Uttarakhand’s Jadung Village Set for Rehabilitation

• 29 Jan 2024

Why in News?

In a “first-of-its-kind” initiative, the Uttarakhand government has decided to rebuild and rehabilitate Jadung village in Uttarkashi district which was abandoned by the residents since the 1962 Indo-China war, as a major “tourist destination”.

• The village has been under the control of the Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) since 1962.

Key Points

• As part of the initiative, the tourism department aims to call back the descendants of the original homeowners, now residing in nearby villages, to revitalise the village.
• The October-November 1962 conflict had left the region deserted, impacting relations between India and China, with certain border disputes still unresolved.
  • The locality is a cold desert area (like Ladakh) has proper road connectivity, making it a potential tourist destination.
• In the first phase, the tourism department will renovate and refurbish six “dilapidated” houses and promote them as homestays in vernacular architecture, using locally available material and run by the villagers.
• The initiative will generate “self-employment opportunities” for Jadung village, while providing everyone with a unique tourism destination.
  • The villagers will have to operate the homestays at least for 10 years, with the operators being chosen by the Uttarkashi district administration through applications from original inhabitants of the village.
  • The tourism department has also been planning to provide skill training programmes to the homestay operators, which would be organised by the department from time-to-time. The department will also provide necessary support for marketing and promoting these homestays.
• According to the officials, the scheme will become a milestone towards reverse migration through government intervention and also create new tourism opportunities.

The Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP)

• It is a dedicated force responsible for safeguarding India's borders with Tibet (China).
• It is a specialized mountain force of India, which was established on 24^th October 1962, soon after the India-China war which was initially meant for deployment along the India-China border.
• ITBP was initially raised under the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) Act, 1949. However, in 1992, parliament enacted the ITBP Act and the rules were framed in 1994.
• ITBP has also been deployed for various internal security duties, including anti-Naxal operations. The force is known for its expertise in high-altitude rescue and mountaineering operations.

Note

• The border between India and China is not clearly demarcated throughout and there is no mutually agreed Line of Actual Control (LAC) along certain stretches.
• LAC came into existence after the 1962 Indo-China war.
• India-China border is divided into three sectors:
  • Western Sector: Ladakh
  • Middle Sector: Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand
  • Eastern Sector: Arunachal Pradesh and Sikkim