Proliferation of Tribal Migrants and Repercussion: Case Study from the Tribal Areas of Sundargarh District, Odisha (India)

Abstract

The trends of migration introduce since human history, determined by their socio-economic conditions, culturally connection, political impediments and habitant circumstances. Migration is an inevitable element of human life, mostly believed to take place in search of a better livelihood, employment opportunities etc. But, a country like India, experiences different folds of human mobility due to its acute population, economic disparities and lack of employment opportunities. The study has structured the attitude of Tribal labour migrants of Sundargarh District, Odisha, a highly tribal populated region, a symbol of naturally attached to their land and forest. It has taken effort to trace down different driving factors leading to perpetual tribal migration from their ancestral land to different urban regions of the country. It has further analysed the socio-economic conditions at the place of their origin and destination to understand different nature and trends of migration among the rural tribals. This study has conducted intensive fieldwork in four selected blocks of Sundargarh district of Odisha, and primarily recorded to examine the socio-economic conditions of the tribals and their perception regarding migration. It also reveals some of the experiences of the respondents concerning their migration. The study finally finds that the migration among tribals is more a result of compulsion than a choice to have a better livelihood. Indeed, these poor tribals not only experience a tough life but also often prone to human rights violation in their new destination, just earn to tide over their distress situation, but no ways help to accumulate capital.

Between forests and coasts: Fishworkers on the move in India

“…Both districts are a Scheduled Areas, 10 with Sundergarh having more than 50% Adivasi population, with 40.4% of forested land (Kujur & Minz, 2021) and Simdega having 70% Adivasi population with 32% of the area under forest cover. 11 There are several different Adivasi groups in the area.…”

“…11 There are several different Adivasi groups in the area. 12 While parts of Sundergarh are recognized to be industrial areas, both districts have a majority of the population dependent on rainfed subsistence agriculture (Davidsdottir, 2021;Kujur & Minz, 2021). A human rights activist, Taramani Sahu, from Jharkhand told us that Adivasis who migrate occupy hilly areas, farming parcels of land, both with and without land titles.…”

“…Agrarian livelihoods can no longer sustain many households. An in-depth study (Kujur & Minz, 2021) 13 of the Sundergarh region finds that one out of every two tribal households rely on manual labour or migration for sustenance. Similarly, a study by the Jharkhand Anti-Trafficking Network (n.d.) in Jharkhand finds that the stagnation of agrarian livelihoods has meant that seeking daily wages under state schemes and short migrations for labouring in nearby areas has been a coping strategy.…”

“…Forming a triangle at the borders of the three states, the home regions of the workers contemporarily in Goa are characterized by predominantly Adivasi population and high forest cover. Both districts are a Scheduled Areas, with Sundergarh having more than 50% Adivasi population, with 40.4% of forested land (Kujur & Minz, 2021) and Simdega having 70% Adivasi population with 32% of the area under forest cover. There are several different Adivasi groups in the area.…”

“…A similar absence is present in the literature on migration of Adivasi communities. Only one paper (Kujur & Minz, 2021) records fishing and fish-farming as occupations in destination states for Adivasi people.…”