Migration evacuating villages in Jaimini

Balewa, March 29: A landslide that took place above the settlement in Jaimini two years back left two persons dead. Eight houses were buried and dozens went at risk. As many as 45 families of Jaimini municipality-1, Kushmishera, Tuni were directly affected by the landslide. Migration has evacuated the village of late. In the same year, landslide occurred at Piplegaun of Jaimini-9, Painyuthanthap which evicted almost all local households and put seven families at high risk. Though no human casualty was reported in the disastrous incident, most of the families had to abandon the settlement.

Likewise, landslide occurred at Ghyura in Payinuthanthap displaced the entire village. It resulted in huge loss of lives and properties in Damek, Jaidi and Binamare of Jaimini. The victims immediately received a token of relief but the long-term impacts of migration caused by landslide, monkey rampage and development gaps are gradually coming to the fore. Decline in the population of Jaimini is a burning example of migration taking place due to natural disaster. The 2022 National Census has indicated several phenomenon to this effect.

Deputy mayor of Jaimini municipality Harihar Sharma shared most of the graduates of 2064 SLC batch of Shanti Secondary School based in Jaimi’s centre, Kushmishera, have left Jaimini after plus two graduation. Majority of those leaving homes for higher studies never returned their village. He said those reaching to the overseas countries, including Europe and the US as well as big cities of the country also did not come back. Population decline is also caused by limited employment opportunities in the villages and livelihood options.

According to the National Census, population growth is 2.53 percent negative in Jaimini. The population here has declined to 24,628 from 32,046 in the last 10 years. Falebas municipality has also witnessed negative population growth. “Population has been found in decreasing trend”, shared deputy mayor Sharma. Trend of internal migration has caused population decline in Jaimini. Chief of Health Section of Jaimini, Govinda Acharya said increasing trend of migration coupled with decreasing birth rate has triggered population decline. According to the statistics, Jaimini has less than one percent birth rate.