they destroyed crops and attacked people but the Forest department has now prohibited it, causing further difficulties for farmers. Chuphal also spoke about organic farming, saying that it is essential for the production of vegetables, wheat, rice and ghee, but such farming practices are rarely seen in the mountains mainly due to migration. He also criticised the Rural Development and Migration Prevention Commission, saying that while it has several members, no visible work has been done on the ground so far. He claimed that the commission was initially set up with its headquarters in Pauri but later moved to Dehradun. He claimed that although meetings are held, no concrete results have been achieved so far.

Chuphal also commented on cabinet minister Prem Chand Aggarwal’s recent remarks about people from mountainous areas. He said that Aggarwal’s statement in the Assembly was inappropriate and that leaders should be careful with their words. However, he added that Aggarwal has already expressed regret and apologised and the matter should be considered closed.