Nature had given us a nice and virgin universe to live, but man has made it polluted in the name of development. Do all developments need to disturbed the natural equilibrium? This story on newly created hilly state Uttranchal is an effort to see development through environment. The Uttranchal was carved out of Uttar Pradesh on 9 November 2000 as the 27th state of the Indian Union. It consists of 13 districts, viz., Pauri Garhwal, Tehri, Uttarkashi, Chamoli, Dehradun, Rudrprayag of Garhwal division; Nainital, Almora, Pithoragarh, Udhamsingh Nagar, Bageshwar, Champawat of Kumaon division and Hardwar of Saharan division. All the thirteen districts could be re-grouped into three categories,
The high mountain region: major portion of Uttarkashi, Champawat, Pithoragarh, Chamoli and Rudrprayag.
Mid-mountain region: major areas in Pauri Garhwal, Tehri, Almora, Bageshwar districts) and Doon.
Terai region lower foothills: plains of Dehradun, Nainital and Udhamsingh Nagar and Hardwar districts).Following are the natural resources of this hilly land.
Population:
Persons 8,479,562 Decadal Growth 1991 - 2001:
Males 4,316,401 Persons: (+) 19.20 %
Females 4,163,161 Males : (+) 17.47 %
Females: (+) 21.06 %
Sex Ratio: 964
Population (0 - 6 years):
Decadal Growth 1991 - 2001:
Persons 1,319,393 Persons : 15.56 %
Males 692,272 Males : 16.04 %
Females 627,121 Females : 15.06 %
Sex Ratio: 906
Total Geographical information
Total area: 51,125 km2
1. Hill Area : 92.57%
2. Plain Area : 7.43%
3. Area Covered By Forest: 63%
3. Longitude 77' 34' 27" East to 81' 02' 22" E
4. Latitude 28' 53' 24" North to 31' 27' 50" N
5. Male : % 51.91
6. Female : % 48.81
7. Rural Population : 76.90 %
8. Urban Population : 23.10 %
9. Literacy Rate : 65%
10 .Villages : 15620
11. Cities and Urban Areas: 81
Wild resources
(I) Tiger 2003 245
(ii) Leopard 2003 2090
(iii) Elephant 2002 1582
(iv) Chital 2001 35000
(v) Musk Dear 2001 160
(vi) Himalayan Black Bear 2001 375
Major Peaks (height in m above sea level)
Gauri Parvat (6590)
Gangotri (6614)
Panch Chhuli (6910)
Nanda Devi (7816)
Nanda Kot (6861,
Kamet (7756)
Badrinath (7140)
Trishul (7120)
Chaukhamba (7138)
Dunagiri (7066)
Major Passes
Mana (5450)
Nitipass (5070)
Lipulekh (5122)
LumpiaDhura (5650
Water resources
1. The Ganga& its tributaries.
2. The Yamuna its tributaries.
District Wise Distribution of Population:
Distt Total Population Rural population Urban Population % of urban population
Almora 6,30,446 5,76,497 53,949 8.5
Bageshwar 2,49,453 2,41,650 7,803 3.1
Nanital 7,62,912 4,93,126 2,69,786 35.3
U.S. Nagar 12,34,548 8,31,407 4,03,141 32.6
Pithoragarh 4,62,149 4,06,025 56,124 12.1
Champawat 2,24,461 1,91,727 32,734 17.0
Uttarkashi 2,94,179 2,71,255 22,924 7.8
Chamoli 3,69,198 3,19,613 49,585 13.4
Rudrprayag 2,27,461 2,24,740 2,721 1.1
Tehri 6,04,608 5,46,133 58,475 9.6
Dehra Dun 12,79,083 6,01,965 6,77,118 52.9
Pauri 6,96,851 6,06,629 90,222 13.0
Haridwar 14,44,213 9,98,550 4,45,663 30.8
Source: Directorate of Planning
All above information about state natural resources clearly indicating towards nature's supported environment in all sphere of life in Uttranchal. It was the part of one of largest Indian state Uttar Pradesh in that era it could not get its share in development as it's deserved because than political power houses were in plains. But injustice done in past with this hilly land popularly called dev bhomi could be its future, unexplored hydro capacity, hydro-power &virgin pollution free environment, which will be the future high demands commodities in our world. The state has hydro initials of two Major Rivers of nation namely Ganges (Gangotri) and Yamuna (Yamunotri), which are being joined by their tributaries all across the state making this mountainous land, high rich in hydrological resources. In hydro power, it has potential to 15000 Mega watts out of this only 1248MW is explored to date. Pollution level in cities& towns are on high ends in all across the nation, people in future will find difficulty to get pollution free environment around them. Then virgin Uttranchal will be solace place for pollution's hunted people of nation. To achieve that status in coming era Uttranchal needs followings.
1. Controlled population. As population table shows that 46.69%of Uttranchalis lived in three terrain districts: Haridwar, Dehradun &Uddam Singh nagar, which amounted 16.6% of total area of state. So development to all but little disturbance in natural harmony should be basis of state policies planners.
2. Special industrials zones. It will limit the pollution prone area in state.
3. Multi levels mini environment friendly hydro power projects. To use threshold level of every natural water resources in the state.
4. Preservation of forests.
5. Keep rivers pollution free. This should be the main agendas of uttranchal for future status in water austerities world.
Uttranchal needs only stick to its rich environmental heritage and try to make all around development keeping coordination with nature, not running after urban centric & blind folded industrialization. The nature has created this holly land to serve special role in future polluted situations.
Ms.Prabha
Senior correspondent
abcnewsnetwork.com
e-mail:prabhaabcnews@yahoo.co.in |
