The Himachal Pradesh has a vast reserve of forest wealth valued at over Rs 1 lakh crore, which needs to be protected and preserved. The thrust of the new policy is that forest could be preserved only if people could be ensured security of livelihood. A new functional classification of forests has been made where, the value of forest to meet the needs of conservation, production, community needs and urban services have been recognized. In addition to these new shifts, there is a greater recognition of environmental and watershed services of forests in the new policy. It recognizes the fact that hill state had uncultivable, barren land, snow covered peaks, which cannot sustain forests. As such a realistic target brings 35.5% of total geographical area under forest and tree cover had been set. A rehabilitation programme of degraded and open forests and available non-forest land has also been envisaged. A special focus on medicinal and aromatic plants as part of non-wood forest product management would be developed with an emphasis on livelihood security in both public and private lands. It is envisaged that the government will develop incentives to encourage forest-based industries and procured raw material for such industries from sources other than government forests. It is proposed that nature-based tourism including wilderness tourism will be promoted in consonance with the eco-tourism policy of the state is cold-desert areas cooperative micro enterprises will be promoted. Requisite institutional support to implement the new forest sector policy has also been outlined.

Alarmed at the rapid deforestation taking place in the once “lush green” forests of Garo Hills, a special drive has begun to bring to halt the booming trade in illegal timber from this region. Timber from the reserve forests have been making its way into these saw mills for sawing and transportation to neighboring Asom, which is the major market for this precious commodity. The ecosystem of the region is constantly under threat in view of the ongoing logging taking place deep inside the reserve forests and little effort has been made by the authorities concerned to try and put a stop to it. The State Forest department in tandem with the Garo Student Union and the police has begun conducting raids to dismantle the illegal saw mills which dot the countryside in the plain belt areas of West Garo Hills. It is felt that strict laws coupled with sufficient manpower in the Forest department ought to be made to act as a deterrent. Forest guards have to be given modern arms to tackle this menace and the border guards require to play a more proactive role in checking the smuggling of these precious commodities from Garo Hills.

With prodding from the Supreme Court, the Meghalaya Government has decided to formulate a comprehensive policy on mining and allied industries and bring in appropriate legislation to regulate indiscriminate private coal mining and limestone quarries, which have adverse impact on the environment, in the State. The Cabinet decision came close on the heels of an apex court directive in response to a Public Interest Litigation filed by the Meghalaya Adventure Association (MAA), seeking the highest court's intervention in the ongoing indiscriminate limestone mining, destroying the unique cave system that dates back to the Jurassic age. The MAA pleaded that Meghalaya has one of the longest cave systems in the Indian sub-continent at Krem Katsoti that stretches over 22 km long with a string of as many as 39 caves, which are the storehouse of rare and diverse cave life forms, and therefore need protection. In response to the apex court notices, the government has convened a meeting between the MAA representatives and the officials from the departments related to these issues such as, the department of forest and environment, Meghalaya Mineral Development Corporation, Law etc, to hold a threadbare discussion on the issues and come up with certain common grounds. The cabinet has also decided to form an expert group under the chairmanship of the chief secretary to look into all the issues related to mining and allied industries as well as the environmental concerns and formulate a comprehensive policy and enabling legislation so that these issues are resolved once for all. 

A giant freshwater carp nearly extinct in Kashmir might soon swim again in the shimmering rivers of the Himalayas decades after it disappeared. The Mahseer, known among Kashmiri anglers as “tiger in the water”, all but vanished after Pakistan constructed a dam in the late 1960s that stopped the fish from migrating to India. Now, conservationists are breeding the Mahseer and hope to release them in rivers in Kashmir. The programme is the result of a peace process between India and Pakistan that has led to a drop in violence in the region. The fish lives in clear rivers and lakes throughout India and Southeast Asia and needs fast-flowing rivers and streams in the mountains to breed. Finding enough of the thick-scaled carp in the area to breed at a farm in southern Kashmir proved difficult. Plans to conserve the Mahseer were disrupted in 1989 after militancy erupted in Kashmir and to fulfill the dream, militancy in Kashmir needs to remain under control.

The Himachal Angling Association has expressed concern over the power policy being adopted by the Himachal Government. Mr K.B. Ralhan of the Association alleged that the lobby of the rich and resourceful companies had been trying to pressurize the Himachal Government into clearing their projects. In view of the prospects of high profits hundreds of projects in which waters of various rivers, streams, rivulets/nallahs were proposed to be harnessed. He said the Himalayan region was ecologically very sensitive and with the development of these projects (mini, micro or major) would disturb the ecological equilibrium. Blasting of rocks, digging of riverbeds and diversion of streams into tunnels, destruction of green cover etc. was bound to cause irreversible damage to the environment. He urged the Chief Minister of the state, to issue strict instructions to senior officials of Him Urja and Fisheries Department to ensure protection of aquatic environment and natural resources of important rivers and streams before clearing hydel power generation projects.

The valedictory function of the Wildlife Week celebrations on October 2006 concluded with a strong emphasis in involving the students in protection and preservation of the vast wildlife treasure of Sikkim. Speaking on the occasion, the region MLA, Mr Norzang Lepcha urged all and especially to the huge gathering of students to strive for protection of the rich flora and fauna of the state. “Sikkim is only 0.2% of the total landmass of the country but possesses 26% of the total biodiversity in the country. Now responsibility is now our shoulders for protection and preservation of such wealth” he said. There are 600 species of butterflies, 150 species of birds, 500 species of birds and 600 species of orchids besides about15,000 species of flowering plants and some 450 species of medicinal plants are also exists in Sikkim. He also highlighted the paramount interest of protecting nature to the students in his address and appealed the Chief Minister to preserve the state’s rare and endangered species of flora and fauna which are unique and in some cases endemic in the region.

Some of the ‘specified plants’ enlisted under the Wildlife (protection) Act, 1972 remains extremely vulnerable in Meghalaya. The Act recognizes six plants throughout the country as ‘specified plants’. These plants: Beddomes, Blue Vanda, Kuth, Ladies Slippers orchid, Pitcher plant and Red Panda are protected under the Act. Out of the six specified plants, three are found in Meghalaya; of which Pitcher plant is exclusive to the State. The Wildlife Act prohibits picking, uprooting, sale, possession (unless permission granted) of these ‘specified plants’. Due to its exotic nature this plant is most vulnerable to exploitation with illegal sale continuing in different parts of the State. The department of Forest and Environment here, in its bid to save the plant, has set up a Pitcher plant sanctuary at Baghmara in South Garo hills. Another sanctuary under the Jaintia Hills Autonomous District Council has been set up at Jiram in the district. Besides these, North Eastern Hill University on its own has set up a Species Recovery Programme to help preserve the threatened plants species of the region.

Bijoy Gurung for THE STATESMAN : November 16, 2006

The Indian Army is eyeing a new role in the Himalayan state. It is mulling the concept of “eco-battalion” and “Sikkim Scouts” for protecting the enormous biodiversity of Sikkim. The Indian Army has such wings spread across the country for protection of environment and carrying out ecological drives like Garhwal Scouts and Ladakh Scouts. They have also participated actively in the state green mission conducted this year for avenue plantation. Addressing ex-serviceman from Sikkim, Lt General Rampal expressed immense happiness that the bonhomie enjoyed by 11 Gorkha Rifles was a fine example of camaraderie. Accomplishing the gathering includes the Chief Minister of Sikkim, he undertook “We will be proposing the concept of an eco-battalion and Sikkim Scouts for environment and wildlife protection to the state government. We want to look after the flora and fauna of Sikkim”.                     

The National Hydroelectric Power Corporation (NHPC), executing the 2051 Parbati project in Kullu district, is grappling with the "geological puzzle" pertaining to the gushing out of "red silt water" from the sacred Parbati mountain at a rate of 5000 litres per minute. The NHPC was hoping that the flow of red water carrying silt and clay, leaking into the 31.5-km-long under-construction tunnel for the past one week, would recede, but it has shown no such signs. The General Manager of NHPC has ruled out the flow to be any major geological problem posing danger to the environment and people, including labourers, in the project. The water further flows into the Gadsa khad, a tributary of the Beas, giving sleepless nights to villagers in the downstream.

Studies revealed that where there are tribals, the forest areas had been dense. While piloting the Scheduled Tribals and Other Traditional Forest Dwellers (Recognition of Forest Rights) Bill, 2006 in the Lok Sabha, the tribal affairs minister Mr. P.R. Kyndiah believed that tribal and forest dwelling communities are the most efficient conservationists. These are unexceptionable remarks and all who support tribal rights will back Mr Kyndiah. There has been for long a furore and incomplete debate over the rights of tribal and other marginalized groups living in forests and the strenuous efforts by the state forest departments to evict them. The case of the Gujjars in the national park of Uttaranchal is one of the best-known ones. The Chipko Andolan of C.P. Bhatt and Sunderlal Bahuguna where the women in the Garhwal hills hugged trees, in Bishnoi style, to deny the contractors and the forest department access to the trees which are the basis of their livelihood. The “hug the tree” movement became an international symbol not just of protest but galvanized women power and the consciousness of rural but marginalized groups about the need to conserve ecosystems.

The “mahaseer" fish facing extinction in the Beas and the Ravi is all set to get a major boost as the Rs-2 crore Mahaseer fish farm coming up at Machial in Mandi district of Himachal Pradesh, which will be country's major experiment in the direction for reviving once rich marine life in the fresh water Himalayan rivers in the state. According to Sehgal report on fish in the cold water of the Himalayan water, the “mahaseer” fish has been pushed to brink by the construction of the Pandoh Dam near Machial and the Pong and Thein Dam on the Beas. These dams checked the movement of the mahaseer fish upstream over the decades. The river life, once rich with fish, contains a little marine life today. However, it is for the first time that the seed protection technology is being put to test at the mahaseer fish farm at Machial, revealed fisheries officials. "If it turns out to be successful, it will revive Mahaseer in the Beas and the Ravi, which were eliminated due to the dams on the rivers".