UTTARAKHAND'S GHOST VILLAGES | Why is the hill state emptying out? Uttarakhand’s ‘ghost villages’ tell a stark story of a hill state hollowing out.�Over the past decade, thousands have left their homes—chasing jobs, education, healthcare, and safety from rising man-animal conflict. The result: silent hamlets, shuttered schools and abandoned houses scattered across the mountains. The government is scrambling for solutions, from the Centre’s Vibrant Villages Programme to new livelihood pushes. But