Pantnagar, November 11
Destruction of foodgrain and fruit crops has resulted in conflicts between man and wildlife in areas around the Gangotri National Park in Uttarakhand. Bear, wild pig, parrot and monkeys are a few among them.

This has been found in a study on the issue of “People’s perception and attitude towards conservation policies of the Gangotri National Park” done by Madhav Nautiyal of the Forest Research Institute (FRI), Dehradun. The study was presented at the ongoing Uttarakhand State Science Congress at Pantnagar.

The study points out that people are facing the problem of attacks by leopards on their livestock. It also underlines the problems faced by forest officials from the local communities in the form of firewood collection and thatch collection in protected areas.

According to Nautiyal: “From the present study, it can be concluded that being an agriculture and pastoral economy and the present conflict with wildlife in terms of crop damage and decreasing grazing ground, both issues need to be addressed in the conservation policies.”

It has been pointed out that in the absence of a provision in the Forest Protection Act, in future a controlled tourism in the buffer zone can be a solution to these problems.

“The results of phytosociological studies indicate that there is no increase in tree species’ diversity of the park compared to the outside area. However, there is a slight increase in the diversity of shrubs inside the national park compared to the diversity visible outside,” the study says.

According to Nautiyal, the study was conducted in four villages situated on the periphery of the national park, taking into consideration people’s perception and attitude towards conservation policies and management intervention, nature and magnitude of the policy - conflicts and possible options for conflict resolution.

The study was aimed at generating valuable information related to income from tourism, which may prove fruitful for further studies and help in generating a statistically sound information with reference to anthropogenic disturbances and socio-economic status of people.

Dehradun, November 11
Inhabitants from Bullawala and Simlasgrant adjoining Rajaji National Park in Dehradun today held a massive demonstration outside the Tilak Road-situated Rajaji National Park office.

In a memorandum addressed to the Director, Rajaji National Park, inhabitants expressed resentment over the rising incidents of wild animal attacks. They in particular conveyed resentment over frequent attacks by elephants on residential areas. They demanded the construction of a security wall to check incursions of elephants.

The memorandum also raised concern over monkey menace and sought prompt action on the part of the park authorities.

Interestingly, the protesters also suggested planting of fruit trees inside forests and creation of water holes to confine wildlife within forest limits.

Harish Binjola, Dinesh Kumar, Pyarelal Raturi and Mahendra Singh were prominent participants in the protest. 

Dehradun, November 11
Resenting non-payment of salaries, staff of the anti-poaching cell of the Corbett National Park today staged a demonstration outside the park headquarters.

Two hundred employees working with anti-poaching cell have not been paid salaries for the past seven months. The agitated employees, led by Arjun Singh, reached the reception of the Corbett Park during evening hours and staged a massive demonstration.

Venting their ire on park warden DS Rawat, the employees said they would no longer tolerate their harassment at the hand of park authorities. However, Rawat assured the agitating employees that their salaries would be delivered within a week.

Surendra Singh, Mahendra Singh, Amarjeet Singh, Lakshman Singh and Sunderpal Singh were among the protesters. — TNS

Dehradun, November 11
The Kutumbari temple located in Dwarahat (Almora) has fallen prey to human activity and encroachment and may be lost forever. The Dehradun circle of the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) has now sent a letter for denotifying the monument. It was an ASI protected monument.

Though the ASI Dehradun Circle had traced the remains of the Kutumbari temple in Dwarakhat tehsil of Ranikhet (Almora) during the detailed survey undertaken in the last week of October, the temple is in a dilapidated condition and on the verge of complete collapse anytime. It began crumbling in 1956 after the resettlement exercise of the village began way back in 1957, said Dr DN Dimri, Superintending Archaeologist, Dehradun Circle.

A team led by Dr Dimri had undertaken the survey of the area and located the ruins of the temple. “Mostly relying on the information provided by locals of the area and a 70-year-old woman, we have carried investigation and it appears that people had taken bits and pieces of the fallen structure, like stone etc, for constructing their homes,” elaborated Dr Dimri.

The temple dedicated to a local deity had figured in the revenue records of 1915, but during the land resettlement when new boundaries were redrawn, the location of the temple was not recorded, giving enough indications that the neglect and later crumbling began between 1957-1959.

It had figured in the list of lost monuments of Uttarakhand provided by the central government after the issue was raised in Parliament recently. These included Kutumbari temple in Dwarahat, Khera Ki Bandi, Old Cemetery, Roorkee tehsil, Haridwar district and remains of ancient buildings locally identified with Vairatapattana, Dhikuli and Ramnagar tehsil. The ASI (Dehradun Circle) was able to provide information about the remaining two.

Dehradun, November 11
A 40-year-old labourer was found dead in Chetrwala here this morning. The police said there were marks of strangulation on his neck but nothing was found from the spot.

The police said he must have been strangulated with a rope which might have been dumped somewhere. However, the clear picture could only come after the post-mortem report.

According to the police, he had gone for work after having lunch yesterday and did not return home after that. The police said he must have been killed at night.

Pantnagar, November 11
Brain-storming sessions on issues faced by Indian science dominated the proceedings at the three-day Uttarakhand Science Congress here yesterday.

The pertinent issue of agro-technology and intellectual property rights (IPR) was discussed threadbare with the participants calling for development of advanced agro- technologies for enhancing agricultural production in a sustainable manner.

According to Dr Anil Kumar, head of Department of Molecular Biology and Genetic Engineering, “Among the frontier agro technologies relevant to the next stage in our agricultural revolution, the foremost is biotechnology.

“It allows development of superior designer crop plants by molecular manipulation at will. Advances in agricultural biotechnology and genetic engineering have been accompanied by a strong IPR protection,”

He added that patents are probably the most important IPR today for agricultural goods and services as they provide, wherever they are available, the strongest protection for patentable plants, animals and biotechnological processes for their production.

Focusing on the adoption of newer technologies in rural areas, Dr BS Bisht, Vice- Chancellor of the GB Pant University of Agriculture and Technology, pointed out that there was a strong conviction that information and communication technologies (ICT) can be utilised to empower farmers and disadvantaged minorities in rural and isolated regions of Uttarakhand.

“It is, therefore, important to ensure that farmers and disadvantaged communities learn to benefit from the use of ICT in mainstream society. The adoption of rural technologies by farmers through Krishi Vigyan Kendras (KVKs) is a big leap in this direction,” he asserted.

Dr Bisht informed that entrepreneurs have also come forward in introducing hardware and software solutions for rural applications. They have developed computer and wireless connectivity solutions with indigenous components, software and open-source systems.

Dr Kumar also underlined the need for good laboratory practices (GLP) in science and technology. He said, “Indian industries, engaged in manufacture of various kinds of chemicals, obtain GLP compliance certification for their test facilities from the National GLP Monitoring Authority established by the Union government in 2002.”

Dr Rajendra Dobhal, Director, Uttarakhand State Council for Science and Technology (UCOST), said that new research in the field of biotechnology, biochemistry and microbiology have allowed exploration of new species of plants having medicinal value in the Uttarakhand region.

A case in point is Ginko Biloba, an economically important tree species of medicinal value, which requires immediate attention for its propagation in the temperate forest zones of the state.

Focusing on the theme of food security, the Congress offered an insight that the second-important pulse in the country, pigeon pea, is grown in 2,606 hectares in the hill state and gives an average productivity of 7.79 quintal per hectare.

“Agriculture technologies like mulching techniques for higher vegetable production in the hilly areas of Uttarakhand are required and is being adopted by the farmers of Chamoli district,” said Dr VP Singh of the KVK, Chamoli.

Dehradun, November 11
The Khadi and Village Industries Commission (KVIC) today held a one-day workshop in Dehradun to discuss the Prime Minister Employment Generation Programme (PMGEP). Heads of the commission at the district level, officials of the Micro, Small and Medium Employment Department(MSME) and various banks were also present. The commission has been made the nodal agency for this scheme at the national level. The State Khadi Board and District Industry Centre will assist it in implementing the scheme.

Uttarakhand’s Khadi Village and Industries, Irrigation and Social Welfare Minister said the scheme would not end up turning into a fiasco like a plethora of other government-backed schemes. All necessary steps would be taken to publicise the scheme well, give employment to needy youngsters to stop their migration from villages for employment and to check their exploitation by middlemen, he added.

The minister was brimming with all sorts of novel ideas to bring small-scale industry at the forefront, saying that the employment would be generated by providing training to unemployed to make khadi threads and later colouring them with natural dyes prepared from pomegranate, leaves of deodar and lantina bushes. Then the exclusive designer wear would be prepared by taking help of designers.

Karnail Singh, Director, KVIC, said with the establishment of 1,300 units, more than 10,000 jobs would be generated by investing 55 crore in the scheme. This scheme would benefit both rural as well as urban traditional artisans and workers.

The government has merged the Prime Minister Rozgar Yozana with the rural employment generation scheme where beneficiaries would be able to take a loan up to Rs 25 lakh to establish small or middle-scale industries. The beneficiaries would be given subsidy from 15 per cent to 35 per cent and two-week training.

Displaying decorative and gift items made of fine handmade papers, Sangeeta Gandotra, an entrepreneur, said it would be better if the KVIC came up with a website, where it would give full detail about various schemes, and provide availability of forms online. “The artisans in rural areas lack marketing skills and facilities. They should be helped in this regard and also given a common place to do fine packaging of their stuff,” she said.

Another successful entrepreneur, Vinod Kumar, who runs the business of manufacturing herbal products, said his purpose of attending this workshop was to get clarity on all fronts from bankers as well as government officials about the scheme so that he could expand his business.

Later, AK Khanduri, deputy director, KVIC, laid stress on boosting the marketing strategies of the products manufactured under the scheme. Chief Manager, State Bank of India, said the State-Level Bankers Committee (SLBC) would do its best to eradicate all shortcomings to expedite the implementation of the scheme. 

Dehradun, November 11
Uttarakhand Chief Minister Ramesh Pokhiryal Nishank said today that in the wellbeing of the Himalayan region lay the welfare of the entire world community.Addressing a workshop on “Environment and Development in the Himalayan States” held at Indian Council of Forestry Research and Education as part of the state Foundation Day celebrations, the Chief Minister said a balance between development and environment was the need of the hour.

 He said the government was mulling to introduce tree plantation in the school curriculum. “There are as many as 12 lakh students and even if one student plants five tree saplings, it will be a yeoman service to the cause of environment,” Nishank said.

He said Uttarakhand had a big potential in sectors of floriculture, unseasonal-vegetable production and tourism-based industries.

Uttarakhand BJP president and Forest Minister Bisan Singh Chufal said it was very important that the planted tree saplings got due protection for a period of two years.

Himalayan and Environment Studies Conservation Organisation Founder president Anil Joshi sought a concrete policy for the Himalayan states. He called for a scientific study both on physical and social fronts on the Himalayas.

Uttarakhand Principal Chief Conservator of Forests RBS Rawat accorded the vote of thanks while Conservator of Forests (Yamuna Circle) BP Gupta coordinated the proceedings.

Chief Secretary Indu Kumar Pandey, Additional Chief Secretary NS Napalchayal, Secretary (Forests) Anup Wadhavan were among other prominent persons of Uttarakhand present at the workshop.