Uttarakhand State Of India Research Articles

Physics-based modeling of debris flows and assessing the performance of effective mitigation measures

BackgroundClimate change-induced geohazards are increasingly posing a critical threat to the sustained functionality and resilience of constructed infrastructures. Among these hazards, debris flows represent significant natural disasters, particularly in mountainous terrains, causing widespread property damage and loss of life globally. These phenomena involve complex interactions between solid and fluid forces, resulting in long run-out distances and high-speed flows. Predicting and monitoring debris flows is challenging due to the intricate interplay of these forces.ObjectiveThe objective of this study is to evaluate the structural damage caused by debris flows and assess the efficacy of rigid barrier structures with passages/apertures.MethodEmploying Smoothed Particle Hydrodynamics, a Lagrange-based mesh-free computational technique, the researchers simulated the impact of debris on a stiff structure. The focus was on the Rishiganga river valley in the Indian state of Uttarakhand, a region recently devastated by a debris flow that severely compromised essential infrastructure, including a hydroelectric power station. The research entailed modeling the debris flow in this specific locale and analyzing its effects on an assumed downstream rigid structure. Additionally, the study explored the outcomes of introducing a rigid barrier upstream.Results and ConclusionResults indicated a substantial reduction in the impact on the downstream structure with the presence of an upstream rigid structure. Moreover, as the number of apertures in the upstream barrier was increased, the impact of flow on the downstream structure further diminished, because of a more streamlined flow pattern.

Assessing the Impact of Anthropogenic and Climate Change on Spider Diversity in Garhwal Himalaya

The state of Uttarakhand in India was created in the year 2000 with Dehradun as its capital, prompting increased human activity in the Doon Valley and dramatic shifts in land use patterns. Spiders are good indicator species for habitat quality and they can offer insights into disturbances in habitat either due to anthropogenic activities or climate change phenomenon. To assess the impact of anthropogenic activity in the Doon Valley, we conducted a long-term study, comparing it with Uttarkashi District. The study revealed 31 species and 28 genera of spiders across 13 families in the Doon Valley, while Uttarkashi District exhibited 37 species and 31 genera across 17 families, including the rare Asian Tarantulas (Haplocosmia himalayana, Pocock, 1899), a member of the Theraphosidae family. Pholcidae and Salticidae were consistently found in both regions, with Araneidae predominating. Changes in species distribution, influenced by anthropogenic activities and climate variations, indicate ongoing ecosystem shifts.

Privacy, Decisional Autonomy, and the Right to Intimate Association—Insights on the Cost of Being in Live-In Relationships in India Under New Legislation

ABSTRACT The trend of states actively policing intimate arrangements does not remain unseen in the context of illiberal democracies. The prioritization of societal morality has continuously been a consideration within the conservative fold, whether it is in the denial of marriage rights to same-sex couples or active state intrusion into the intimacies of interpersonal relationships. The passage of the Uniform Civil Code (“UCC”) Bill in the State of Uttarakhand in India forms a segment of this concerning trend. Being a part of the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party’s (“BJP”) lofty aspirations, the UCC brings about a peculiar requirement. Couples in live-in relationships are now required to undergo a ‘mandatory’ registration procedure. As the implementation of a nationwide UCC becomes more imminent, the mandatory registration of live-in relationships raises important constitutional questions regarding the extent of state interference in private decision-making. Indian jurisprudence around the concept of ‘decisional autonomy’ peaked in Justice K.S. Puttaswamy v. Union of India. (“Puttaswamy”) But in the backdrop of the newly reconceptualized ‘Right to Intimate Association’ in Supriyo@Supriya Chakraborty v. Union of India (“Supriyo”), the Registration of live-in relationships is yet another peculiar constitutional conundrum to be explored.

‘All cases are false’: law, gendered violence, and the politics of thickening in Himalayan India

AbstractThis article focuses on Indian women's experiences of filing complaints of gendered violence in order to address two interconnected questions: how are complaints of gendered and sexual violence authenticated as genuine or rejected as dubious before they even reach a courtroom? And how do women who bring these complaints before the law navigate a social field in which what counts as the ‘truth’ might conflict with their own understandings and experiences? Drawing on ethnographic fieldwork in the Central Himalayan state of Uttarakhand in India, this article explores how family, community, and local state officials engaged in a kind of thick description that contextualized women's complaints within rural social relations and political economy. It shows how this politics of thickening often displaced women's individual experiences of violence and served to falsify their complaints. This everyday thickening bears a troubling similarity to the theory and methods of feminist activists and anthropologists, necessitating reflection on how to write ethically about gendered violence without replicating violence. Finally, this article turns attention to how some women decided to take on this politics of thickening through canny adoption of its methods and premises, eventually stretching the limits of the law and unintentionally expanding its scope.

Two new Kongsbergia species from the Western Himalaya with a key to the species of the genus from India (Acari: Hydrachnidia, Aturidae)

In this paper, two species of the water mite genus Kongsbergia Thor, 1899 (Aturidae), i.e., K. uttarakhandensis Pešić & Smit n. sp. and K. tuzovskiji Pešić & Smit n. sp. are described from streams in Uttarakhand State of India. The latter species was named after late Dr Petr Tuzovskij for his outstanding contribution to the research of water mites.

Pine needle gasification-based electricity production: Understanding the effect of supply chain.

Pine needles (pine tree leaves), found abundantly across continents such as North America, Asia, Europe, South America, Africa, and parts of the Southern Hemisphere, are a significant global concern due to their high susceptibility to catching fire, especially in dry and hot climates. The same issue persists in the Uttarakhand state of India, which boasts ample pine forests, yielding a substantial 1.67 × 109kg of pine needles annually. In the present study, the annual potential emissions from forest fires in Uttarakhand were estimated to be 58.37 × 109kg of CO2 equivalent. Therefore, the present research aims to unlock pine needles' potential via gasification for green electricity and biochar production, offering an alternative to coal-based plants while reducing forest fire frequencies. Nevertheless, obstacles hindering pine needle gasification include an unsteady supply chain, limited collection windows (100days), and plant expenses, including transportation and operational costs. The primary focus of the research is to design and assess the performance of a gasification-based supply chain for pine needles in the Almora District of Uttarakhand. Ten plant capacity scenarios were considered, ranging from 25 to 250kW. The study incorporated critical factors, encompassing diverse losses within the supply chain, selecting potential plant sites, minimizing transportation distance, and evaluating the supply chain's economic and environmental performance. The economic analysis revealed that the 250-kW plant scenario exhibited a minimum discounted payback period (DPP) of 3.93years, alongside an internal rate of return (IRR) of 19% and a net present value (NPV) of 653.32 million INR without government subsidies. With subsidies included, the DPP decreased to 1.30years, improving the IRR to 69% with an NPV of 916.17 million INR. The emission analysis indicated that gasification plant capacity scenarios could potentially reduce 44.63 × 106 to 46.16 × 106kg of CO2 equivalent emissions annually compared to grid electricity while meeting nearly 5.5% of the electricity demand of Almora district. The present study aligns with SDG-7 (Affordable and Clean Energy), SDG-13 (Climate Action), SDG-9 (Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure), SDG-11 (Sustainable Cities and Communities), SDG-3 (Good Health and Well-being), and SDG-15 (Life on Land).

New records of water mites from Uttarkhand, India, with description of two new species (Acari: Hydrachnidia, Torrenticolidae)</p >

New material of water mites (Acari: Hydrachnidia) from the Uttarakhand State of India is reported. Ten species are identified, among which Sperchon (Hispidosperchon) rostratus Lundblad, 1969 is reported for the first time for India and two species, i.e. Monatractides smiti (Torrenticolidae) and Atractides uttarakhandensis (Hygrobatidae) are described as new to science. One sample collected in standing water in Uttar Pradesh State revealed the presence of three Arrenurus species, of which A. (Truncaturus) indicus Smit & Pešić, 2008 was reported for the first time after the original description.

Solidago virgaurea L.: Chemical composition, antibacterial, and antileishmanial activity of essential oil from aerial part

Solidago virgaurea L. popularly called Goldenrod is a member of the Asteraceae family. S. virgaurea sample were obtained from Binsar, Almora (Indian state of Uttarakhand). The essential oil from the aerial part was distilled out using steam distillation, and GC and GC-MS were employed for analysis. A total of 27 constituents from aerial part were identified constituting 92.92% of total oil composition. The aerial parts of S. virgaurea were found to contain limonene (25.57%), α-humulene (12.19%), linalool oxide (8.65%), benzyl salicylate (6.40%), 1,4-cineole (6.22%) and humulene epoxide (II) (5.93%). The antibacterial activity of this essential oil was studied using disk diffusion and broth microdilution methods on five human pathogen bacteria and six plant pathogenic bacteria. There was moderate to good antibacterial activity in the oil sample extracted from the entire aerial portion of the plant. We did the antileishmanial activity of essential oils with Leishmania donovani (Dd8) promastigotes and intracellular amastigotes. EO was safer on the J774.A1 macrophages and lethal to promastigotes and intracellular amastigotes at different concentrations (10, 50, and 100 μg/ mL). These findings support the traditional uses of S. virgaurea and suggest its potential as a natural remedy for bacterial infections and leishmaniasis.

An audit of patient radiation doses during interventional cardiology procedures in Uttarakhand, India, and establishment of local diagnostic reference levels.

The objective of this study was to investigate patient radiation doses by a dose audit of three common interventional cardiology (IC) procedures: coronary angiography (CA), percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty (PTCA) and CA-PTCA procedures performed in IC centres in the Uttarakhand state of India, for the establishment of local diagnostic reference levels (DRLs) and the estimation of average effective dose (Eav) for these procedures. For each procedure, the values of kerma-area product (PKA), reference air kerma (Ka,r), fluoroscopy time (FT) and the number of cine images were recorded from 1233 CA, 458 PTCA and 736 CA-PTCA procedures performed over a 12-month period at 13 IC centres of the state. From the recorded dose data, 0.6%, 1.53% and 7.9% patients were identified to have exceeded the PKA trigger level of 500 Gy cm2 for possible skin injury for CA, PTCA and CA-PTCA procedures, respectively. The 3rd quartile of the distribution of the recorded PKA values for each type of procedure was calculated to estimate local DRL values. The estimated values of DRLs and Eav were 37, 153 and 224 Gy cm2, and 6.72, 23.97 and 34.79 mSv for CA, PTCA and CA-PTCA procedures, respectively. For about 77% of the surveyed centres, the recorded patient doses were in agreement with the international standards. The local DRLs proposed in this study may be used to achieve patient dose optimization during IC procedures and the obtained patient dose data may also be archived into national dose database for the establishment of national DRLs.

Human-wildlife conflicts (sudden increase in tiger attacks on humans) in adjacent areas of Corbett National Park Ramnagar Uttarakhand, India (from November 2023 to January 2024)

Human-wildlife conflicts become a common problem in Ramnagar tehsil of district Nainital in Uttarakhand state in India. The incidence of tiger attacks has suddenly increased in the villages adjoining Corbett Park, Ramnagar Forest Division and Tarai-West Forest Division during three months of winter (from November 2023 to January 2024). Tiger hunger, unavailability of adequate food (Cheetal/Sambar, etc.), man-eaters tigers, increasing population density of tigers, old age tigers with worn and broken claws, disturbance of their alertness and breeding (by noise of safari, bike and public vehicle), large herds of Cheetal in villages near the forest, foreign tiger in this area, need for tiger territory in buffer area (shrinking territory) etc. are main reasons for tiger attacks in these incidences. Both humans and tigers are affected by these conflicts. After these incidents, the Forest department cut small trees and bushes on both sides of the road from the buffer area (about 20-30 feet) and the road has become clear. With this, the tiger will not be able to hide in the bushes on the roadside and sit in ambush, and tiger attacks will be reduced.

Impacts of urbanization on land use, air quality, and temperature dynamics in Dehradun district of Uttarakhand, India: a comprehensive analysis

The present study investigates the impact of urbanization on land surface temperature and air quality in Dehradun district of the Uttarakhand state in India. We utilized data from LANDSAT, TROPOMI, OMI, MODIS, MOPITT, and CHIRPS, for spatio-temporal and trend analyses along with the assessment of correlation matrix. Our findings revealed a significant increase in the built-up area of Dehradun district in 2023 as compared to 2003. This expansion was particularly prominent in the southern and south-eastern regions of the district. The findings highlight the impact of rapid urban expansion on land use and land cover, leading to a rise in land surface temperature (LST) and the formation of surface urban heat islands (SUHI). Notably, the study reveals distinct spatial and temporal patterns, with lower regions of Dehradun district experiencing higher temperatures and pollutant concentrations due to intensified urbanization. Dehradun city also emerged as a hotspot for nitrogen dioxide within the district. Long-term trends indicate a rise in formaldehyde and nitrogen dioxide, attributed to both urbanization and increasing temperatures, while carbon monoxide levels decrease due to reduced biomass burning and the adoption of cleaner household fuels. Correlation matrix analysis underscores the complex relationships between land use, temperature, and pollutants, with built-up areas exhibiting strong positive correlations with all pollutants. This comprehensive study highlights the importance of sustainable urban planning and management to mitigate the adverse effects of rapid urbanization on air quality and overall environmental health in the Dehradun district.

Pediatric Facial Fracture in Garhwal Himalayan Region of Uttarakhand State: A Retrospective Study

ABSTRACT Background: Pediatric facial fractures are fairly uncommon injuries and comprise less than 15% of all facial fractures in the literature. Objectives: To analyze the pattern of pediatric facial fractures and compare the results with similar studies performed in India and the rest of the world Materials and Methods: A total of 231 patients were admitted for the treatment of maxillofacial fractures. Data on etiology, anatomical location, mode of treatment, duration of stay, and X-ray advice were recorded. Results: Pediatric trauma comprised 27% of the total population. The most common cause of injury was road traffic accident (RTA), that is, 28 (43.8%) patients Conclusion: The incidence of pediatric facial trauma is high in the hilly Garhwal–Himalayan region of Uttarakhand state in India as compared to other states of India.

Optimal sizing of an integrated renewable energy system and effective utilization of surplus energy in electric vehicle charging

Renewable energy based power generation has proven to be a viable standalone option in areas where extending the grid is challenging. This study addresses this issue by assessing the possibility of an integrated renewable energy system (IRES) to electrify twelve villages in the Uttarakhand state of India. Four battery energy storage (BES) devices, namely Lead-Acid (LA), Sodium-Sulfur (NAS), Lithium-Ion (Li-Ion), and Nickel-Iron (Ni-Fe) are considered for storage in this study. Using the Chimp optimization algorithm (ChOA) on the MATLAB© platform, eight different configurations consisting of solar photovoltaic (SPV) array, a micro-hydropower (MHP) plant, and a biogas generator (BGG) are modeled and optimized. The study reveals that the optimal IRES configuration with the lowest cost and highest performance comprises 676 SPV panels (260 kWp), one MHP plant (25 kW), one BGG (40 kW), and 648 NAS batteries (778 kWh). This configuration has a total system life cycle cost (LCC) of INR 68.77 million and cost of energy (COE) of 16.77 INR/kWh at 0 % loss of power supply probability. The optimization problem was run 1–50 times and found that the proposed ChOA algorithm is more robust compared to others, displaying the lowest Best, Worst, and Mean values of LCC (across all eight configurations), convergence rapidity (26th iteration), and least computational time (3481 sec). However, GWO (seven configurations), MFO (34th iteration), and GA (4154 sec) stand very close to ChOA performance in terms of providing minimum LCCs, convergence rapidity, and computational time, respectively. Furthermore, surplus energy (SE) is effectively utilized by incorporating electric vehicles (EVs) as dump load in the system. The proposed integrated charging (IC) strategy outperforms other charging strategies by energizing 134 EVs, utilizing 99.59 % of SE, and reducing the total COE to 10.57 INR/kWh. Finally, the proposed IC strategy results in a net saving of 94,479.39 tons of greenhouse gas emissions. These findings support the feasibility of implementing a standalone IRES to electrify the study area and provide electricity to EVs.

Influence of Vermicompost, Neem Cake and Biofertilizers on Growth, Yield and Economics of Green Gram (Vigna radiata L.)

The findings of the present investigation titled, Influence of vermicompost, neem cake and biofertilizers on growth, yield and economics of Green gram (Vigna radiata L.), carried out during the kharif season of 2023 at the Baba Farid Institute of Technology's Crop Research Farm in Dehradun. It is situated between latitude 30.3436 and longitude 77.9367. The Shivalik hills and the lower Himalayas in the Indian states of Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh, and Haryana are home to the extraordinarily wide and lengthy valley known as the doon valley. The investigation was conducted in Randomized Block Design consisting of 10 treatment combinations with 3 replications and was laid out with the different treatments allocated randomly in each replication. Application of vermicompost (1.25t/ha) + neem cake (0.625 t/ha) + rhizobium (10 g/kg seed) + PSB (10 g/kg seed), recorded maximum plant height (45.44 cm), Number of branches per plant (6.08), number of nodules/plant (11.05), dry weight (g/plant) (6.57), no. of pods/plant (28.38), seeds per pod (10.13), test weight(g) (38.14), grain yield (1094.06 kg/ha), stover yield (1523.95 kg/ha) and biological yield (2618.01 kg/ha). Where the maximum gross return (101249.80 INR/ha), net return (76043.75 INR/ha) and B:C ratio (3.02) were also recorded with application of vermicompost (1.25 t/ha) + neem cake (0.625 t/ha) + rhizobium (10 g/kg seed) + PSB (10 g/kg seed).

Economic Empowerment of Women Through MGNREGA

In the area of economic empowerment, there is no doubt that MGNREGA has made dramatic changes in the economic status of women in the village. It has provided employment to women in more than half the households in the village at a wage rate that is much higher than the prevailing wage rate in the local economy. About 64 percent of MGNREGA workers were full time housewives before MGNREGA came into force, and the remaining women were employed in scattered casual work in agriculture (mainly weeding, transplanting and harvesting paddy) and in other manual work. MGNREGA has taken village women to a much higher level in terms of employment and wages. In this article I have study the Economic Empowerment of women through MGNREGA in Uttarakhand State of India.

FOREST FIRE RISK MAPPING FOR THE HIMALAYAN STATE UTTARAKHAND USING GOOGLE EARTH ENGINE

Abstract. Climate change has exacerbated the intensity as well as frequency of forest fire events in the Indian state of Uttarakhand. The present study focusses on undertaking forest fire risk mapping across the state by utilizing geospatial technology along with Google Earth Engine. Ten parameters were identified that have a strong influence in determining fire prone areas. The Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) was then implemented for the development of the risk map in which criteria weights were assigned to the parameters based on their ability to influence a forest fire event. The analysis revealed that out of the total forest area, 24.22% is under ‘very high’ risk zone, 29.24% is under ‘high’ risk zone, 18.23% is under ‘moderate’ risk zone, 7.69% is under ‘low’ risk zone and 20.62% is under ‘very low’ risk zone of forest fire. Further study was carried out to determine fire risk levels in populated regions and in some of the most critical nature reserves having high ecological importance which reveals that ‘very high’ and ‘high’ risk zones have greater population density indicating the influence of anthropogenic activities on forest fire occurrence. The results additionally indicate that four national parks and wildlife sanctuaries are particularly vulnerable to forest fires at present which is a source of concern and requires intervention from the stakeholders.

Effect of water retting on the physical and mechanical properties of extracted pine needle fibers

Due to the negative impact of synthetic fibers on the environment, natural fibers are being increasingly used in composite preparation. The hilly area of Uttarakhand state in India has an abundance of pine needle fibers (PNFs). This study focuses on extracting the PNFs using water retting, varying the retting duration (2 weeks, 4 weeks and 6 weeks) and measuring its physical and mechanical properties. After 4-weeks of retting, the extracted PNFs exhibited the lowest moisture content, resulting in improved hydrophobicity and rendering them suitable for reinforcement in composites. The tensile strength and Young’s modulus of the 4-weeks retting PNFs were 52.89 ± 12.77 MPa and 1.48 ± 0.39 GPa, respectively. Mechanical characteristics of extracted fibers have been assessed using Weibull’s statistical method in terms of tensile strength and Young’s modulus. Based on the findings, PNFs are predicted to serve as a reinforcement in environmentally friendly composites.

Microplastics in the River Ganga and its fishes: Study of a Himalayan River

The River Ganga has been explored for microplastics (MPs) majorly in the lower or middle course, while the upper course from where the river starts its journey remains untouched. This study investigates the occurrence and distribution of MPs in the river environment (water and sediment) and common fishes inhabiting the upper stretch of River Ganga in the Uttarakhand state of India. A volume-reduce method by using sieve filtration was used to take water and sediment samples from the study area while fish samples were collected using net method. The samples underwent alkali digestion, microscopic examination, and chemical analysis using Fourier Transformed Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR). An average of 118.5 ± 49.65 particles per 1000 L and 131.5 ± 53.60 particles/kg dry weight were found in water and sediment respectively. While in the fishes, Tor tor, Schizothorax richardsonii, Labeo dero and Gara gotyla gotyla MPs were 53.13 ± 63.77, 36.33 ± 22.34, 15.42 ± 9.33 and 12.63 ± 5.93 particles/individual respectively. A positive correlation was observed between the number of MPs in fish and their body length, weight, and gut weight, while no correlation was found between feeding habit and MP accumulation. The majority of MPs detected were fibers ranging from 100 μm to 1 mm in size. Polymer types varied among water, sediment, and fish samples, with polyethylene (PE) predominant in water, polypropylene (PP) dominant in sediment, and polyethylene terephthalate (PET) and polystyrene (PS) most abundant in fish samples.

Spatio-temporal changes in the Rishikesh agglomeration, Uttarakhand, India

Rishikesh is one of the fastest growing urban agglomerations in Uttarakhand state of India. Being a religious and historical city, it attracts millions of tourists across the globe, hence a huge pressure is created over the limited land space. To tackle the pressure of tourists and satisfying the increasing demand of the space resulted into the expansion of urban area of Rishikesh. The study deals with the spatio-temporal changes occurred in the city of Rishikesh. The urban land use and land cover changes are analysed with the help of geographic information system. The analysis of satellite data (Landsat series MSS, TM, ETM + and OLI science 1972-2020) reflects that the settlement growth was quite unplanned. The haphazard growth of city resulted into the reduction of agriculture land. Various hotspots of settlement growth were noticed in study region. The town has limitation to growth because the town is enclosed by forests and holy river Ganga. There is urgent need to check city’s carrying capacity, high concentration of settlements and to maintain the concept of sustainable development.

Wigandia urens (Ruiz & Pav.) Kunth: a new emergent invasive alien species in the Western Himalaya

ABSTRACT In the current communication, we assessed the current spread and invasion pattern of a new invasive alien plant Wigandia urens along National Highway 58 in the Indian state of Uttarakhand. The population status of this species was assessed using systematic vegetation sampling. Ecological niche modelling was performed using maxent to predict the future spread. The study revealed that W. urens is rapidly invading along the road on rocky eroded slopes. The actual distribution of this species is 30 km. Spatial analysis revealed that a 202 km2 area along river valleys is vulnerable in the near future. It is submitted that the low-lying areas along river catchments between 300 and 1000 m elevations might be the potential niche. Therefore, mechanical removal by uprooting the whole plant at regular intervals and monitoring of invaded sites would be the practical solution.