CAPART favours eco-friendly technologies in hill areas
            In an workshop organised jointly by the Dehradun based Himalayan Environmental Studies and Conservation Organisation & CAPART, a funding agency under the Ministry of Rural Development has stressed upon the need to undertake an intensive programme of promoting appropriate technologies in the hill and mountain areas which were in harmony with bio-physical, socio-economic and institutional environment. CAPART would also initiate various programmes in collaboration with ICIMOD, Nepal for promoting sustainable development pattern in the hill as well as mountain areas of the country.

 Killer quake overdue in Himalayan region
            Studies have shown that over 50% of the Himalayan range was overdue for a great earthquake (over 7.8 on the Richter scale). It was not possible to predict when and where the earthquake would occur, however, western Nepal, Kumaun, and western Bhutan falls under the higher probability zones. Since the Indian plate continues to push into Eurasia, it creates stresses which are periodically released in the form of earthquakes. The GPS measurements of Indian Institute of Astrophysics showed that sufficient stress had accumulated to drive a magnitude-eight earthquake along at least 50% of the Himalayas.

 Around 4000 HIV cases in HP
            The total number of HIV positive cases in Himachal Pradesh has been estimated to be between 3,500 to 4,000. The HIV sentinel surveillance data collected in 1999 indicated that over 80% of the cases were in Hamirpur, Kangra, Shimla, Bilaspur and Mandi districts of the State. Community based studies revealed that the incidence of reproductive track infection (RTI) and sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) is also very high in the State.

 Reckless quarrying a threat
            Palampur town of Himachal Pradesh has been facing a serious environmental threat because of unscientific quarrying in the area. Residents are worried over large scale querying being carried out in the adjoining village of Lohna, as it is leading to the destruction of valuable forests. Hills in the state have been indiscriminately stripped of forest cover during the past 10 years, resulting in flash floods, landslides and a change in the rain pattern. Despite all claims made by the government, nothing worthwhile has been done to check illegal mining and quarrying.

 J&K to have 1 lakh solar lights
            In the view of power scarcity, the Jammu & Kashmir Energey Development Agency has prepared a project for installation of one lakh solar lights for UNDP/World Bank funding. It was stated that over 60,000 improved 'chullas' were being set up in the state during the current financial year under the National Programme on Improved Chullas. The Union Minister of Non-Conventional Energy Sources is assisting in the implementation of various non-conventional energy related programmes in the state.

 Slow, painful death at Corbett
            Though elephant poaching is uncommon in the region but the killing of three elephants in short span has alarmed the Corbett National Park in Uttaranchal. According to park authorities the male tusker was fed nails and sharpnel to bleed it to a slow and painful death. The Park authorities admit that elephants were killed for ivory, but they did not traced out the culprits responsible of elephant killing in the Park.

 Van Gujjars struggle for every drop
            Although the myth persists that the Van Gujjar community, a nomadic tribe is well off, earning decently from selling milk and ghee, the reality is in stark contrast, with many families fighting impoverishment and struggling to maintain their cattle. As such, Gujjars at Rajaji National Park are dependent on the forest, their symbiosis with the environment is remarkable. But the degradation of Rajaji forest is putting immense stress on water and fodder availability, as most of the streams are running dry.

 Construction in Nainital green belt banned
            Pushed by popular consternation over possible adverse impact of urbanisation on the environment and ecology of the Sat Tal and the Bhim Tal lakes around Nainital, the Uttaranchal government has ordered stopping of construction work in June Estate, a massive green-belt area in the lakes vicinity. Residents have demanded that the Government reverted to the original land-use pattern of the green-belt of June Estate, notified in the master-plan of Bhim Tal town.

 Kol dam to uproot 800 families
            As many as 800 families of Mandi, Bilaspur and Solan district of Himachal Pradesh would be affected or displaced by the construction of 800MW Kol Dam Hydel Project. The villagers demand that government should undertake responsibility of their rehabilitation and compensation with assurance of employment to al least one member of each effected family. The prime cause of apprehension of the people is the nightmarish experience which the oustees of Bhakra and Poong Dams and other projects underwent over past four decades.

 Mahseer faces extinction
            Mahseer, rated as one of the best game fish in the world, is today an endangered species, undergoing slow extinction, as the construction of dams, has further threatened its survival. The Himachal Angling Association had been pressing upon the State Fisheries Department, to evolve a technology for the controlled breeding of golden Mahseer, which is the native of the Sutlej and the Beas and replenish the dwindling stock of the fish. But members of the Association regretted that the protection, propagation and development of fisheries seemed to be least interest of the government as all suggestions given by them had simply been gathering dust.

 Mizo seismologist warns of quake disaster in Aizawl
            The US seismologists warned of a Gujarat like disaster in Aizawl in the event of high intensity quake in Mizoram, which falls in the highest seismic-risk zone in north-eastern region. The state capital would witness massive destruction in case of a high-intensity quake as safe building codes have not been followed in constructing high-rise building. The State Geology and Mining Wing and Central Mining Research Institute are preparing to open a Disaster Management and Mitigation Centre.

 People forced to vacate homes
            Notwithstanding the Vishwa Hindu Parishad's (VHP) attempt to saffronisation of the vexed Tehri dam issue, the BJP Governments in Uttaranchal and at the Centre have sounded an alarm to abandon the old town and 125 villages around the S-shaped valley formed at the confluence to the Bhagirathi and Bhilangana, without putting in place the infrastructure in the villages that would be cut off by the submergence of the old Tehri town. VHP are to undertake fast-unto-death on the eve of the closure of the gates close to there the aging environmentalist, Mr Sunder Lal Bahugana had adopted similar forms of protest after the devastating Uttarkashi earthquake of 1991.