The giants keep watch

Two children play in the shade of their rehri selling Dussehra items in Parade Grounds, Dehradun, on Monday. Tribune photo: Vinod Pundir

Carrying arms, the new status symbol
Roorkee, September 28
It seems that getting arms licence has become the latest fad among people in and around the area. A visit to SP (Rural) Ajay Joshi’s office revealed that most of the people, seeking meeting with the SP, were there for recommending their applications of getting arms licences. Corroborating the fact, Joshi said every second person visiting his office came for getting his case recommended. “The number of such persons varies from 15 to 20 evey day, which means over 5,000 persons seek licences every year,” said the SP.

 

 

As faith ebbs, sacred groves fear the axe
Jotirmay Thapliyal
Tribune News Service

Dehradun, September 28
Uttarakhand’s sacred groves, which have survived for ages due to their religious sanctity, today face a grave challenge. Erosion of traditional beliefs and fast socio-economic development have put these groves in great danger.

Niti valley in Chamoli district. A Tribune photograph

A study by Dehradun-based Wildlife Institute of India’s scientists - Seema Dhaila Adhikari and BS Adhikari - have exposed the vulnerability of sacred groves in the country and Uttarakhand in particular.

The study reveals the threats in the form of fading traditional beliefs linked to these holy group of trees, development putting the protection of these groves on the back burner and ever-changing transformation in the traditional form of worship.

Though detailed surveys of sacred groves have not been done in Uttarakhand so far, some of the well-known sacred groves which support either an ecosystem or single species conservation are dedicated to a number of deities like Bhadraj (the deity who is known to teach cattle rearing), Mahasu, Shakumbari and Tarkeshwar Mahadev.

Other places such as Patal Bhubaneshawar (rocks and caves with calcareous tufa), Garanath, Binsar, Mayadevi Ashram and Narayan Ashram harbour various floral and faunal elements some of which could be rare, threatened and endemic species.

While sacred groves of smaller size dot Uttarakhand hills, there have been little efforts towards their proper documentation.

These groves have basically survived due to people’s efforts and have been devoid of any legal protection barring those where the Archaeological Survey of India or State Forest Department are involved.

Suggesting a way forward, the Adhikari duo calls for coming up with an inventory for the sacred groves of Uttarakhand.

They suggested providing incentives to local communities towards maintenance and restoration of these groves while also appealing for the revitalisation of traditional values among people.

Reflecting the sorry state of affairs of the sacred groves in the state, villagers residing in Aali Bedni Bagjee Bugyals in Chamoli district had to struggle to make the forest authorities hear their complaint about a fungus attack in these meadows. Drynaria Mallis, popularly known as ‘parjeeve bail’, had taken over the sacred forests leading to the drying up of ‘banj’, ‘burash’, ‘thunar’ and ‘kharsu’ trees.

Interestingly, while the premier forest research institute of the country, the Forest Research Institute, after conducting a series of inspections had expressed concern over the spread of fern and had recommended its eradication, the Uttarakhand Forest Department’s research wing had rather termed Drynaria Mallis as beneficial to the trees and ruled out that its roots in some way hurt the trees.

Describing it as “Bird Nest Fern”, the State Forest Research Division claimed that uprooting of this fern could be detrimental to the trees in the sacred groves. In a letter, the division pointed that the fern was instrumental in protecting the trees against any possible drying up.

“These ferns absorb rain water for long which in turn is transferred to the tree thus preventing the latter from drying up during summers,” Manoj Chandra, senior forest official had said in the letter.

He held that the roots of the fern never penetrated the host tree and, thus in no way, could harm the latter. So, any uprooting of this fern would amount to a forest crime.

The matter still continues to linger on with relief yet to come for these meadows. This reveals that protection of sacred groves has never been on the agenda of the forest authorities and despite last ditch efforts by the locals to protect them, the scenario looks dismal and discouraging.

Great Himalayan bird count from November 7
Jotirmay Thapliyal
Tribune News Service

Dehradun, September 28
After the previous year’s success, the Action and Research for Conservation in Himalayas (ARCH) will begin “The Great Himalayan Bird Count, Winter of 2009” from November 7 to 10, 2009.

“The Great Himalayan Bird Count, Winter of 2008” in November last year had more than 70 birdwatchers, students and conservationists from across the country, including one overseas participant.

"The Great Himalayan Bird Count, Winter of 2009" this time is planned on 36 most popular trekking trails situated in the river-valleys of Tons, Yamuna, Bhagirithi, Bhilingna, Ganga, Mandakini and Alaknanda in the Garhwal Himalayas, including Asan and Jhilmil Jheel Conservation Reserves in Dehradun and Haridwar districts, respectively. The count will start and finish at Dehradun.

It is one of the few national-level conservation initiatives done by a voluntary organisation in Uttarakhand focussing on our feathered friends and is expected to generate interest among birdwatchers and nature enthusiasts.

A total of 16 groups will undertake 36 different treks of approximately 10 km each between November 7 and 10, 2009, with each group size being a maximum of five bird watchers plus two-three urban school students. Local village youths, forest-line staff and government school students from nearby villages will join the trails at the respective count destination itself.

According to Prateek Panwar, Founder Trustee, ARCH, they are in particular encouraging school-going children to participate in the count. “We at ARCH strongly believe that young minds should start thinking of conservation involvement as an academic and career pursuit instead of just another creative past-time,” adds Panwar.

Dr Bharat Bhusan will be the Count Director for this avian conservation initiative that has the backing of the Uttarakhand Forest Department. To ensure the smooth conduct of the affairs, ARCH will also hold an orientation and briefing workshop in Dehradun on November7 and 10, respectively.

To add to the avian knowhow, each group will work towards generation of encounter-rate baseline data and also undertake conservation awareness activity involving urban and rural youth.

The participants last time came across Uttarakhand State Bird Monal, Scarlet Finch, Spot Wing, Grosbeak, White Browed, Fulbetta and other winter birds in commendable numbers. Interaction with local village elders to generate a list of vernacular names of bird species found in different river valleys will also be done by the participants. They will also document any references occurring in oral folk. Besides this, the participants will also provide required orientation and motivation to take-up bird-watching as a revenue generation skill by becoming future bird-watching guides in their village area.

Some of the eminent bird watchers of the country, including Nikhil Devasar of Delhi Bird Club, Rajnish Bangalore of Birds Club, Kiritam Mukherjee from Kolkata and wildlife photographer Rakesh Sahay, have been participants to the earlier count.

Now, U’khand girls to address UN meet
Neena Sharma
Tribune News Service

Dehradun, September 28
After Yugratna Srivastav of Lucknow, it is the turn of Uttarakhand children to present an “Alternate Report’ on the issues affecting children at the United Nations Organisation Child Rights (UNCRC) meet in Geneva on October 6.

Two of these students will shortly leave for Geneva and the rest for Bangkok. A Tribune photograph

Normally shy Renu Saklani, a student of class XII of Saklana village in Rudraprayag, and Anjana Juyal, a student of class XI of Sumer Pur village in Pauri Garhwal, have already done a great deal of groundwork while preparing the report that sheds light on the state of primary education in villages, the discrimination prevalent in the distribution of mid-day meals and why universal registration is important.

“Our assessment is based on surveys and studies that we undertook in the 13 districts of the state and the problems that mountain children face while getting education.

“In some schools, the teachers do not turn up for taking classes and at other times, the terror of the teachers makes learning uninteresting,” said Renu Saklani.

Another batch of three children from Uttarakhand will participate at the Youth Media Festival in Bangkok to be held on October 3.

Budding journalists in their own right, Deepa Jhikvan from a village in Gairsain, Dimple Bejetha from Almora and Pankaj Kumar from Raithal village in Uttarkashi will share the media tools that they have amassed while raising awareness on the need to address bullying in schools and improving the quality of education.

Already well versed with community radio, 17-year-old Pankaj Kumar has made a film “Learn without fear” and also spearheaded the community radio programme in Solan for six months.

“It is not as if all teachers are strict and so the students shun studies. In Bageshwar, during the course of our survey, we discovered that a popular mathematics teacher at a primary school was drawing full house as he taught his students in a friendly manner,” said Pankaj.

Using media tools such as narrow casting, animation, print and video, the children have learnt to present their views forcefully.

They have been helped by a media programme ‘Unique Media Approach for New Generation’ (UMANG) started by Shri Bhuwneshwari Mahila Ashram (SBMA) in all 13 districts of the state.

Two of these students will shortly leave for Geneva and the rest for Bangkok. A Tribune photograph 

Carrying arms, the new status symbol
Akash Ghai
Tribune News Service