New Problems in Garhwal Bhabhar

 Characteristics of Kham Settlement in Garhwal Bhabhar -8

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                            British Administration in Garhwal   -84   

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History of British Rule/Administration over Kumaun and Garhwal (1815-1947) -102

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            History of Uttarakhand (Garhwal, Kumaon and Haridwar) -939

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                              By: Bhishma Kukreti (History Student)

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                    As the prosperity started increasing in Bhabhar Garhwal, the social, administrative and other problems started increasing too. There was increase in land sellers and land buyers in Bhabhar.  Government had clarity that government had offered land to Sirgiroh  on five years lease and Sirgiroh does not have rights for selling that land. Many Sirgiroh or famers started deceiving their own innocent relatives or kin. They used to sell some portion of their leased land to innocent famers that next year they would get rights on the land. When the new farmers used to apply for land rights there used to be disputes for the land.  Old inhabitants started aquring land here and there and offering the land to Sajha (partner). If the land owner did not get Sajha the owner used to keep land uncultivated (Parti) (Stowel).

 The uncultivated land started increasing as the following data offerd the real picture (Clay)-

Year------Agriculture land in Beegha-------Uncultivated land in Beegha –Barren land in beegha

1909-10---38183.6------------------------------818.15-------------------------------28623.8

1910-11---36989.7------------------------------2583.12-------------------------------26487.2

1911-12----36787.1-----------------------------3158.6----------------------------------23717

1912-13------36108-----------------------------3810------------------------------------23743

1913-14------26873------------------------------13075---------------------------------23713

  The population of Bhabhar in 1901 was 6024 and in 1911, it was 12955. There were state dues on Sirgiroh for Rs 3 lakhs. However, Caly was informed that there were no balance dues (Clay).

 There were 440 permanent structured houses in Bhabhar in 1919.

Circle ---Year -------No of Pakke Ghar (permanent houses) Year –-----No of Pakke Ghar)

 Saneh ----1914-----------95------------------------------------------1919-----------------110

Motadhank-1914--------82--------------------------------------------1919-----------------123

Haldukhata---1914-------47-------------------------------------------1919-------------------70

Sukhaurau-----1914-----NA-------------------------------------------1919--------------------137

   There emerged a new bazaar near Railway station (New Kotdwara). There were 1428 farmers (773 Sirgiroh and 555 Sajha) busy in agriculture works (Clay).

 There were  epidemics as influenza, cholera etc from 1919-1924 and many died because of influenza in Bhabhar as rich man Kashiram Mishra died because of influenza in 1919.

 There were epidemics in animals too and cattle died in numbers in those years (Acton). However, the enthusiasm of inhabitants did not slow down. In 1922, there was highest recovery for tax collection and there were highest crops too.

  There were 440 permanent houses in 1919 and in 1924 the numbers were 827. By 1924 the numbers of Asamis (Sirgiroh and Sajha) were 1654. Now, Bhabhar was more prosperous han past.

 The numbers of Asamis/Farmers ( Sirgiroh and Sajha) were  increased as follows (Acton)-

Year------------Population---------------Nos. Lease Sirgiroh-----------Nos. Sajha------Total

1914--------------7112----------------------846-----------------------------361---------------1207

1919--------------5616-----------------------773------------------------------655--------------1428

1924--------------4765-----------------------971------------------------------683--------------1654

1929----------------5194---------------------1077-----------------------------679--------------1756

      From 1919-1924There were drops in population due to epidemics in the region but farmers were increasing. There was draught in 1913-14 and 1918-19. Due to draught, young generation favored joining army or found other alternates of agriculture.

 However, after that the population again started increasing.

 There were 67 villages, 2486 permanent houses and population was 13691 in 1951 (Sensuous 1951, page 226)

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Copyright@ Bhishma Kukreti Mumbai, India, bckukreti@gmail.com 13/12/2016

History of Garhwal – Kumaon-Haridwar (Uttarakhand, India) to be continued… Part -940

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*** History of British Rule/Administration over British Garhwal (Pauri, Rudraprayag, and Chamoli1815-1947) to be continued in next chapter

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(The History of Garhwal, Kumaon, Haridwar write up is aimed for general readers)

XX   

References  

 1-Shiv Prasad Dabral ‘Charan’, Uttarakhand ka Itihas, Part -7 Garhwal par British -Shasan, part -1, page- 249-278

2-- Joshi, Report on the Revision of Rent in Garhwal-Bhabhar page -25,35, 58, 59, 106, 115,

3-Stowel, 1899, Report on revision on rent in Garhwal Bhabhar page 2

4- Clay, 1914, Report on revision on rent in Garhwal Bhabhar, page 4 to 15

5-Acton, 1924, Report on revision on rent in Garhwal Bhabhar, page 4, 6

6-Ibbetson, 1929, Report on revision on rent in Garhwal Bhabhar, page 2

Xx

History of British Rule, Administration , Policies, Revenue system,  over Garhwal, Kumaon, Uttarakhand ; History of British Rule , Administration , Policies Revenue system  over Pauri Garhwal, Udham Singh Nagar Kumaon, Uttarakhand; History of British Rule, Administration, Policies ,Revenue system  over Chamoli Garhwal, Nainital Kumaon, Uttarakhand; History of British Rule, Administration, Policies ,Revenue system  over Rudraprayag Garhwal, Almora Kumaon, Uttarakhand; History of British Rule, Administration, Policies ,Revenue system  over Dehradun , Champawat Kumaon, Uttarakhand ; History of British Rule, Administration, Policies, ,Revenue system  over Bageshwar  Kumaon, Uttarakhand ;

History of British Rule, Administration, Policies, Revenue system over Haridwar, Pithoragarh Kumaon, Uttarakhand;