Preserving the Himalayan ecology: concrete action needed

Several seminars and meetings have been held on the ecological problems enveloping the Himalayan range. These have led to some actions and solutions, but a much larger challenge remains to be met for revitalizing the ecological health of the Himalaya. Ensuring ecologically sustainable development is of critical importance to mountain nations like Nepal and Bhutan. It is, however, also critically important to countries like India and Bangladesh, both of which depend heavily for their water supply on flows coming from the Himalaya. In the early decades after independence, part of the Himalaya lying within India saw extensive deforestation and consequent soil erosion. During the same period, Nepal also experienced similar degradation. The result has been the loss of tree cover, large-scale erosion of soil on the mountain slopes and the drying up of natural streams that ultimately flow into the large river systems of North India. Some measures that have been taken have started showing favourable results in recent years. For instance, efforts at afforestation are finally showing increase in tree cover, particularly in the Kumaon hills and in Nepal. Bhutan, of course, has had a remarkable record of forest conservation, which has enabled that kingdom to keep its ecological health unimpaired. Measures such as the distribution of LPG (liquefied petroleum gas) in the mountains of India have also certainly helped to reduce dependence on fuelwood. This is one region in which subsidies on LPG can be fully justified as against to the continuation of subsidies supplied for the relatively rich residents of Delhi. However, the full benefits of science and technology have not been applied and extended to most parts of the Himalayan range. The scope for innovation in the region is enormous, and so are the benefits likely to accrue from their large-scale applications. In a workshop organized in Almora almost a year ago focusing on science and technology for the development of Uttaranchal, plans were developed by a large number of leading scientists in the country to benefit that region. Now that the new state of Uttaranchal has been formed, it is essential that these plans be converted into action very early.