Uttarakhand State Research Articles

An Investigation of Cloudburst-triggered Landslides and Flash Floods in Arakot Region of Uttarkashi District, Uttarakhand

Abstract A cloudburst event occurred at around 04:00hrs (IST), on 18, August 2019, elicited landslides and flash floods, at Tikochi and Makudi village under the Arakot region of Uttarkashi District, Uttarakhand, India. This heavy rain has caused a massive flash flood in Arakot Nala and induced a major landslide downstream. This flash flood has caused the death of 19 people, 8 were missings, and 15 were injured, affecting 38 villages (70 km2 area) and stranding more than 400 people at various places. These flash floods have caused irreparable damage to the livestock, infrastructures, environment, and properties in the Uttarakhand and Himachal states and estimated economic losses of about Rs ~175 crores. During the same period, heavy rainfall also made havoc across north India. Meanwhile, the rescue and evacuation process in the region has been carried out by the Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP), National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), and State Disaster Response Force (SDRF). However, it will take a lot of time to bring the situation in the region to normalcy. The study has suggested that pragmatic check dam policy and logical shifting of the people should be exercised in a safe and stable area before the onset of the monsoon season in the hazard-prone areas. An early warning system (EWS), installation of Doppler radar, and lightning sensors, which would be helpful for policymakers, planners, practitioners, and technologists will aid to minimize the disaster risk and sustainable development within the region. Although an EWS alone can not stop a similar type of disaster but would be very helpful in minimizing the loss of human lives, livestock, biodiversity, infrastructure (civilian and strategic), and land holding in the hilly region.

Threats assessment of vultures in Uttarakhand: A review note

Etymologically derived from Anglo-French vultur, Old French voutoir, voutre from Latin vultur, earlier voltur, and perhaps related to vellere- "to pluck, to tear"-the generic name ‘vulture’ does little justice to the immense ecological role that vultures play in maintaining the life support system of mother Earth. Given the wide range of topo-geographical features present in the State of Uttarakhand, all the 9 species of vultures of the Indian sub-continent are found here. However, the rapid and alarming decline in vulture population is a matter of great concern for all concerned. And therefore, there is an urgent need to identify the causes of decline and other threats that plague the vulture population in the country, especially in the State of Uttarakhand.

Modeling Permafrost Distribution Using Geoinformatics in the Alaknanda Valley, Uttarakhand, India

The Indian Himalayan region is experiencing frequent hazards and disasters related to permafrost. However, research on permafrost in this region has received very little or no attention. Therefore, it is important to have knowledge about the spatial distribution and state of permafrost in the Indian Himalayas. Modern remote sensing techniques, with the help of a geographic information system (GIS), can assess permafrost at high altitudes, largely over inaccessible mountainous terrains in the Himalayas. To assess the spatial distribution of permafrost in the Alaknanda Valley of the Chamoli district of Uttarakhand state, 198 rock glaciers were mapped (183 active and 15 relict) using high-resolution satellite data available in the Google Earth database. A logistic regression model (LRM) was used to identify a relationship between the presence of permafrost at the rock glacier sites and the predictor variables, i.e., the mean annual air temperature (MAAT), the potential incoming solar radiation (PISR) during the snow-free months, and the aspect near the margins of rock glaciers. Two other LRMs were also developed using moderate-resolution imaging spectroradiometer (MODIS)-derived land surface temperature (LST) and snow cover products. The MAAT-based model produced the best results, with a classification accuracy of 92.4%, followed by the snow-cover-based model (91.9%), with the LST-based model being the least accurate (82.4%). All three models were developed to compare their accuracy in predicting permafrost distribution. The results from the MAAT-based model were validated with the global permafrost zonation index (PZI) map, which showed no significant differences. However, the predicted model exhibited an underestimation of the area underlain by permafrost in the region compared to the PZI. Identifying the spatial distribution of permafrost will help us to better understand the impact of climate change on permafrost and its related hazards and provide necessary information to decision makers to mitigate permafrost-related disasters in the high mountain regions.

Assessing the impacts of industrial wastewater on the inland surface water quality: An application of analytic hierarchy process (AHP) model-based water quality index and GIS techniques

The main objective of the present work is to provide a clear insight into receiving inland surface water quality in Kashipur city of Uttarakhand state, India, due to the impact of industrial discharges using a novel Water Quality Index method based on the Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) approach. Surface water samples were collected monthly from 12 locations between September 2020 and March 2021. The locations were chosen based on their potential to acquire the most contaminants from surrounding industries and analyzed for their physicochemical characteristics. Geostatistical analysis results represented the spatial variation of the parameter concentrations in the study area. Statistical analyses were performed using Principal Component Analysis and Hierarchical Cluster Analysis. PCA results revealed that two factor loadings impact the surface water chemistry in the study region, where factor 1 represents 50.051% of the variance with six dominant water parameters, and factor 2 represents 33.222% of the total variance. HCA classified the sampling locations randomly into two major clusters. Analytic Hierarchy Process results in establishing the weights of the parameters revealed that dissolved oxygen, biochemical oxygen demand, chemical oxygen demand, and total dissolved solids were the dominant parameters for assessing water quality with a consistency ratio of 0.097. The WQI results showed that 8% of the water samples depict “very poor” inland surface water quality. The anthropogenic sources might be the reason for such poor water quality. This model can be effectively applied at any location and with as many parameters as required to assess surface water quality.

BRYOCRUMIA VIVICOLOR, A RHEOPHYTIC, HYPNACEOUS MOSS, NEW TO THE WESTERN HIMALAYAS, INDIA

The Indian Himalayan sector is well known to support the diversified bryophyte species and communities due to varied phytoclimatical conditions met within different dissected topographical zones. Many potential wilderness areas are still waiting to be explored in terms of their exuberant bryodiversity. During a bryoexploratory survey of an unexplored high-altitude area in the Garhwal Himalayan region, we came across an interesting rheophytic moss Bryocrumia L. E. Anderson. The genus Bryocrumia is represented in India by two species, viz. B. vivicolor (Broth. et Dixon) W. R. Buck and B. malabarica Manju, Prajitha, Prakashkumar et W. Z. Ma. Both of these pleurocarpous species are known to be confined in the southern part of the country. From the Indian Himalayan sector, this moss genus has never been documented earlier. Recently, B. vivicolor has been reported for the first time from the Tungnath area (2,100–3,000 m above sea level) in the Garhwal region of Uttarakhand state as a new addition to the Western Himalayan moss flora, indicating its new distributional range. This hypnaceous moss was found colonising the slopy, wet, submerged rock surfaces along small streams and seepages in mixed oak forests on way to Tungnath. The key characteristics include its rheophilic habit, stem lacking central strand, variable leaf forms, indistinct double costa and round to obtuse leaf apex with prorate tip cells. The present paper provides taxonomic details of this rare moss, representing its wide geographical distribution in India.

Traditional food knowledge of local people and its sustainability in mountains of Uttarakhand State of India.

With homogenisation of various cultural groups due to outside forces and the effect of globalisation, many traditional foods, as developed by various cultural groups, have been lost or on the verge of elimination. In this context, the present study aims to examine and document the traditional food knowledge of local people in Uttarakhand State of India. Interviews and interactions with the local people resulted in documentation of 38 cuisines traditionally prepared by the local people of selected study regions in Uttarakhand. Apart from boiled rice and chapattis (flatbread) of wheat flour, chapattis and porridge of finger millet flour and boiled barnyard and foxtail millets were frequently consumed dishes in combination with dishes made with locally grown pulses such as horse gram and black gram and vegetables such as potato, radish and other leafy vegetables. The supplementary dishes were locally called as fanu, chaisu, gathoni, thechwani, kafli and kadhi. Plants formed the major ingredients in making traditional cuisines. The present study documented 41 plant species comprising of cereals, millets, pulses and spices. With a view to enhance the taste of the dishes, different spices and condiments such as Allium humile, Allium wallichii, Cleome viscosa, Cannabis sativa, Perilla frutescens and Cinnamomum tamala were used by the local people. These dishes possessed some unique characteristics and ethno-medicinal values; hence, when required, they were used to cure a number of ailments as well. Since most of the mountain region in the study area was once inaccessible and health facilities were not much developed till recent times, the traditional health-care system was supported by the traditional food systems. The findings of the present study are further discussed in the context of sustainability of socio-ecological systems of Uttarakhand.

A district-level vulnerability assessment of next COVID-19 variant (Omicron BA.2) in Uttarakhand using quantitative SWOT analysis.

COVID-19 has had an impact on the entire humankind and has been proved to spread in deadly waves. As a result, preparedness and planning are required to better deal with the epidemic's upcoming waves. Effective planning, on the other hand, necessitates detailed vulnerability assessments at all levels, from the national to the state or regional. There are several issues at the regional level, and each region has its own features. As a result, each region needs its own COVID-19 vulnerability assessment. In terms of climate, terrain and demographics, the state of Uttarakhand differs significantly from the rest of India. As a result, a vulnerability assessment of the next COVID-19 variation (Omicron BA.2) is required for district-level planning to meet regional concerns. A total of 17 variables were chosen for this study, including demographic, socio-economic, infrastructure, epidemiological and tourism-related factors. AHP was used to compute their weights. After applying min-max normalisation to the data, a district-level quantitative SWOT is created to compare the performance of 13 Uttarakhand districts. A COVID-19 vulnerability index (normalised R i ) ranging between 0 and 1 was produced, and district-level vulnerabilities were mapped. Quantitative SWOT results depict that Dehradun is a best performing district followed by Haridwar, while Bageshwar, Rudra Prayag, Champawat and Pithoragarh are on the weaker side and the normalised Ri proves Dehradun, Nainital, Champawat, Bageshwar and Chamoli to be least vulnerable to COVID-19 (normalised R i ≤ 0.25) and Pithoragarh to be the most vulnerable district (normalised R i > 0.90). Pauri Garwal and Uttarkashi are moderately vulnerable (normalised R i 0.50 to 0.75).

Molecular detection of Coxiella-like endosymbionts in Rhipicephalus microplus from north India.

Apart from the tick-borne pathogens affecting human and animal health, ticks also harbor various non-pathogenic endosymbionts with dynamic ecological interactions. These endosymbionts are unexplored from the Indian ticks; hence this pilot study was conducted. Seventy-nine ticks were collected from Nainital district of Uttarakhand state of north India and were identified as Rhipicephalus microplus morphologically and by molecular analysis. PCR and sequence analysis were carried out to detect the presence of Rickettsia-like, Coxiella-like and Francisella-like endosymbionts in these ticks. Based on the partial 16S rRNA gene sequence, Coxiella-like endosymbiont (CLE) was detected in the adult and other life-cycle stages of ticks with 96.6-97.7% nucleotide sequence identity with the published CLE sequences from GenBank. The phylogenetic analysis revealed that the CLE from R. microplus were clustered with the CLE from other Rhipicephalus species. All these CLE formed distinct clades from the pathogenic Coxiella burnetii. None of the tick samples was found positive for Rickettsia-like and Francisella-like endosymbionts in the present study. We also demonstrated the vertical transmission of CLE from surface sterilized and laboratory reared fully engorged adult females to the eggs and the larvae. However, large scale studies are to be conducted to detect various endosymbionts and endosymbiont-tick associations in the Indian tick species and to explore these associations for tick and tick-borne disease control.

Estimation of Fatigue and Rutting Life Using Falling Weight Deflectometer of Flexible Pavement Road in Hilly Terrain

Abstract: Establishing the qualities of the pavement material and its structural capability is the most important step in establishing effective pavement maintenance and management techniques. This can be done by looking at how the pavement reacts to the applied load. The Falling Weight Deflectometer (FWD) is used in this study to assess the performance of a road stretch of the Federal Route in the State of Uttarakhand by measuring deflection in response to the weight applied at various sites along the highway. FWD is used to assess the pavement's response to a static load. Using the obtained deflection data, the KGPBACK is used to back-calculate the simulated layers of the pavement. Data is gathered then integrated into the IITPAVE software to create a pavement overlaying design. Flexible pavement is modelled as an elastic multilayer structure to see how bituminous overlay maintenance affected the distress models, and all 4 distress (cracking, rutting, rut depth, and roughness) are shown to be reduced. As a result, the research article provides a methodology that administrators can use to anticipate when and how much financing is needed to preserve and maintain the Indian Highway Road network.

Folklore for Religious usage of Plants in Kumaon Region of Himalaya

In Himalayan region of Uttarakhand State of India, there is a diverse variety of medicinal plant which are frequently used by local people on different ceremonial practices. They commonly use the name of these plants in folklore. The religious activities and rituals in Kumaon region served as a living museum of cultural practices, leading to the conservation of traditional knowledge and the conservation of plants of Kumaon region. These rituals are woven in the lives of people traditionally from generation to generation. The present study aimed to explore the information about the use of various plant parts in the traditional folklore. A total of eight folklore based on six religious plants were selected from documented 104 plants during the field survey i.e. Pati (Hay fever weed), Ganna (Sugarcane), Gehun (Wheat), Doob, Supari and Flowers. These plants are traditionally well used in the rituals and Havan in Kumaon region. During the study, it was also observed that in the last three decades some changes have come in the method of usage of important religious plants in the performance of various rituals and ceremonies of the region.

Mathematical modelling for the phosphate and nitrate carrying capacity of dams in Uttarakhand

The Himalayan State of Uttarakhand has abundant natural water resources and 98 Hydro Electric Power Project (HEP’s) have been constructed, 25 are under construction and, 336 are planned for the future. The water bodies of these HEP’s can also be utilized for other purposes besides electric power generation. To conserve the endemic aquatic biodiversity, it is necessary to understand the phosphate and nitrate dynamics of these water bodies. As there are several HEP’s on a single river and the human population around them, water bodies have changed drastically during the last decade. In this study, we have calculated the phosphate and nitrate load-carrying capacity of six dams in the Uttarakhand state of India using the Vollen-Weider mathematical model modified by Dillon, Rigler and Beveridge. We have also measured the phosphate & nitrate content of these water bodies to confirm if our modelling methods confirmed with actual finding of sampling sites. The phosphate and nitrate carrying capacity of these six dams were found to be in the range of 0.155 mg/l to 0.557 mg/l and 0.6 mg/l to 1.3 mg/l. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study in Uttarakhand that addresses the phosphate and nitrate carrying capacity using a mathematical model.

Cultivation, Collection and Conservation of Kutki (Picrorhiza Kurroa Royle Ex Benth.)

A number of rare, endangered, and threatened species of medicinal plants, including Picrorhiza kurroa, may be found in the state of Uttarakhand, which is situated in the foothills of the Himalaya. Picrorhiza kurrooa's dried roots and stolons were used to make the picrosides I, II, III, V, and Kutkoside are responsible for its significant medicinal benefits. Due to the substantial demand on both domestic and foreign markets, this species is being exploited in the wild. In Western Himalaya (India), the conservation status of this species is either endangered or rare. The studies on this species genetic diversity and conservation have elevated its importance in recent years. The prime aim is to safeguard and sustain this species' evolutionary viability and to enhance the chances of its survival and persistence in a changing environment. This article gives a brief overview of the Garhwal Himalayan region's efforts to conserve this species through cultivation.

First description of the male of Neoatractides tashiwangmoi Pešić, Smit & Gurung, 2022 from the Indian Himalayas (Acariformes, Hydrachnidia, Torrenticolidae)

Neoatractides tashiwangmoi Pešić, Smit & Gurung, 2022 is known from a single female recently collected in Bhutan. In this paper the first male is described based on a specimen collected in Uttarakhand State of India.

Prevalence of the Non-Communicable disease triad in hilly state of Uttarakhand: Evidences from National Family Health Surveys

India is facing epidemiological transition towards non communicable diseases and morbidities due to NCD triad of obesity, hypertension and diabetes. The risk factors contributing to chronic disease and NCD triad are lifestyle changes, poor dietary habits, lack of physical activity, tobacco/alcohol consumption. These risk factors are however modifiable and preventable. This article reviews secondary data of NFHS-4 and NFHS-5 to analyse trends of obesity, hypertension and diabetes among urban and rural population of Uttarakhand from 2015 to 2021.

Benevolent Leader as a Social Entrepreneur

This research, done at the intersection of benevolent leadership style and for-profit social entrepreneurship, examines the research question: How does a benevolent leader, concerned for ecological sustainability, drive a for-profit social enterprise? Adopting a case approach, the phenomenon has been probed within the bounded context of SOS Organics—a for-profit social enterprise—located in a remote village of Uttarakhand state of India. The data was collected from multiple sources and thematic analysis was used to identify themes. The study produced three key findings. First, the study could extract two themes of benevolent leadership—striving for the common good and concern for others. Second, it could extend the understanding of social entrepreneurship by identifying two themes—social value creation and developing innovative business models. Third, it proposed a process framework by capturing the journey of SOS promoters towards the benevolent social entrepreneur over two decades. This study contributes to the literature on the intersection of benevolent leadership and social entrepreneurship by creating a deeper meaning of the constructs. Finally, the study offers suggestions for managers and practitioners to adopt a benevolent leadership style in the social entrepreneurship context to achieve their social mission.

Climate, Agriculture, and Migration: Exploring the Vulnerability and Outmigration Nexus in the Indian Himalayan Region

Climate change is increasingly affecting mountain communities around the world with major implications for human livelihoods and wellbeing. With its predominantly rural population and limited resources, the Indian Himalayan Region is particularly vulnerable. While previous research has highlighted the destructive potential of climate change, we focused on the socioeconomic and ecological drivers of climate vulnerabilities and their links to migration and depopulation trends, which can be observed in the area. A mixed-methods case study approach was used to explore these relationships in the state of Uttarakhand in the western Indian Himalayan Region. Combining evidence from an aggregate vulnerability index, migration data, and insights from qualitative interviews, we found a close link between local climate vulnerabilities and migration. Considering different drivers, we show that limited adaptive capacities are the decisive factor shaping vulnerabilities and migration in the region, in particular, the high dependency on rainfed agriculture together with ecological, infrastructural, human, and financial constraints. With higher vulnerability, migrants tend to become younger, engage more in short-term migration, and increasingly employ migration in response to structural vulnerabilities and livelihood risks. The outmigration of young males has major implications for their origin communities, as the population left behind becomes older and more feminized.

Detection of Water Spread Area Changes in Eutrophic Lake Using Landsat Data.

Adequate water resource management is essential for fulfilling ecosystem and human needs. Nainital Lake is a popular lake in Uttarakhand State in India, attracting lakhs of tourists annually. Locals also use the lake water for domestic purposes and irrigation. The increasing impact of climate change and over-exploration of water from lakes make their regular monitoring key to implementing effective conservation measures and preventing substantial degradation. In this study, dynamic change in the water spread area of Nainital Lake from 2001 to 2018 has been investigated using the multiband rationing indices, namely normalized difference water index (NDWI), modified normalized difference water index (MNDWI), and water ratio index (WRI). The model has been developed in QGIS 3.4 software. A physical GPS survey of the lake was conducted to check the accuracy of these indices. Furthermore, to determine the trend in water surface area for a studied period, a non-parametric Mann–Kendall test was used. San’s slope estimator test determined the magnitude of the trend and total percentage change. The result of the physical survey shows that NDWI was the best method, with an accuracy of 96.94%. Hence, the lake water spread area trend is determined based on calculated NDWI values. The lake water spread area significantly decreased from March to June and July to October at a 5% significance level. The maximum decrease in water spread area has been determined from March to June (7.7%), which was followed by the period July to October (4.67%) and then November to February (2.79%). The study results show that the lake’s water spread area decreased sharply for the analyzed period. The study might be helpful for the government, policymakers, and water experts to make plans for reclaiming and restoring Nainital Lake. This study is very helpful in states such as Uttarakhand, where physical mapping is not possible every time due to its tough topography and climate conditions.

7 Century Hawan Kund (Fire Altar) of 13 hast (166.38 cubic feet) capacity at Jageshwar Temple in Kumaon Range of Himalaya

From Vedic times to even modern times, Yagya is an essential part of social and spiritual life in India. All kinds of worship in temples have Yagya as an essential portion. This was true even in the medieval time of India. Jageshwar Dham is a place 34 kilometers away from Almora, in the Kumaon Range of Himalaya in Uttarakhand state of India containing 125 big and small temples and 174 sculptures, dating back to circa century and having Shiva as the main deity of the temple complex. Among them, 100 temples are dedicated to Lord Shiva; the oldest of them are Jageshwar Temple and Maha-Mrityunjaya Temple. The temple complex contains Hawan Kund which is still being used by temple Brahmins. There was much of literature describing the construction time of Jageshwar Dham, however, no direct literature was available to find the specific time of the construction of Hawan Kund in the temple complex. The present study attempted to analyze Hawan Kund’s structure, construction, and ritualistic details in order to find its importance and probable time of construction. The study inferred that Scriptural, traditional, and archeological facts of Hawan Kund at Jageshwar temple indeed revealed its importance in Shiva worship and maintaining spiritual ambiance. Besides the strong utilization of Hawan Kund in temple ancient traditions and rituals, the study also found that Hawan Kund was Thirteen Hast (hand as a unit) large, where 13 is the number of Shiva worship. Also, the Ishan (north-east) direction of Hawan Kund’s position with respect to Mrityunjaya temple indicated the following of proper scriptural protocol for Shiva worship indicating well-thought construction by original builders. Thus, though there was no direct literature available to find the specific time of the construction of Hawan Kund in the temple complex, it was clear that the Hawan Kund of Jageshwar temple was associated strongly with the temple’s main deity worship. Hence, the existence of Hawan Kund had to be to that of the Jageshwar and Maha Mrityunjaya temple i.e. circa the century.

An Explorative Study on Problems and Challenges of Rural Entrepreneurs in Hilly Rural Areas

Rural entrepreneurship could be the solution for the problems of poverty, migration, economic disparity, unemployment and underdevelopment associated with rural areas and backward regions. Previous literature on rural entrepreneurship is mostly focused on European countries and on the USA. Some work has been done in Indian settings which is mostly focused on South India, but those results can’t be generalise for hilly districts which have a very tough geographic location. The objective of this study is to find the factors which affect rural entrepreneurship in hilly areas. Qualitative content analysis and thematic analysis were used to serve this purpose. For this study, 15 successful rural entrepreneurs were interviewed from the hilly state of Uttarakhand, India and thematic analysis was performed on their responses. Results revealed various motivating factors for rural youth to become an entrepreneur. The major problems and challenges faced by a rural entrepreneur while starting a new venture were transportation cost, lack of skilled labour, choosing a place for doing business, financial problems, etc. The results of this study might benefit the existing body of knowledge and could serve as a guide for future research in the area of rural entrepreneurship.

An Analysis of Growth and Pattern of Revenue and Expenditure in the State of Uttarakhand

Abstract: The focus of the paper is to examine trends and growth in state government revenue and expenditures in Uttarakhand. In order to perform its functions i.e. social, economic and general government needs funds that have to be garnered from a variety of sources. Revenue and Expenditure plays a very significant role to achieve the major economic goals of growth, stability, equity and efficiency. The revenue and capital receipts, revenue and capital expenditure of the state determine their ability to deliver services. Weaknesses in revenue and expenditure management could constrain the ability of a state to contribute to poverty reduction and economic development. The importance of public revenue has greatly increased during recent times. This paper reviews key trends in public spending and revenue during this period. The result indicates that the revenue and expenditure of the state government increases from 17% to 23% during study period.