Aim of Society
Although research works in D.Phil. are underway on different geographical aspects of the Central Himalaya, the post- D.Phil. works lack interaction with the contemporary world. Present academic curriculum demands focused attention of faculty members concerning project work, term paper, webinars etc. but in most of cases, these issues are dealt as routine matter without any relevance. There is a need for regular workshops among faculty members and students. It is the need of the hour to focus on multi-dimensional changes taking place in the different areas of the Uttarakhand Himalaya in the concerned field.
1. The GSCH will contribute to the scientific knowledge craft (art), literature and teaching in the field of Geography as laid down in
2. In order to restore the life of the Himalayan Society to its sustainable existence, some programs and innovations have been taking place since the British period. Tea gardens, apple orchards, bridges, schools etc. emphasize work in this direction. Similar efforts were made by the Uttar Pradesh government. Massive programs of horticultural development were undertaken in 1967 or earlier. Fruit belts were created and plots were distributed. Complete technical infrastructure, government orchards and financial support such as loans and subsidies were in place. Similar projects for the establishment of tea gardens came into existence and attempts were made with reference to herbs cultivation and other programs aimed at economic development. There is a need to investigate the present status of such projects and investigations into, whether these were unsuitable, unavailable or unfit to get rid of eventually. There is also a need to explore the new avenues – areas of assured success. Besides the country side of middle lesser Himalaya is maintaining a stubborn failure as an agriculture system due to massive out-migration from villages. The ongoing process of deterioration agricultural economy demands immediate policy interventions by the government.
3. In the mountain areas of Uttarakhand, women have established their decisive position. During the last quarter of the 20th century, they were credited as the backbone of the agricultural economy. A similar experience has been reported from the other mountain areas of the world. On account of their leadership role in the mountain economy, they have had great sufferings during the 1990-2010 periods. The rural landscapes of mountainous Uttarakhand are transforming due to the permanent out-migration of population from villages to the foot hills areas. Now, there is a need to redefine the role of women in mountainous mainland of Uttarakhand. It is high time to train them for handicraft, horticulture and mushroom in organic farming etc. and retreat towards a richer balance of people and ecology.
4.Mountains have a common problem when it comes to economic development. The three-dimensional surface of land creates problems in the economic productivity of land at par with the plain areas. Mobility is reduced and the failure of hill slope pore recurring problems related to the mountains’ agricultural land and irrigation channels. On the other hand, this three-dimensional surface lures courageous and wealthy people of the areas of the country and abroad. What we have added to the development of Tourism during the last two decades? What initiatives are under way? There is a need to examine, whether pilgrimages such as ‘Chaar DhaamYatra’ are supporting tourism or sustaining environmental tragedy? In the backdrop of poor investment capacity, what are our concrete steps towards Eco-Tourism Development ?. There is a need for replicas of Mussoorie/ Nainital towns in Uttarakhand.
5. The high energy environment of the Uttarakhand Himalaya is highly sensitive to activities aimed at the development of infrastructure. Constructions of roads, railway lines, hydropower projects, laying down of drinking water pipelines, institutional buildings and expansion of town areas,all these activities are likely to create some change in the surface forms of a landscape. Natural forces such as heavy rainfall, cloud burst, landslides and flash floods etc.at some point eventually, compound to environmental degradation resulting from the infrastructural development. There is need for regular evaluations of changes in the environmental system on one hand, and for the formulation of pragmatic policy framework for environmental conservation on the other. Major development projects must contain feasible elements of sustainable development.
6. The mountainous region of the Uttarakhand Himalaya with reference to the Garhwal Himalaya is the subject matter of the GSCH. There is a need to evaluate the resource potential of the Garhwal Himalaya objectively. Different aspects of terrain be it vegetation, wildlife, surface water (river, spring-glacier), agriculture, cottage industries, culture, tourism and population etc. need to be objectively assessed and utilized for regional planning. Similarly, the existing problems in the different areas of the region are required to be documented. The common problems of 500 sq. km i.e.,two community development blocks of inhabited are required to be objectively measured as per available techniques. The resource potential and problems of an area demand long-term planning to create required socio-economic infrastructure.The society may catalyze in the planning processes for both short and long terms.
7.The apparent aim of GSCH is to bring annual/ biannual publication of a research journal aimed to encourage the research work on the various aspects of the Uttarakhand Himalaya. This is likely to bring out new findings in various directions. The society will encourage to publish monographs on the problem of regional significance. The nature of publication will be online/ off line or both as decided by the executive committee of the GSCH.
8. Uttarakhand State has been created for the development of its high mountainous region as per its resources and requirements. Rapid and recurring changes in the political leadership of the state could not focus on the developmental priorities of the mountainous region of the State. The developmental problem of the state continues to grow with time. The GSCH may provide data and suggestions to the government for policy formulation. It may serve as think tank for the developmental problems of mountainous regions.It will organize workshops, conferences, training programmes and webinars from time to time. Before submitting any proposal to the government, it will be necessary to interact with the stakeholders i.e.,the beneficiaries.
9. In the present-day interactions among people and communities has become necessary to establish dialogues within the academic community on one hand i.e., between the academic community and the stakeholders of development, the beneficiaries, and the investors-facilitators on the other. The covid-19 pandemic has pushed us towards online interactions among far flung people at minimum cost. Despite of good network of roads and adequate improvement in public transport system, villages of the mountainous Uttarakhand continue to carry some elements of inaccessibility. In such a situation it is necessary to organize events at regional and sub- regional levels. Such exercises are necessary in the backdrop of the continuing failure of the programs, aimed at economic development in these areas. To promote economic activity related to the specialized product of the area, it will require the guidance of experts in workshop training programs.
10. Environmental analysis is the essential component of Geographical analysis in term of D.Phil., term papers, project works, assignments, research papers and articles etc. In view of huge population size, low per capita income, low rate of taxation etc local bodies, government presumable inability is observed in its interventions towards community hygiene and environmental upkeep of bus stops, towns, markets and public institutions etc. Environmental conservation programs need to be organized at the college level by enforcing compulsory fieldwork-based assessment systems. Students concerned will get a grade as per the certificate of Village President (Pradhan). The Regular workshop will be conducted with college faculty members, village council and district Panchayat members. Similarly, other issues of public concern will be taken up.
11. In order to enhance public awareness about commons, general facts of life relating to geography and environment will be taken up. There is a need to bring awareness in public forums. We have many areas in the domain of geography related to the environment that is poorly understood by the common man, media community and political leaders. The fallacy about rural-urban migration, earthquakes, landslides and other aspects of mountain needs to be explained. In Uttarakhand, we generally encounter natural hazards and disasters which are inevitable under the existing geo-ecological set up. This awareness will be created through local/regional seminars, lectures and oral brochures. In the background of prevailing trends of out-migration, society feels that some pragmatic approach is necessary to look after the residential population of migration-affected villages by bringing about and suggesting appropriate policy to government, and taking up precise steps to curb migration rate from the areas where it is still in the early stages. At the same time, we may consider organic farming for commercial activities and suggests crops for individual areas.
12. Geography is being thought at the undergraduate level at 51 colleges and 49 of these are government colleges. In most of the government degree colleges, there are few lecturers at times counting to just one a given college. It is preposterous to consider a single person to run the academic curriculum satisfactorily. Society will offer them online services as needed by them. Besides this, they will be encouraged to maintain a socio- economic databank and with the help of students document the physical-environmental and cultural peculiarities of the surrounding areas. These undergraduate departments may be a convenient places to hold workshops and seminars.
13. It is necessary to explain to public-student-local bodies, the essence and meaning of sustainable development in common man’s language. For example, rural-urban migration was serving well, and the socio-economic conditions of people improved a lot till 1970, but now it has led to the dissertation of villages’ agricultural land, vanishing livestock and culture. Now, the problem of garbage management in town /cities has reached an alarming point. There are number of areas, where sustainability is under challenge e.g., maximum number of pilgrims to Badrinath – Kedarnath in June (36-24000/ day).Similarly,Mussoorie and Nainital towns are experiencing huge tourist arrivals in the month of June demand some regulation for smooth management. Various issues presented under the aims of society suggest multidimensional problems of division demands comprehensive planning-policies framed and translated into ground reality. The Society aims to field voids in the functional linkages of the state development agencies.