Climate migration refers to the involuntary movement of people caused by climate-related disasters such as droughts, floods, or soil erosion. In regions like Bundelkhand (Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh) and along the Jamuna River in Bangladesh, erratic rainfall, extreme heat, and water scarcity are driving thousands to leave their homes for urban centers in search of work and better living conditions.
Bundelkhand faces increasing temperatures, recurring droughts, and groundwater depletion. With shrinking water sources and repeated crop failures, agriculture has become unviable. As a result, many farmers migrate seasonally to cities such as Delhi, Hyderabad, and Chennai to work as laborers or daily-wage workers to sustain their families.
While Bundelkhand’s migration is driven by drought and heatwaves, Charupalli in Bangladesh experiences displacement due to riverbank erosion and monsoon floods from the Jamuna River. Both regions face severe environmental stress, but their challenges differ — Bundelkhand struggles with drying wells and food insecurity, whereas Charupalli faces repeated flooding and loss of farmland.
In areas such as Vidarbha and Marathwada (Maharashtra), migrants often work as sugarcane cutters under harsh and exploitative conditions. Contractors provide advance loans that are later deducted from their wages after each harvest. Workers live in temporary camps or tents without electricity, sanitation, or healthcare facilities — increasing vulnerability, especially among women and children.
While migration offers short-term income through labor contracts in industries such as construction or sugarcane harvesting, most migrants remain trapped in low-paying and insecure jobs. The absence of social protection, stable housing, and long-term opportunities in host cities prevents meaningful economic upliftment.
Climate change and environmental degradation — including irregular rainfall, poor irrigation infrastructure, rising temperatures, and shifting river courses — have made farming increasingly unsustainable. This has turned climate change into a current driver of internal displacement, forcing families to migrate seasonally or permanently.
The large-scale migration of working-age individuals weakens village economies, disrupts traditional social structures, and increases dependency among those left behind. Women, children, and the elderly face heightened risks, including poverty, malnutrition, exploitation, and social isolation. Over time, this creates a cycle of vulnerability that threatens the resilience of rural India.
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