Humla’s remote village of Jang now abandoned due to migration

KATHMANDU: The northern region of Namkha Rural Municipality-6 in Humla, known as “Himalpari” or beyond the mountains, is witnessing a wave of migration.

Jang village in Limi, which had four households until last year, is now completely abandoned.

The exodus of locals seeking better physical infrastructure has left the village empty. Residents have migrated to cities like Kathmandu, Surkhet, and Nepalgunj in search of facilities, according to Tundup Lama, a ward member from Til village.

Lama reported that no one remains in Jang village this year. With the reopening of the Hilsa border with China after the pandemic, some villagers have gone to Taklakot in China for employment. Most of the residents have relocated to Simkot and other urban centers with better amenities.

Over the past two years, the rural municipality had stationed health workers year-round at the Limi Health Post to provide medical services for patients.

According to Health Assistant Log Bohara, health services have been consistently available for the villages of Halji and Til. However, due to a lack of students, the Bhirkuti Basic School in Jang village has already closed.

Tsering Tundup Lama, a resident of Halji village, noted that migration is not limited to Jang but is also increasing in Til and Halji.

This year, only 15 households remain in Til village. While some residents leave during winter to escape the cold and return during summer, this trend is gradually changing. Now, many who leave in winter no longer return for the summer.

The search for better transportation, electricity, quality healthcare, and education has led to a gradual depopulation of Limi’s villages.

The once-thriving communities are now facing an uncertain future as residents abandon their ancestral homes in pursuit of a better quality of life.