India, China and Nepal have come together to jointly study the climatic conditions and to find ways for biodiversity conservation of the Kailash landscape in the Great Himalayas, exploring livelihood options for Himalayan folks, with Uttarakhand playing a leading role in it.
Interestingly, five Uttarakhand-based institutes led by the GB Pant Institute of Himalayan Environment and Development (GBPIHED), Almora; the Uttarakhand forest department, the Wildlife Institute of India, Dehradun; the Centre for Himalayan Environment Association (CHEA), Nainital and the Uttarakhand biodiversity department, Dehradun are representing India in this project.
Accordingly five teams have been constituted with representatives from all the five departments to study different aspects related to bio-diversity conservation, eco-system and Himalayan environment with special focus on exploring livelihood options in the Himalayan region, said RS Rawal, senior scientist of the GBPIHED, Almora, while talking to The Pioneer, in an exclusive interview. Rawal is part of the said study project.
Similarly, the other two nations have also deployed their teams to study all these environmental aspects in their respective areas. More importantly, all the teams have started work on this study projects in their respective areas, added Rawal.
Under this tri-nation environment study project, we are conducting the study in Indian side from Sheraghat to Jhulaghat (Nepal border) in Pithoragarh in horizontal gradient, while in vertical gradient our team of experts would conduct study of different environmental aspects from Pancheshwar in Champawat to Darma valley in upper Himalayan region in Pithoragarh.
The International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD), a Nepal-based inter-governmental organisations of many countries is funding this project, he informed.
The study project expected to continue its research works in the Greater Himalayas/Kailash landscape for about five years.