Kailash Sacred Landscape: Pithoragarh's villages selected under project

DEHRADUN: Two villages in Pithoragarh-Bains Maitoli and Him Khola- district have been selected under the project — Kailash Sacred Landscape Conservation and Development Initiative in which India, Nepal and China are together combating the major issues of degradation of ecosystem, vulnerability of climate change and erosion of traditional knowledge and culture in the region. From the Indian side, the state forest department and institutes such as Wildlife Institute of India (WII), GB Pant Institute, Uttarakhand Biodiversity Board are involved.
In Indian side, 96% area of the Kailash sacred landscape falls in Pithoragarh and 4% in Bagheshwar.
VB Mathur, director WII said, “Each country is following their own set of programs with regard to involvement of local communities in restoration of eco-system and augmenting livelihood opportunities which is in sync with the guidelines of the project. At the end of the program, there will be elaborate experience sharing of mutual collaboration. “
He said, WII is holding training workshops and meetings with villagers on regular basis.
GS Rawat, dean of WII who is heading the program in WII said, “We are engaged in capacity building of all the stakeholders namely van panchayat, biodiversity management committee (BMC) , front line staff and villagers so that successful practices can be replicated. The aim is to make local people self-sufficient in sustainable use of biodiversity.”
He said, the objectives of the projects were laid out by the local people of Pithoragarh villages themselves which are restoration of areas degraded by weeds, clean water sheds and revival of dry springs and other water resources, minimize human wildlife conflicts and enhance agriculture production.
He said, Nepal delegation too visited the pilot villagers many times and created their own BMCs’ which they did not have earlier.
He said Kailash landscape is most neglected despite the fact that it is also one of the most beautiful places. All the three countries, India, Nepal and China have transboundary linkages based on historical , religious and cultural aspects related to this landscape, hence endorsement of these three countries was necessary to develop the entire region. The project is being management by International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development and funded by United Kingdom.