The object of the paper is to provide an insight into the changes in livelihood strategies of the people in the Garhwal Himalayas over time. From sustaining an economy based on transit trade and subsistence agricultur...The object of the paper is to provide an insight into the changes in livelihood strategies of the people in the Garhwal Himalayas over time. From sustaining an economy based on transit trade and subsistence agriculture, there has been a shift towards tourism in recent times. This shift has been due to the tradition of pilgrimage to the higher reaches and also due to promotion by the state by developing infrastructure and providing incentives. The paper is divided into four parts. In the first part, the policies of the colonial state and the events leading to the destruction of forests and the impoverishment of the self-sustaining semi-pastoral economy in the Garhwal Himalayas are outlined. It is argued that the destruction of forests and subsequently, the economy of the Himalayas were directly responsible for the large-scale migration to the plains. This also led to further exploitation of forests by the people who were unfamiliar with any other form of livelihood. The paper also discusses the policies of the newly independent Indian state and sees them as an extension of the British policy of large-scale exploitation of Himalayan forests for the purpose of development and economic growth. In the third section, the growth of ecotourism as a direct outcome of the process of deforestation and as resulting fostered monopolies of groups external to the region thereby contributing neither to the income or the development in the area. In addition, there is an added threat to the environment–deforestation, and erosion–a direct outcome of increased and unplanned tourism. Such problems demand state intervention and management of tourism. The conclusion to the paper asserts that in order that the requirements of the society to progress and to sustain itself in its natural habitat are not compromised, it is essential to increase the process of democratization by strengthening local structures and by vesting the community with the autonomy to determine its future. The paper therefore argues that ecotourism in the Himalayas undertaken without local involvement is not desirable. The constant need for local monitoring of external agencies or even of the State’s participation and the need for re-evaluation of environmental standards are cumbersome details that add to the costs of promoting low-impact tourism. To be viable, ecotourism should be community based and the needs of the community, their ideas of conservation should be given prime importance and local community must be encouraged to review the standards governing conservation. Local structures should thus receive patronage and promotion, so that ecotourism becomes a dynamic facet of economic development.展开更多
Streamflow represents the integrated response of a watershed to climatic variables, particularly precipitation and air temperature. In this study, relationships between discharge and hydro meteorological parameters ne...Streamflow represents the integrated response of a watershed to climatic variables, particularly precipitation and air temperature. In this study, relationships between discharge and hydro meteorological parameters near the snout of Gangotri Glacier were investigated. The auto correlations and multi day influence of temperature and rainfall on discharge can provide valuable information about the Glacier response which can be helpful for estimating discharge in data scarce regions. The data for eight continuous ablation seasons (2000-2007) were used investigating correlations, lag cross correlations and multivariate regression analysis between daily mean discharge, daily mean temperature and daily rainfall, whereas last four years data (2008-2011) was used to simulate the daily discharge from the established relations. Snowmelt discharge varies during the rise in the annual temperature cycle in response to the combination of temperature variation and the amount of water held in the evolving snowpack. The discharge and temperature is highly auto correlated. It was found that discharge of a particular day (Qi) is well represented by the regression equation having Qi-1, Ti, and Ri. Such developed regression equation can be used for computing discharge once its input variables are available. The regression equation developed using the eight year data i.e. Qi = 2.962 + 1.011Qi-1?- 0.422Ti + 0.203Ri is used for forecasting of discharge. For all the years discharge was computed with high accuracy (R2?-?0.93).展开更多
Curtobacterium luteum, a gram-positive psychrotrophic bacterium, secreting an extracellular protease was isolated from the soil of Gangotri glacier, Western Himalaya. The maximum enzyme production was achieved when is...Curtobacterium luteum, a gram-positive psychrotrophic bacterium, secreting an extracellular protease was isolated from the soil of Gangotri glacier, Western Himalaya. The maximum enzyme production was achieved when isolate was grown in a pH-neutral medium containing skim milk at 15oC over 120 hour. The metal ions such as Zn2+ and Cr2+ enhanced enzyme production. The specific activity of purified enzyme was 8090 u/mg after 34.1 fold purification. The 115 kD enzyme was a metalloprotease (activity inhibited by EDTA and EGTA) and showed maximum activity at 20oC and pH 7. The enzyme was active over a broad pH range and retained 84% of its original activity between pH 6–8. There was no loss in enzyme activity when exposed for 3 hours at 4oC-20oC. However, lost 65% of activity at 30oC, and was almost inactivated at 50oC, but was resistant to repeated freezing and thawing. The enzyme activity was stimulated by manganese ions; however, it was inactivated by copper ions.展开更多
文摘The object of the paper is to provide an insight into the changes in livelihood strategies of the people in the Garhwal Himalayas over time. From sustaining an economy based on transit trade and subsistence agriculture, there has been a shift towards tourism in recent times. This shift has been due to the tradition of pilgrimage to the higher reaches and also due to promotion by the state by developing infrastructure and providing incentives. The paper is divided into four parts. In the first part, the policies of the colonial state and the events leading to the destruction of forests and the impoverishment of the self-sustaining semi-pastoral economy in the Garhwal Himalayas are outlined. It is argued that the destruction of forests and subsequently, the economy of the Himalayas were directly responsible for the large-scale migration to the plains. This also led to further exploitation of forests by the people who were unfamiliar with any other form of livelihood. The paper also discusses the policies of the newly independent Indian state and sees them as an extension of the British policy of large-scale exploitation of Himalayan forests for the purpose of development and economic growth. In the third section, the growth of ecotourism as a direct outcome of the process of deforestation and as resulting fostered monopolies of groups external to the region thereby contributing neither to the income or the development in the area. In addition, there is an added threat to the environment–deforestation, and erosion–a direct outcome of increased and unplanned tourism. Such problems demand state intervention and management of tourism. The conclusion to the paper asserts that in order that the requirements of the society to progress and to sustain itself in its natural habitat are not compromised, it is essential to increase the process of democratization by strengthening local structures and by vesting the community with the autonomy to determine its future. The paper therefore argues that ecotourism in the Himalayas undertaken without local involvement is not desirable. The constant need for local monitoring of external agencies or even of the State’s participation and the need for re-evaluation of environmental standards are cumbersome details that add to the costs of promoting low-impact tourism. To be viable, ecotourism should be community based and the needs of the community, their ideas of conservation should be given prime importance and local community must be encouraged to review the standards governing conservation. Local structures should thus receive patronage and promotion, so that ecotourism becomes a dynamic facet of economic development.
文摘Streamflow represents the integrated response of a watershed to climatic variables, particularly precipitation and air temperature. In this study, relationships between discharge and hydro meteorological parameters near the snout of Gangotri Glacier were investigated. The auto correlations and multi day influence of temperature and rainfall on discharge can provide valuable information about the Glacier response which can be helpful for estimating discharge in data scarce regions. The data for eight continuous ablation seasons (2000-2007) were used investigating correlations, lag cross correlations and multivariate regression analysis between daily mean discharge, daily mean temperature and daily rainfall, whereas last four years data (2008-2011) was used to simulate the daily discharge from the established relations. Snowmelt discharge varies during the rise in the annual temperature cycle in response to the combination of temperature variation and the amount of water held in the evolving snowpack. The discharge and temperature is highly auto correlated. It was found that discharge of a particular day (Qi) is well represented by the regression equation having Qi-1, Ti, and Ri. Such developed regression equation can be used for computing discharge once its input variables are available. The regression equation developed using the eight year data i.e. Qi = 2.962 + 1.011Qi-1?- 0.422Ti + 0.203Ri is used for forecasting of discharge. For all the years discharge was computed with high accuracy (R2?-?0.93).
文摘Curtobacterium luteum, a gram-positive psychrotrophic bacterium, secreting an extracellular protease was isolated from the soil of Gangotri glacier, Western Himalaya. The maximum enzyme production was achieved when isolate was grown in a pH-neutral medium containing skim milk at 15oC over 120 hour. The metal ions such as Zn2+ and Cr2+ enhanced enzyme production. The specific activity of purified enzyme was 8090 u/mg after 34.1 fold purification. The 115 kD enzyme was a metalloprotease (activity inhibited by EDTA and EGTA) and showed maximum activity at 20oC and pH 7. The enzyme was active over a broad pH range and retained 84% of its original activity between pH 6–8. There was no loss in enzyme activity when exposed for 3 hours at 4oC-20oC. However, lost 65% of activity at 30oC, and was almost inactivated at 50oC, but was resistant to repeated freezing and thawing. The enzyme activity was stimulated by manganese ions; however, it was inactivated by copper ions.
