AGARTALA, May 30 (TIWN): In the local parlance of the princely state Tripura, Jhumia is a tribal who practises shifting cultivation or jhuming. Several jhumia families in the rural Tripura yet today manage to live their daily livelihood in Tong houses erected in the hilly terrains of the state. One cannot deny to the fact that the Tripura government has arranged plenty of barren lands available for the jhumias for jhuming. Over the years the jhum economy has undergone many changes like land available for jhuming has decreased; leading to a shortening of jhum cycle and fall in incomes and many other. Govt. has also made some efforts at resolving the problems of jhumias.

But, one can easily witness the current status of the jhumias who are still sustaining at the hilly terrains of the state under a small shed of their house which is popularly known as ‘Tong house’.

The 22 years sting-in-power Left front govt. of Tripura has recently felt the necessity to rehabilitate the jhumias living in tong house by bringing them down from the hilly terrains of the state in rural areas. During these 22 years a section of jhumias managed to come down the terrains and settle upgrading their daily livelihood whereas another section still left behind in the hilly terrains.

One upon a time the Left front govt. of the state had demanded fund from the central govt. with an aim to rehabilitate the jhumias, but yet today the govt. at the centre has responded to the proposal of the govt. here. Time passed by but the slogans, flapping banners, posters at the road sides, campaign in the rural Tripura has stand tall but has no priority to the jhumias sustain at tong houses.

Along with the moving hands of the clock the tribals who are mainly engaged to the shifting cultivation at the hilly terrains of the state and has been living their livelihood in the tong houses has of course brought a development to their life style. But has never got to see life style down to the terrains.

Talking to TIWN on Friday newly appointed Chief Executive Member of ADC Radhacharan Debbarma said, “We are now looking forward to rehabilitate the jhumias who are still residing at the hilly terrains of the ADC areas of the state.” Adding to that Debbarma said, “Chief Minister Manik Sarkar has recently asked the ADC members to undertake the rehabilitation process soon.”

“A survey on jhumias residing at tong houses at the hilly terrains would be made very recently and the report would be placed with the Govt. of Tripura onJune 20,” adding Debbarma said all the necessary arrangements would be made to shift the jhumias down to the hilly terrains.

He also said earlier the state Left front govt. has send a proposal with the central govt. demanding a fund of Rs. 450 crore with an aim to rehabilitate the jhumias, but the govt. at the center has responded to it yet today.

“The ADC with the help of the state Left front govt. here would again send a proposal with the central govt. regarding the same,” Debbarma said.

CM Manik Sarkar couple of days back meeting with the ADC members at the secretariat office urged them to take over all sorts of development programmes in the ADC areas as earliest as possible. Besides ADC Chairman Ranjit Debbarma talking to the newsmen at the civil secretariat said that a total of 6000 jhumia families would be rehabilitated soon. However, later CEM and Chairman hoped that the Left front govt. and the ADC would jointly bring a development to the ADC areas.   

However though it’s a time now to witness what steps does the Left front govt. takes here to rehabilitate the jhumias but it is worthy to mention here that the 22 years stint in power here in Tripura the Left front govt. did felt necessity now to rehabilitate them.