Saturday, 13 January 2024 | Paritosh Kimothi | Dehradun
The demand for domicile status and strict land laws in Uttarakhand has risen in an organised manner. Those supporting these demands state that these steps are necessary to ensure government jobs for the natives, protect the land, water and forests while ensuring the rights of the natives to these resources. They state that these measures are also necessary to protect the identity of the State and its natives. Considering the crowd which attended the recent rally in Dehradun and the demonstration in Delhi, many appear to favour these demands. In some aspects, these demands might appear to be valid and fair. They are certainly something that no political party can ignore, which is why the State government has taken some initial steps on these demands.
Considering the demands, it is common knowledge that natives of Uttarakhand are employed in government and private sectors across the nation and abroad. It would be interesting to know the proportion of children of government employees who choose to pursue government jobs. The previous chief minister and the current chief minister have also tried to motivate the youth to opt for self-employment while stressing that government jobs are limited. The Centre is also trying to motivate youth to become job givers. However, the love for government jobs continues. Can one safely surmise that those who secure government jobs will correct the inefficiency and corruption that many of them currently blame the government machinery and politicians for?
When it comes to the land laws, forests and water resources, there is little doubt that unplanned constructions along with demographic changes and other factors have affected land resources in the State. Here again, one tends to blame the government machinery but are those building and living in ill-planned constructions in localities congested and made free of greenery all from outside the State? One is reminded of noted environmentalist Chandi Prasad Bhatt recalling an old Garhwali saying which basically states that settling on the banks of a river ensures the end of the family. Haphazard and even dangerous riverside constructions elicited attention after the 2013 Kedarnath disaster but now appear to have been accepted again as normal by the people and the authorities. Similarly, when it comes to the forests and water resources, can only blame only the ‘outsiders’? Do we not allow or even participate actively or passively in activities which waste these natural resources if we expect personal gains? The lack of proper garbage disposal is a major factor slowly but surely destroying the State’s natural resources but one has not yet heard the voters prominently demand a solution to this or even bother to follow the simple instructions of the authorities to at least limit the environmental damage. One can not accuse the authorities of forcing its citizens to continue using single-use plastic, which is one of the major contaminants.
Coming to the question of the identity of the State and its natives, one wonders why we tend to stop using our native languages especially in cities. Why have our folk songs of Veer Ras in this land of braves with scores of forts been replaced mostly by songs in Sringar Ras and Virah Ras? It is evidently easy to make a proportion of the populace take up the identity superimposed on it, as witnessed in the visibility of a boutique-designed product which is being considered to be the State’s identity for a few years now.
Here it is important to note that the environment, culture, traditions and the beliefs of the people appear to be least altered in the rural mountainous areas, especially those off the mainstream tourist circuit. One could either blame someone or praise someone for this- depending on how one views the situation. However, with the Lok Sabha elections not far away, the political parties are likely to take decisions or make promises on the issues of domicile, land law and the rights of the natives. It is for the people to comprehend whether we too are responsible for the problems we are facing and simply blaming outsiders for an inside job.
