Uttarakhand-SAPCC

Uttarakhand Action Plan on Climate
Change
‘Transforming Crisis into Opportunity’
Government of Uttarakhand
2014
Supported by United Nations Development Programme
Contents
Contents .......................................................................................................................................................................... iii
List of Tables .............................................................................................................................................................. viii
List of Figures ............................................................................................................................................................... ix
Foreword....................................................................................................................................................................... xii
Acknowledgements..................................................................................................................................................xiv
Abbreviations/Acronyms ....................................................................................................................................... xv
Executive Summary ..................................................................................................................................... 18
Introduction ................................................................................................................................................... 21
Background and Context ....................................................................................................................................... 21
The National Context............................................................................................................................................... 21
The Indian Himalaya Context .............................................................................................................................. 22
The Uttarakhand Context ...................................................................................................................................... 24
Transforming Crisis into Opportunity ............................................................................................................. 25
Process Adopted for UAPCC Preparation ............................................................................................. 26
Initial Processes and Preparation of an Initial Draft .................................................................................. 26
Revision Process and Preparation of a Revised Draft ............................................................................... 26
1 State Profile............................................................................................................................................ 31
1.1 Overview ........................................................................................................................................................ 31
1.1.1 Geographical Context—The Himalaya..................................................................................... 31
1.1.2 Uttarakhand—Overview and Economy .................................................................................. 32
1.1.3 Uttarakhand—Human Development ....................................................................................... 35
1.1.4 Hill Districts, Livelihoods and Vulnerabilities ...................................................................... 35
1.2 Geological and Agro-Ecological Settings........................................................................................... 36
1.2.1 Physiography...................................................................................................................................... 36
1.2.2 Agro-climatic Zones ......................................................................................................................... 37
1.2.3 Land-use Pattern............................................................................................................................... 40
1.2.4 Forest Cover........................................................................................................................................ 41
1.2.5 Hydrological Setting ........................................................................................................................ 41
1.2.6 Major River Basins and Sub-basins ........................................................................................... 41
2 Climate Profile ...................................................................................................................................... 43
2.1 Future Climatic Projections ................................................................................................................... 43
2.1.1 Possible Future Climate Scenarios for India and the Himalayan Region .................. 43
2.1.2 Annual Mean Temperature........................................................................................................... 43
2.1.3 Rainfall and Monsoon ..................................................................................................................... 44
2.2 Observed Climate Trends in Uttarakhand ....................................................................................... 45
2.3 Vulnerability Assessment of Uttarakhand ....................................................................................... 50
3 Overarching State Framework ........................................................................................................ 53
3.1 State Vision and Commitment .............................................................................................................. 53
3.2 Overall Approach, Principles and Strategies................................................................................... 53
3.2.1 Scientific Knowledge, Evidence Base and Understanding of Climate Change ......... 54
3.2.2 Governance Mechanisms, Institutional Decision Making and Convergence............ 54
3.2.3 Capacity Development, Education and Awareness ............................................................ 56
Uttarakhand Action Plan for Climate Change iii

3.2.4 Connecting Science, Practice and Policy ................................................................................. 56
3.2.5 Integrating Poverty, Livelihoods, Gender and Equity Issues.......................................... 57
3.2.6 Private Sector and Financial Institutions ............................................................................... 58
3.2.7 Role of Civil Society.......................................................................................................................... 59
3.2.8 Role of International Agencies .................................................................................................... 59
3.2.9 Monitoring Framework.................................................................................................................. 60
3.2.10 Knowledge Management and Dialogue across the IHR and Beyond ........................... 61
4 Sectoral Implementation Approaches.......................................................................................... 62
4.1 Overall Common Implementation Framework.............................................................................. 62
5 Agriculture ............................................................................................................................................. 65
5.1 Overview, Characteristics and Status ................................................................................................ 65
5.1.1 Land Holding and Land Use Pattern ......................................................................................... 65
5.1.2 Irrigation .............................................................................................................................................. 66
5.1.3 Crop Production Scenario ............................................................................................................. 66
5.2 Vulnerability to Climate Change .......................................................................................................... 67
5.3 Issues, Challenges and Priorities ......................................................................................................... 68
5.3.1 Main Issues and Challenges .......................................................................................................... 68
5.3.2 Priorities............................................................................................................................................... 70
5.4 Relevant Existing Initiatives .................................................................................................................. 71
5.5 Sectoral Vision and Strategies............................................................................................................... 74
5.5.1 Sectoral Vision and Commitment .............................................................................................. 74
5.5.2 Strategies ............................................................................................................................................. 75
6 Forests and Biodiversity ................................................................................................................... 77
6.1 Overview—Characteristics and Status of Forests ........................................................................ 77
6.2 Overview—Characteristics and Status of Biological Diversity ............................................... 79
6.2.1 Floral diversity................................................................................................................................... 79
6.2.2 Faunal diversity................................................................................................................................. 79
6.6 Sectoral Strategies ..................................................................................................................................... 82
6.6.2 Strategies ............................................................................................................................................. 82
7 Livestock and Animal Husbandry .................................................................................................. 89
7.1 Overview—Characteristics and Status.............................................................................................. 89
7.5 Sectoral Strategies ..................................................................................................................................... 94
7.5.2 Strategies ............................................................................................................................................. 94
8 Disaster Management...................................................................................................................... 102
8.1 Overview—Characteristics and Status............................................................................................ 102
8.2 Vulnerability to climate change.......................................................................................................... 103
8.3 Issues, Challenges and Priorities ....................................................................................................... 104
Uttarakhand Action Plan for Climate Change iv

8.3.1 Issues and Challenges ................................................................................................................... 104
8.3.2 Priorities............................................................................................................................................. 104
8.4 Relevant Existing Initiatives ................................................................................................................ 106
8.5 Sectoral Strategies ................................................................................................................................... 108
8.5.1 Sectoral Vision and Commitment ............................................................................................ 108
8.5.2 Strategies ........................................................................................................................................... 108
9 Human Health .................................................................................................................................... 116
9.1 Overview ...................................................................................................................................................... 116
9.2 Vulnerability to Climate Change ........................................................................................................ 116
9.2.1 Direct Impacts .................................................................................................................................. 116
9.2.2 Indirect Impacts .............................................................................................................................. 116
9.3.2 Priorities............................................................................................................................................. 117
9.4.1 State Vision and Commitment ................................................................................................... 118
9.4.2 Strategies ........................................................................................................................................... 118
10 Urban Development .................................................................................................................... 121
10.5.2 Strategies ........................................................................................................................................... 122
11 Water Resources ........................................................................................................................... 125
11.5 Sectoral Responses .................................................................................................................................. 128
11.5.1 Sectoral Vision and Commitment .................................................................................................. 128
11.5.2 Strategies ................................................................................................................................................. 129
11.6 Linkages with NAPCC ............................................................................................................................. 131
12 Tourism ............................................................................................................................................ 132
12.3.2 Priorities............................................................................................................................................. 134
12.4 Existing Initiatives ................................................................................................................................... 134
12.5.2 Strategies ........................................................................................................................................... 135
13 Energy ............................................................................................................................................... 137
Uttarakhand Action Plan for Climate Change v

13.4 Existing Initiatives ................................................................................................................................... 138
13.5.2 Strategies ........................................................................................................................................... 140
14 Roads................................................................................................................................................. 143
14.4.2 Strategies ........................................................................................................................................... 144
15 Industries ........................................................................................................................................ 149
15.5.2 Strategies ........................................................................................................................................... 151
16 Transport ........................................................................................................................................ 154
16.4.2 Strategies ........................................................................................................................................... 155
Action Plan and Budgets ......................................................................................................................... 158
Agriculture................................................................................................................................................................. 158
Forests and Biodiversity ...................................................................................................................................... 159
Animal Husbandry and Livestock .................................................................................................................... 168
Disaster Management ........................................................................................................................................... 170
Human Health .......................................................................................................................................................... 175
Urban Development............................................................................................................................................... 176
Water Resources (Irrigation Department) .................................................................................................. 180
Water Resources (Uttarakhand Jal Sansthan) ............................................................................................ 181
Tourism....................................................................................................................................................................... 181
Energy (UPCL).......................................................................................................................................................... 185
Energy (UJVN) .......................................................................................................................................................... 186
Energy (UREDA)...................................................................................................................................................... 187
Energy (PTCUL)....................................................................................................................................................... 188
Roads ........................................................................................................................................................................... 189
Industries ................................................................................................................................................................... 190
Uttarakhand Action Plan for Climate Change vi

Transport ................................................................................................................................................................... 191
Summary of Financial Outlay for Identified Sectors in UAPCC ............................................................ 193
Annexure 1—Brief Notes on Proceedings of Stakeholder Consultation Workshops ....... 195
Annexure 2—Brief Notes on Findings of the WWF-India and ICIMOD-IFAD Studies ........ 208
WWF-India study—Facing the facts: Ganga Basin's vulnerability to climate change ................. 208
ICIMOD-IFAD Study ............................................................................................................................................... 208
Gender and Uttarakhand SAPCC—Inputs from Alternative Futures, in partnership with CBGA
and CHEA.................................................................................................................................................................... 215
Annexure 3 — Brief Notes on Uttarakhand Flood Disaster 2013 ............................................ 223
Uttarakhand Action Plan for Climate Change vii

List of Tables
FIGURE 1: UAPCC REVISION PROCESS MEETING ON 19 MARCH 2012 AT THE UTTARAKHAND SECRETARIAT 27
FIGURE 2: CONSULTATIONS OF 26–27 MARCH 2012 AT DOON UNIVERSITY ................................................................ 27
FIGURE 3: CONSULTATIONS OF 13–14 APRIL AT GBPIHED, KOSI KATARMAL, ALMORA ........................................ 28
FIGURE 4: THE HINDU KUSH HIMALAYA (HKH) AND THE INDIAN HIMALAYAN STATES ............................................... 31
FIGURE 5: UTTARAKHAND AND ITS DISTRICTS ............................................................................................................................ 32
FIGURE 6: STATE GDP AND CONTRIBUTION OF AGRICULTURE ........................................................................................... 34
FIGURE 7: PHYSIOGRAPHIC ZONES OF UTTARAKHAND ........................................................................................................... 36
FIGURE 8: TEMPERATURE REGIMES IN UTTARAKHAND (INTERPOLATED DATA) ............................................................. 37
FIGURE 9: DISTRIBUTION OF PRECIPITATION OVER UTTARAKHAND (INTERPOLATED DATA) ..................................... 38
FIGURE 10: OVERALL CLIMATIC CONDITIONS IN UTTARAKHAND.......................................................................................... 38
FIGURE 11: UTTARAKHAND SOILS AND SOIL DEPTH MAPPING BY NBSS&LUP............................................................. 39
FIGURE 12: LAND-USE PATTERN IN UTTARAKHAND.................................................................................................................. 40
FIGURE 13: TEMPERATURE PROJECTION FOR INDIA FOR 2030S FOR (A) DECEMBER, JANUARY, FEBRUARY
AND (B) JUNE, JULY, AUGUST—4 × 4 ASSESSMENT ..................................................................................................... 43
FIGURE 14: TRENDS OF MAXIMUM AND MINIMUM TEMPERATURES, RAINFALL AND BRIGHT SUNSHINE HOURS AT
PANTNAGAR OBSERVATORY, DISTRICT UDHAM SINGH NAGAR ............................................................................... 46
FIGURE 15: VARIATION IN ANNUAL AVERAGE TEMPERATURE AND ITS TREND AT ALMORA........................................ 47
FIGURE 16: VARIATION FROM ANNUAL RAINFALL AND ITS TREND AT ALMORA ............................................................... 47
FIGURE 17: RAINFALL PATTERN AT HAWALBAGH, ALMORA .................................................................................................. 48
FIGURE 18: SNOW COVER AREA IN THE MONTH OF OCTOBER IN DIFFERENT YEARS IN THE WATERSHEDS OF
UTTARAKHAND ............................................................................................................................................................................. 49
FIGURE 19: STATUS OF SNOW COVER AREA IN OCTOBER 1990 AND OCTOBER 1999 IN THE UTTARAKHAND
STATE (BASED ON OF 15TH AND 21ST OCTOBER 1990 LANDSAT TM DATA AND 15TH AND 21ST
OCTOBER 1999 LANDSAT ETM+ DATA) ........................................................................................................................ 49
FIGURE 20: STATE-LEVEL ARCHITECTURE FOR UAPCC IMPLEMENTATION ................................................................... 55
FIGURE 21: TENTATIVE AND INDICATIVE MONITORING FRAMEWORK FOR UAPCC ...................................................... 60
FIGURE 22: COMMON FRAMEWORK ELEMENTS FOR SECTORAL IMPLEMENTATION UNDER UAPCC ..................... 62
FIGURE 23: STATISTICS RELATED TO THE PERCENTAGE OF FOREST COVER OF UTTARAKHAND ........................... 78
FIGURE 24: FOREST COVER MAP OF UTTARAKHAND (SOURCE: FOREST SURVEY OF INDIA) .................................. 78
Uttarakhand Action Plan for Climate Change viii

List of Figures
FIGURE 1: UAPCC REVISION PROCESS MEETING ON 19 MARCH 2012 AT THE UTTARAKHAND SECRETARIAT 27
FIGURE 2: CONSULTATIONS OF 26–27 MARCH 2012 AT DOON UNIVERSITY ................................................................ 27
FIGURE 3: CONSULTATIONS OF 13–14 APRIL AT GBPIHED, KOSI KATARMAL, ALMORA ........................................ 28
FIGURE 4: THE HINDU KUSH HIMALAYA (HKH) AND THE INDIAN HIMALAYAN STATES ............................................... 31
FIGURE 5: UTTARAKHAND AND ITS DISTRICTS ............................................................................................................................ 32
FIGURE 6: STATE GDP AND CONTRIBUTION OF AGRICULTURE ........................................................................................... 34
FIGURE 7: PHYSIOGRAPHIC ZONES OF UTTARAKHAND ........................................................................................................... 36
FIGURE 8: TEMPERATURE REGIMES IN UTTARAKHAND (INTERPOLATED DATA) ............................................................. 37
FIGURE 9: DISTRIBUTION OF PRECIPITATION OVER UTTARAKHAND (INTERPOLATED DATA) ..................................... 38
FIGURE 10: OVERALL CLIMATIC CONDITIONS IN UTTARAKHAND.......................................................................................... 38
FIGURE 11: UTTARAKHAND SOILS AND SOIL DEPTH MAPPING BY NBSS&LUP............................................................. 39
FIGURE 12: LAND-USE PATTERN IN UTTARAKHAND.................................................................................................................. 40
FIGURE 13: TEMPERATURE PROJECTION FOR INDIA FOR 2030S FOR (A) DECEMBER, JANUARY, FEBRUARY
AND (B) JUNE, JULY, AUGUST—4 × 4 ASSESSMENT ..................................................................................................... 43
FIGURE 14: TRENDS OF MAXIMUM AND MINIMUM TEMPERATURES, RAINFALL AND BRIGHT SUNSHINE HOURS AT
PANTNAGAR OBSERVATORY, DISTRICT UDHAM SINGH NAGAR ............................................................................... 46
FIGURE 15: VARIATION IN ANNUAL AVERAGE TEMPERATURE AND ITS TREND AT ALMORA........................................ 47
FIGURE 16: VARIATION FROM ANNUAL RAINFALL AND ITS TREND AT ALMORA ............................................................... 47
FIGURE 17: RAINFALL PATTERN AT HAWALBAGH, ALMORA .................................................................................................. 48
FIGURE 18: SNOW COVER AREA IN THE MONTH OF OCTOBER IN DIFFERENT YEARS IN THE WATERSHEDS OF
UTTARAKHAND ............................................................................................................................................................................. 49
FIGURE 19: STATUS OF SNOW COVER AREA IN OCTOBER 1990 AND OCTOBER 1999 IN THE UTTARAKHAND
STATE (BASED ON OF 15TH AND 21ST OCTOBER 1990 LANDSAT TM DATA AND 15TH AND 21ST
OCTOBER 1999 LANDSAT ETM+ DATA) ........................................................................................................................ 49
FIGURE 20: STATE-LEVEL ARCHITECTURE FOR UAPCC IMPLEMENTATION ................................................................... 55
FIGURE 21: TENTATIVE AND INDICATIVE MONITORING FRAMEWORK FOR UAPCC ...................................................... 60
FIGURE 22: COMMON FRAMEWORK ELEMENTS FOR SECTORAL IMPLEMENTATION UNDER UAPCC ..................... 62
FIGURE 23: STATISTICS RELATED TO THE PERCENTAGE OF FOREST COVER OF UTTARAKHAND ........................... 78
FIGURE 24: FOREST COVER MAP OF UTTARAKHAND (SOURCE: FOREST SURVEY OF INDIA) .................................. 78
Uttarakhand Action Plan for Climate Change ix

Uttarakhand Action Plan for Climate Change x
Uttarakhand Action Plan for Climate Change xi
Foreword
Global Warming is perhaps the biggest challenge that the humankind is facing presently.
Man has the onus of protecting not only himself but also other life forms on this planet.
Globally, all nations are working on their strategies to combat climate change. On the
national front, the Prime Minister’s National Action Plan for Climate Change comprises
Eight National Missions designed to achieve sustainable development as a co-benefit of
addressing climate change. Indian economy is mainly dependent on land-based sectors,
which are going to be severely affected by the impacts of climate change. National strategy,
sub national approaches and action plans have to be developed and implemented soon. The
Uttarakhand Action Plan for Climate Change (UAPCC) is an outcome of this. The task of
preparation of this plan was assigned to the State Forest Department.
For a hill State like Uttarakhand - which is relatively new in existence and limited in
resources - development is a necessity. As such, the UAPCC is committed to the overall
development and inclusive growth of the State at a rapid pace. However, Uttarakhand
being environmentally fragile and a treasure of biodiversity with 71% of its geographical area
under forests, the UAPCC simply aims at reorienting our developmental strategies in an
environment caring manner so that the progress achieved is sustainable. The catastrophe
that struck Uttarakhand during 15th to 17th June, 2013 has left several lessons to be learnt!
The UAPCC is here to transform crisis of climate change into an opportunity of
sustainable development!
For the preparation of the plan, all the concerned Departments and Agencies were organized
into 11 different sectors, each under the leadership of the concerned Principal
Secretary/Secretary to the State Govt. Several rounds of debates and discussions were held
within the sector and issues & solutions pertaining to the sector were identified and discussed
at the state level in sessions chaired by the Chief Secretary. This resulted in the evolution of
this Action Plan through various versions that were exposed to scrutiny through website,
workshops, seminars etc. For a state like Uttarakhand, adaptation has more significance than
mitigation, as the contribution of the State to the GHG pool is miniscule compared to the
developed states in the country.
Any plan would be of no acceptability unless and until people are involved in the process of
its preparation. Keeping this in view, wide consultations were held with NGO’s, academia,
people’s representatives, civil society groups and village folks (including women) who have
their own perceptions based on their experience and knowledge.
Uttarakhand Action Plan for Climate Change xii

The plan has been prepared for a period of 5 years. However, certain research/studies
envisaged would go beyond this period. The estimate of expenditure in the plan is to the tune
of ` 8832.62 crores (Roads’ component alone being ` 6230 crores). It is obvious that a good
amount of money would be needed to implement the plan, a major component of which
would be coming from the Central and the State sector schemes. However, sources outside
the State would be required to finance the additionality of funds owing to switching over
from the conventional to greener technologies. Annual working plans would be drawn from
the UAPCC at the time of its implementation.
It is important to understand that this is a dynamic plan. This means that the plan would
evolve (change) with experience and breakthrough in knowledge related to climate change.
Suggestions in this regard, as and when they come, would be welcome!
Dehra Dun dated 28 May, 2014. (Jai Raj)

I.F.S.
Addl. P.C.C.F. (Environment),
& State Nodal Officer UAPCC,
Uttarakhand.
Uttarakhand Action Plan for Climate Change xiii

Acknowledgements
The Uttarakhand Action Plan for Climate Change is an outcome of extensive and effective
collaboration with many. I am thankful to Mr. Subhash Kumar, Chief Secretary,
Uttarakhand who chaired and provided a common platform for extensive discussions! As
the plan was anchored with the State Forest Department, Mr. S. Ramaswamy, Principal
Secretary, Forest and Environment, Govt. of Uttarakhand and DR. R.B.S. Rawat, P.C.C.F.,
Uttarakhand provided good support. The Ministry of Environment and Forests, Govt. of
India had been supportive in not only providing technical assistance but also funds for the
preparation of the plan. UNDP provided excellent technical assistance! Thanks to Ms. Preeti
Soni and Mr. Pramod Krishnan from the UNDP. The Doon University, Dehra Dun had been
the centre of many a discussions and consultations. Thanks to the Vice Chancellors of the
University! DR. R.S. Tolia, NTPC Chair, Centre for Public Policy, Doon University had been
an excellent facilitator and contributor to the UAPCC. DR. L.M.S. Palini, Director, GBPIHED,
Almorah helped in organizing the villagers’ workshop there. Several NGOs and bodies
participated actively in the preparation of the UAPCC. Climate and Development
Knowledge Network (CDKN), London took active interest in the plan and a step further to
carry out vulnerability assessments in important sectors for which I am grateful to Mrs.
Elizabeth Gogoi. IUCN, WWF, British Deputy High Commission-Chandigarh, Alternative
Futures (an N.G.O.), Civil Society Groups and many others actively participated in the plan
preparation and lot of inputs came on various aspects including gender issues. Finally and
most importantly, my thanks go to all the villagers and especially village woman who
participated actively in deliberations and gave their valuable inputs.
Dehra Dun dated 28 May, 2014. (Jai Raj)

I.F.S.
Addl. P.C.C.F. (Environment),
& State Nodal Officer, UAPCC,
Uttarakhand.
Uttarakhand Action Plan for Climate Change xiv

Abbreviations/Acronyms
Acronym Expanded Form

ADB Asian Development Bank
AEZ Agri-Export Zones
AIS Agriculture Information System
APCCF Additional Principal Chief Conservator of Forests
APIB Agro-Climatic Planning and Information Bank
ATMA Agriculture Technology Management Agency
BOT Build–Operate–Transfer
BSI Botanical Survey of India
CA Conservation Agriculture
CBDM Community-Based Disaster Management
CBO Community-Based Organization
CBR Crude Birth Rate
CBRI Central Building Research Institute
CDKN Climate and Development Knowledge Network
CDM Clean Development Mechanism
CDR Crude Death Rate
CEIA Cumulative Environmental Impact Assessment
CFL Compact Fluorescent Lamp
CHC Community Health Centre
CPMU Central Project Management Unit
CSR Corporate Social Responsibility
CSWCRI Central Soil and Water Conservation Research and Training Institute, Dehradun
DIVPMU Divisional Project Management Unit
DMMC Disaster Mitigation and Management Centre
DPIU District Project Implementation Units
DRR Disaster Risk Reduction
ECBC Energy Conservation Building Code
EIA Environment Impact Assessment
EMP Environment Management Plan
EOP Environmental Operating Plans
ESCO Energy Service Company
FAO Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations
GBPIHED Govind Ballabh Pant Institute of Himalayan Environment and Development, Almora
GBPUA&T Govind Ballabh Pant University of Agriculture and Technology, Pantnagar
GDP Gross Domestic Product
GER Gross Enrolment Ratio
GHG Green House Gas
GIS Geographical Information System
GLOF Glacial Lake Outburst Floods
GMVN Garhwal Mandal Vikas Nigam
GoI Government of India
GPS Geographical Positioning System
GRIHA Green Rating for Integrated Habitat Assessment
GSDP Gross State Domestic Product
HDI Human Development Index
HEP Hydro-electric Project
Uttarakhand Action Plan for Climate Change xv

HKH Hindu Kush Himalaya
HRDI Herbal Research and Development Institute, Gopeshwar
HYV High-Yielding Varieties
ICAR Indian Council for Agriculture Research, New Delhi
ICFRE Indian Council for Forestry Research and Education, Dehradun
ICIMOD International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development, Kathmandu
ICT Information and Communication Technology
IDWR: Indian Daily Weather Reports
IFAD International Fund for Agricultural Development
IHDI Inequality Adjusted Human Development Index
IHR Indian Himalayan Region
IIRS Indian Institute of Remote Sensing, Dehradun
IIT Indian Institute of Technology
ILRI International Livestock Research Institute
IMD India Meteorological Department
IMR Infant Mortality Rate
INCCA Indian Network for Climate Change Assessment
IPCC Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change
ITK Indigenous Technical Knowledge
KfW Kreditanstalt für Wiederaufbau
KMVN Kumaon Mandal Vikas Nigam
KVK Krishi Vikas Kendra
JNNURM Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission
LANDSAT MSS LANDSAT Multi Spectral Scanner
LAPA Local Action Plan on Adaptation
LBSNAA Lal Bahadur Shastri National Academy of Administration, Mussoorie
LED Light Emitting Diode
LHP Large Hydro-electric Project
LSD Land Survey Directorate
MAPs Medicinal and Aromatic Plants
MoEF Ministry of Environment and Forest
MPP Multi-purpose Project
NAARM National Academy of Agricultural Research Management
NABARD National Bank for Agricultural and Rural Development
NADRS National Animal Disease Reporting System
NAP National Agriculture Policy
NAPCC National Action Plan for Climate Change
NBSS&LUP National Bureau of Soil Survey and Land Use Planning
NGO Non-Governmental Organization
NH National Highway
NIC National Informatics Centre
NIH National Institute of Hydrology
NPP Net Primary Productivity
NTFP Non-Timber Forest Produce
PRI: Panchayati Raj Institution
PHC Primary Health Centre
PMRY Pradhan Mantri Rozgar Yojna
PPP Private–Public Partnership
PRI Panchayati Raj Institutions
PTCUL Power Transmission Corporation of Uttarakhand Limited
PWD: Public Works Department
Uttarakhand Action Plan for Climate Change xvi

R&D Research and Development
R&R Rehabilitation and Resettlement
REDD Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation
RKBY Rashtriya Krishi Bima Yojna
RKVY Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojna
RS-GIS Remote Sensing and Geographical Information System
SAC Space Applications Centre
SAMETI State Agricultural Extension Management and Training Institute
SAPCC State Action Plan on Climate Change
SCCC State Council for Climate Change
SDMA State Disaster Management Agency
SED State Environment Directorate
SGWB State Ground Water Board
SHP Small Hydro-electric Project
SIDCUL State Infrastructure and Industrial Development Corporation of Uttarakhand Limited
SOP Standard Operating Procedure
SSI Small-Scale Industries
SWM Solid Waste Management
TDC Tarai Development Corporation
TERI The Energy and Research Institute
THI Temperature–Humidity Index
UAPCC Uttarakhand Action Plan for Climate Change
UCCC Uttarakhand Centre on Climate Change
UCOST Uttarakhand State Council for Science and Technology
UDD Urban Development Directorate
UDWDP Uttarakhand Decentralized Watershed Development Project
UED Uttarakhand Environment Directorate
UELP Uttarakhand Efficient Lighting Project
UJVN Uttarakhand Jal Vidyut Nigam
ULB Urban Local Bodies
ULDB Uttarakhand Livestock Development Board
UNDP United Nations Development Programme
UNEP United Nations Environment Programme
UNESCO United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization
UNFCCC United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change
UOCB Uttarakhand Organic Commodity Board
UP Uttar Pradesh
UPCL Uttarakhand Power Corporation Limited
UREDA Uttarakhand Renewable Energy Development Agency
URP Uniform Recall Period
USWDB Uttarakhand Sheep and Wool Development Board
UTC Uttarakhand Transport Corporation
UUSDIP Uttarakhand Urban Sector Development Investment Programme
VKC Village Knowledge Centre
VPKAS Vivekananda Parvatiya Krishi Anusandhan Sansthan
WIHG Wadia Institute of Himalayan Geology
WMD Watershed Management Directorate
WWF World Wide Fund for Nature
ZSI Zoological Survey of India
Uttarakhand Action Plan for Climate Change xvii

Executive Summary
The Uttarakhand Action Plan on Climate Change (UAPCC) has been formulated in
accordance with the principles and guidelines of the National Action Plan on Climate Change
(NAPCC). The UAPCC integrates the action plan of Uttarakhand with the ongoing and
proposed developmental programmes in the state, and in tandem with the eight national
missions along with the principles and guidelines listed out in the NAPCC.
According to the IPCC 5th Assessment Report, human influence has been detected in
warming of the atmosphere and the ocean, in changes in the global water cycle, in reductions
in snow and ice, in global mean sea level rise and in changes in some climate extremes. This
evidence for human influence has grown since AR4. It is extremely likely that human
influence has been the dominant cause of the observed warming since the mid-20th century.
The atmospheric concentrations of the greenhouse gases {carbon dioxide (CO2), methane
(CH4), and nitrous oxide (N2O)} have all increased since 1750 due to human activity. The
deep interconnections between the vulnerability of natural and human systems to climate
change calls for expeditious coping strategies and response measures. Climate proofing of
vulnerable sectors, programmes, natural systems and communities by integrating adaptation
and mitigation options into planning processes and interventions are increasingly becoming
an integral part of the development/environment lexicon and action worldwide.
Need for Climate Change Action Plan for Uttarakhand

On a geographical level, the sub-national entities, the state acts as the ‘ground zero’ of
climate change battle. Preparation and
implementation of State Action Plans on
Climate Change (SAPCC) thus forms a
crucial clog in the strategy to address
climate change, as most of the
interventions aimed at improving the
climate resilience/ adaptation ability of
the communities, public or private
infrastructures and preserving the eco-
systems are undertaken and implemented
at the state level. Besides, technology
improvements in production,
consumption and other related sectors at
the state level are also critical in
enhancing the effectiveness of national
policies for mitigation. The process of Livelihood dependencies in Uttarakhand Himalaya
preparation of Climate Change Action
Plan for Uttarakhand stems from these imperatives. The government has therefore identified
the State Forest Department (SFD) as the Lead Agency to coordinate preparation and
implementation of the UAPCC in consultation with various line departments and other
relevant stakeholders. For the preparation of the plan, all the concerned Departments and
Executive Summary
Agencies were organized into 11 different sectors, each under the leadership of the concerned
Principal Secretary/Secretary to the State Govt. Several rounds of debates and discussions
were held within the sector and issues & solutions pertaining to the sector were identified and
discussed at the state level in sessions chaired by the Chief Secretary. This resulted in the
evolution of this Action Plan through various versions that were exposed to scrutiny through
website, workshops, seminars etc. For a state like Uttarakhand, adaptation has more
significance than mitigation, as the contribution of the State to the GHG pool is miniscule
compared to the developed states in the country. State wide consultations were also held with
NGO’s, academia, people’s representatives, civil society groups and village folks (including
women) who have their own perceptions based on their experience and knowledge.
Uttarakhand is most vulnerable to climate mediated risks. Mountainous regions are

vulnerable to climate change and have shown “above average warming” in the 20th century.
Studies conducted by MoEF have shown an increase in annual temperature in the Himalayan
region, a net increase in rainfall in the 2030s with respect to the simulated rainfall of the
1970s in the Himalayan region. Impacts are expected to range from reduced genetic diversity
of species to erratic rainfall leading to flash floods to glacial melt in the Himalayas leading to
increased flooding that will affect water resources within the next few decades.
The natural resources of the region provide life supporting, provisioning, regulating, and
cultural ‘eco-system’ services to millions of locals as well as people living downstream. The
economy of the state as a whole is characterized by low economic growth combined with
high rates of population growth. The livelihoods are almost totally based on natural resources
- water, forest, agriculture, etc. About three-fourth of state’s population is rural and virtually
all depend on agriculture. Tourism and Animal husbandry are other sources of income. With
over 15 important rivers and over a dozen of major glaciers, Uttarakhand is a valuable
freshwater reserve. Hydel power continues to be a prime resource base for state’s economy
(with more than 200 large and medium sized hydro-projects). A large portion of the state is
under forests with several forest based industries. Climate change will have direct impacts on
livelihoods as most of the economic and livelihood sectors are dependent on the biodiversity
and natural resources of the state which are vulnerable to the impacts of climate change.
Some of the reported climate change induced changes in the Uttarakhand Himalayas include:
receding glaciers and upwardly moving snowline, depleting natural resources, erratic rainfall
(leading to flash floods as seen in June 2013 disaster), irregular winter rains, advancing
cropping seasons, fluctuations in the flowering behaviour of plants (e.g. Renwartia spp),
shifting of cultivation zones of apple (the zone has moved by 1000 m to 2000 m), reduction
in snow in winter, rise in temperature, increasing intensity and frequency of flash floods,
drying up of perennial streams, etc.
Transforming Opportunities into Crisis

The climate response strategy of Uttarakhand has key elements such as accelerating inclusive
economic growth, promoting sustainable development, securing and diversifying livelihoods,
Uttarakhand Action Plan for Climate Change 19

Executive Summary
and safeguarding ecosystem services. Further, the strategy envisaged should not be viewed
as a standalone action; instead it should be integrated into the regular developmental planning
process. Similarly, while it is important to pursue both mitigation and adaptation measures,
considering the overall socio-economic and ecological contexts and vulnerabilities, it would
be of importance to give priority to adaptation options including Disaster Risk Reduction.
In accordance to the sector wise strategies identified for the state, the state over a period of
five years has estimated an expenditure of ` 8832.62 crores in the plan. The sectoral
breakdown of the expenditure outlay has been given below:
S.No. Sector `. in lakhs

1. Agriculture 7,991.75
2. Forests and Biodiversity 97,101.65
3. Animal Husbandry and Livestock 19,274.73
4. Disaster Management 37,125.00
5. Human Health 10,400.00
6. Urban Development 41,465.70
7. Water Resources 9,825.00
8. Tourism 4,100.00
9. Energy 15,838.50
10. Roads 6,23,000.00
11. Industries 4,260.00
12. Transport 12,880.00
Total 8,83,262.33
Climate change also offers some unique opportunities for the state. It will allow the state to
examine and address the climate change impacts separately in the ‘hills’ and ‘plains’ using
exclusive ‘viewing tools’ and adjust for any regional disparities/ imbalances in terms
resource allocation, setting of priorities, etc. It also gives Uttarakhand an opportunity for
having a relook into the developmental paradigm and make on-course corrections while
keeping ‘inclusive growth’ and ‘building resilience’ at the centre of this philosophy.
Uttarakhand Action Plan for Climate Change (UAPCC) is only the beginning. As the
knowledge base broadens and as more data and evidence become available, UAPCC shall
undergo revisions and updates. As a result, UAPCC has to be perceived as an evolving
document, with ample flexibility to internalize changes and developments happening at the
national, regional and local levels over time.
*****

Introduction
Background and Context
Climate change is a major global environmental and developmental problem. Though all the
possible consequences of climate change are yet to be understood, it is now established that
adverse impacts are likely from an increased frequency of extreme weather, floods and
droughts, submergence of coastal areas due to sea level rise and extreme climate variability.
Impacts of climate change are also likely to be iniquitous—the poor, women, the aged and
the very young, especially in underdeveloped or developing area contexts—are relatively
more vulnerable due to their greater dependence on climate-sensitive sectors such as
agriculture, fisheries and forestry for their livelihoods or their limited adaptive capacity. The
poor status of infrastructure and essential services in most of the poverty-affected areas also
limits their ability to cope with adverse impacts of climate change.
Climate change no longer remains a distant theoretical possibility or an academic rhetoric; it
is an unconcealed reality. According to the IPCC 5th Assessment Report, human influence
has been detected in warming of the atmosphere and the ocean, in changes in the global water
cycle, in reductions in snow and ice, in global mean sea level rise and in changes in some
climate extremes. This evidence for human influence has grown since AR4. It is extremely
likely that human influence has been the dominant cause of the observed warming since the
mid-20th century. The atmospheric concentrations of the greenhouse gases carbon dioxide
(CO2), methane (CH4), and nitrous oxide (N2O) have all increased since 1750 due to human
activity. The deep interconnections between the vulnerability of natural and human systems
to climate change calls for expeditious coping strategies and response measures. Climate
proofing of vulnerable sectors, programmes, natural systems and communities by integrating
adaptation and mitigation options into planning processes and interventions are increasingly
becoming an integral part of the development/environment lexicon and action worldwide.
The National Context

Climate change is expected to manifest quite significantly in India.1 India is considered
highly vulnerable to climate change, not only because of high physical exposure to climate-
related disasters (65% of India is drought-prone, 12% flood-prone and 8% susceptible to
cyclones) but also because of the dependency of its economy and majority of population on
climate-sensitive sectors (e.g. agriculture, forests, tourism, animal husbandry and fisheries).
Climate change will induce changes in the complexion, distribution, quality and functionality
of the natural resource base. Further, it will result in ‘insecure livelihoods’ due to disruptions
in the social, cultural, economic and ecological systems, physical infrastructure and human
assets, increasing health risks and crippling or even negating the developmental gains and
opportunities.
Addressing climate change calls for a wide array of policy responses and strategic actions at
local, sub-national, national and global levels. Recognizing that climate change is a global
challenge, India has engaged actively in multilateral negotiations in the United Nations
Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). The objective is to establish an
effective, cooperative and equitable global approach based on the principle of ‘common but
differentiated responsibilities and respective capabilities’. India’s immense geographic
diversity adds to the complexity of developing and implementing a climate response strategy.
1
A framework for preparation of the State Level Action Plans on Climate Change, MoEF, 2010.
Introduction
As the impacts will vary across states, sectors, locations and populations, there can be no
‘one-size-fits-all’ climate change strategy. Approaches will need to be tailored to fit specific
sub-national contexts and conditions.
India’s National Action Plan on Climate Change, 2008 (NAPCC), with its eight national
missions, is designed to achieve sustainable development as a co-benefit of addressing
climate change. The focus of NAPCC is on promoting understanding of climate change,
adaptation, mitigation, energy efficiency and natural resource conservation while pursuing
overall economic growth—i.e. measures that promote development objectives which also
result in co-benefits for addressing climate change. There are eight national missions (see box
below), which form the core of NAPCC, representing ‘multi-pronged, long-term and
integrated strategies for achieving key goals in the context of climate change’.
 Jawaharlal Nehru National Solar Mission aims to promote the development and use of solar energy for
power generation and other uses with the ultimate objective of making solar energy competitive with fossil-
based energy options.
 National Mission for Enhanced Energy Efficiency recommends mandating specific energy consumption
decreases in large energy consuming industries. It also recommends financing for public-private participants
to reduce energy consumption through demand-side management programmes.
 National Mission on Sustainable Habitat aims to promote energy efficiency as a core component for urban
planning. The plan calls for a greater emphasis on urban waste management and recycling including
production of power from waste.
 National Water Mission sets a goal of 20 percent improvement in water use efficiency through pricing and
other measures.
 National Mission for Sustaining the Himalayan Ecosystem aims to conserve biodiversity, forest cover and
other ecological values in the Himalayan region.
 National Mission for a Green India aims at Increased forest/tree cover on 5 million hectares of forest/non-
forest lands, improved quality of forest cover on another 5 million hectares (a total of 10 million hectares) and
improved ecosystem services, including biodiversity, hydrological services and carbon sequestration, as a
result of treatment of 10 million hectares.
 National Mission for Sustainable Agriculture aims to support climate adaptation in agriculture through the
development of climate-resilient crops and appropriate agricultural practices.
 National Mission on Strategic Knowledge for Climate Change is for gaining a better understanding of
climate science, impacts and challenges. It envisions improved climate modelling and increased international
collaboration to develop adaptation and mitigation technologies.
The Indian Himalaya Context

The Indian Himalayan Region (IHR) stretches across states in the western and eastern
Himalaya and provides critical ecosystem services for communities in mountains and
downstream plains. The IHR region covers vast areas, with about 17% of the region being
under permanent snow cover and glaciers and about 30–40% under seasonal snow cover,
forming a unique water reservoir. This feeds important perennial rivers that provide water for
drinking, irrigation and hydropower. Every year, about 1,200,000 million m3 of water flows
from Himalayan rivers. The IHR is home to nearly 4% of the country’s population and
provides directly or indirectly for their livelihoods. The average land holdings are very small
and less than a hectare per family. Most agriculture is of the subsistence type and depends on
suitable weather for good yields. Animal husbandry is another source of income. Owing to
the very small land holdings, families rely heavily on natural fodder resources, including the

Introduction
forest areas, to feed their livestock. Economically vulnerable groups including the scheduled
tribes and castes have high dependence on the forest resources including collection of fodder,
medicinal plants and firewood. These ecosystem services are highly climate sensitive and the
regional economy is thus more vulnerable.
The economy of the IHR is predominantly rural and highly dependent on climate-sensitive
sectors such as the agri-horticultural and livestock sectors. Here, for example, increasing
variations in precipitation (both rainfall and snow) and temperature can change the soil
moisture availability, plant phenology, viable altitudinal range of plants and pest
susceptibility. Eventually, these changes impact growth and yields from agriculture,
horticulture and forest species. Rain-fed agriculture, horticulture and livestock are
particularly impacted. An example is the falling apple yields; especially in lower altitudinal
ranges in the western Himalaya, such as in Himachal Pradesh. Similarly, drying of natural
springs, together with increase in pests, has impacted cardamom cultivation in the eastern
Himalaya, for example, in South Sikkim District.2
The Himalaya have become highly vulnerable due to geological reasons, additional stress
caused by exploitation of natural resources, increased population pressures and other related
challenges. These effects are likely to be exacerbated due to the impact of climate change,
which may adversely impact the Himalayan ecosystem through increased temperature,
altered precipitation patterns, more recurrent episodes of drought and negative biotic
influences. If average temperatures increase as predicted (increases in average temperatures
and variations in rainfall patterns have already been observed in the region), all aspects of
human and natural life will be affected. Locally, the ability of people to cope with will be
challenged; further away, changes in the Himalaya—extreme rainfall events and glacier
melt—could affect the lives and livelihoods of around millions of people living in the river
basins downstream. Irrigation, livestock and rural drinking water supply depend heavily on
springs as source. These are drying up and turning seasonal. On a broader regional
perspective, a huge majority of Himalayan glaciers, the largest ice pack outside the poles, are
retreating.3 Yet, knowledge on the state of Himalayan glaciers and their evolution is still
fragmentary due to their remoteness and as a result of a lack of long-term series for glacier
area, length or mass balance changes.4
The IHR, over the last few years, has seen a rapid increase in the incidence and intensity of
extreme weather events. Deaths and morbidity associated with extreme climate variability are
also likely to increase. Climate change will have differentiated impacts, which will be more
severe for women, children and for poor and marginalized groups in hill communities. As
such, livelihood activities in the IHR have a higher level of sensitivity and a disproportionate
exposure to climate change. Mountains have smaller farms and mostly rain-fed farming,
leading to low productivities and income levels. Adoption of commercial farming
(vegetables, fruit) has provided significant cash income in rural areas. Agriculture and
livestock are at high risk from rainfall variability and extreme weather events. Women have
high levels of labour responsibility for fuel wood, fodder and water, as well as in agriculture.
Historically, migration has been an important element of an adaptive livelihood strategy,
which, while obtaining cash income, leads to functionally women-headed households for
much of the year. Connectivity adds an additional component of risk. In addition, climate
change can adversely impact infrastructure—for example, extreme weather events can cause
landslides, damage roads, critically impair connectivity, damage basic service installations
2
Climate Change and India, A 4x4 Assessment, Indian Network for Climate Change Assessment, November 2010.
3
Snow and glaciers of the Himalayas, Report, Space Application Centre, Ahmedabad, May 2011.
4
Bolch et. al. (2012), The state and fate of Himalayan glaciers. Science (in review).

Introduction
such as the water supply and drainage, etc. Likewise, many infrastructure or developmental
projects may have adverse impacts on the climate.
Many of the above changes are already becoming visible in the IHR. While communities are
trying to cope with these changes (autonomous as well as at collective levels), the
interactions between different sectors, stressors, climate change, development, adaptation and
mitigation are particularly complex in the IHR. Good data and information are needed to
assess the current situation and to make reliable predictions that can be used as a basis for
planning. At the same time, a good data and information base will enhance climate resilience
for the future and also the improve quality of life in the present. On a geographical level, the
sub-national entity, the state, acts as the focal point of climate change response. Preparation
and implementation of SAPCCs thus forms a crucial cog in the strategy to address climate
change, as most of the interventions aimed at improving the climate resilience/adaptation
ability of the communities and public or private infrastructure and preserving the ecosystems
are undertaken and implemented at the state level. Besides, technology improvements in
production, consumption and other related sectors at the state level are also critical in
enhancing the effectiveness of national policies for mitigation.
The Uttarakhand Context

Uttarakhand is most vulnerable to climate-mediated risks. Mountainous regions are
particularly vulnerable to climate change and have shown ‘above average warming’ in the
20th Century. According to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), impacts
are expected to range from reduced genetic diversity of species to glacial melt in the
Himalaya, leading to increased flooding, which will affect water resources within the next
few decades.
The natural resources of the region provide life supporting, provisioning, regulating and
cultural ‘eco-system’ services to millions of local as well as downstream people. The
economy as a whole was characterized by low economic growth combined with high rates of
population growth in the past. However, in recent times, the state has shown rapid economic
growth (2.9% at the time of formation of the state to 7.87% at present5). The livelihoods are
almost totally based on natural resources—water, forest, agriculture, etc. Uttarakhand has
also been the fulcrum for environmental activism such as, for example, the Chipko
movement. About three-fourth of state’s population is rural and virtually all depend on
agriculture. Tourism and animal husbandry are other sources of income.
With over 15 important rivers and over a dozen major glaciers, Uttarakhand is a valuable
freshwater reserve. Hydel power continues to be a prime resource base for state’s economy
(with more than 200 large and medium-sized hydro-projects). A large portion of the state is
under forests, with several forest-based industries. Climate change will have direct impacts
on livelihoods as most of the economic and livelihood sectors are vulnerable to the impacts of
climate change.
Some of the reported climate-change-induced changes in the Uttarakhand Himalaya include
receding glaciers and an upwardly moving snowline, depleting natural resources, erratic
rainfall, irregular winter rains, advancing cropping seasons, fluctuations in the flowering
behaviour of plants, shifting of cultivation zones of apple and other crops, reduction in snow
in winter, a rise in temperature, an increasing intensity and frequency of flash floods and
drying up of perennial streams.
5
2012-13, State-wise YoY Growth Rate (at 2004-05 prices), Planning Commission

Introduction
Transforming Crisis into Opportunity

Climate change escalates the already existing vulnerabilities (social, ecological, economic
and cultural) and inequities of Uttarakhand and could manifest disastrously if not addressed
adequately. At the same time, the state has already begun a range of initiatives across various
sectors for building adaptive resilience to climate change as well as supporting mitigation.
Existing Initiatives in Uttarakhand towards Building Resilience and Mainstreaming

Adaptation
Uttarakhand, since its creation in the year 2000, has set up institutions and promoted programmes that are
bound to facilitate mainstreaming various adaptation measures, build the resilience of vulnerable
communities and households, deepen impacts of national missions and/or provide co-benefits through
developmental interventions.
 Disaster Mitigation and Management Centre (DMMC)—building resilience of vulnerable communities
and households against natural hazards and risks, search & rescue programmes, Standard Operating
Procedures (SOPs) for addressing a range of natural calamities and hazards, with early warning
systems;
 Constitution of 12,089 Community Forestry Councils (Van Panchayats) in more than 12,000 villages to
anchor natural resource-based livelihoods programmes, Green India Mission and NM Sustaining
Himalayan Ecosystems;
 Watershed Management Directorate (WMD) under Watershed Development Department with detailed
multi-layer land-use details for 1110 micro-watersheds ready to operationalize Local Level Adaptation
measures at the grass roots level;
 Uttarakhand Space Application Centre (SAC) with state-of-the -art facilities for remote sensing;
 Uttarakhand Organic Commodities Board (UOCB) for operationalizing organic farming and
revitalizing rain-fed agriculture;
 Premier Agriculture Universities and ICAR Institutions of Excellence such as G.B. Pant University,
Pantnagar and Vivekanand Parvatiya Krishi Sansthan, Almora are engaged in releasing new varieties
of seeds for cereals, vegetables and millets, adapted to changed temperatures;
 Deepening agriculture extension services to sub-block levels, twice yearly, holding extension-cum-
inputs provision “fairs” in the presence of agriculture scientists, providing alternate extension services for
rain-fed-cum-organic agriculture on a very large scale.
 Crop Insurance Schemes for agricultural crops, fruits etc.
 Constitution of Biodiversity Management Committee’s (BMCs) and preparation of People’s
Biodiversity Registers (PBRs)
The challenge for the state is to holistically converge these existing initiatives and make
additional efforts to integrate climate concerns and response measures into all aspects of the
development process, from policy and planning to implementation. The state has adopted this
as the underlying principle in the formulation of the Uttarakhand Action Plan for Climate
Change (UAPCC) and aims to become a green and carbon neutral state by 2020.
*****

Process Adopted for UAPCC Preparation
Initial Processes and Preparation of an Initial Draft
The state government initiated processes towards the preparation of the UAPCC and the State
Council for Climate Change (SCCC) was constituted in 19 January, 2011 under the
chairmanship of the Chief Secretary, comprising 29 members including Principal Secretaries/
Secretaries in charge of various line departments as well as other senior government officials.
The SCCC was mandated to oversee all aspects of the state’s preparations and initiatives to
address climate change and its impacts.
The government identified the State Forest Department (SFD) as the Lead Agency to
coordinate preparation of the UAPCC in consultation with various line departments and other
relevant stakeholders and nominated Mr. Jai Raj, Additional Principal Chief Conservator of
Forests (APCCF)—Environment as the State Nodal Officer to coordinate among different
departments/agencies.
Eleven sectoral working groups (Agriculture, Forest, Water Resources, Livestock and Animal
Husbandry, Health, Industry, Disaster, Energy, Road and Transport, Urban Development and
Tourism) were constituted, each under a Principal Secretary/Secretary who drafted their
sectoral papers. Inputs to the UAPCC were developed by the working groups by mid-2011,
subsequent to various deliberations and interactive processes of developing sectoral inputs in
the groups. The Chief Secretary took several rounds of meetings to facilitate the inputs from
the various working groups, which were collated into an initial draft UAPCC, based on the
Common Framework provided by the Ministry of Environment and Forests (MoEF),
Government of India (GoI). The initial draft was circulated to solicit comments and inputs
and also put up on the website of the State Forest Department so that anyone who wanted to
share inputs could do so. United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) assisted the state
government in these activities.
Revision Process and Preparation of a Revised Draft

After a process of initial review of the initial draft UAPCC and receiving inputs/comments on
it, it was felt necessary to carry out a revision to fill in gaps and to update the document.
UNDP assisted the state government with carrying out this process. A secondary review was
carried out by the technical team, which recommended some changes to the existing draft.
These included (i) the need for a more structured framework for the UAPCC, (ii) the need for
the UAPCC to articulate an overarching state-level vision and commitment and the
institutional architecture to guide, govern, support, coordinate and monitor implementation of
the plan across various sectors and (iii) the need to incorporate additional elements in the plan
including bringing in additional sectors, articulating the roles of the private sector, financial
institutions, civil society and approaches to gender mainstreaming.
A timeline of processes undertaken in the revision process is given below (Table 1 and Figure
1).
Processes Adopted for UAPCC Preparation
Table 1: Timeline of UAPCC revision process/activities
Month/Dates Process/Activity
March 2012 Revised framework for the UAPCC created in close consultation with APCCF, Mr Jai
Raj and Dr R S Tolia, NTPC Chair, Doon University, Dehradun; guidance notes on
new framework also prepared.
19 March, 2012 Meeting of key line department personnel and working group members organized at
the behest of the Chief Secretary to discuss revision process and revised framework
and guidance notes circulated.
19–27 March, 2012 One-on-one meetings with sectoral line departments and key working group
members as well as several other stakeholders.
26–27 March, 2012 Two-day stakeholder consultation workshop (Garhwal Region) at Doon University,
supported by World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) India (Figure 2).
13–14 April, 2012 Two-day stakeholder consultation workshop (Kumaon Region) at Govind Ballabh
Pant Institute for Himalayan Environment and Development (GBPIHED), Kosi
Katarmal (Figure 3).
18 April, 2012 Revised draft submitted; put up to MoEF’s Technical Review Committee.
19 April, 2012 MoEF Technical Review Committee grants prima facie clearance for UAPCC.
May, 2012 Penultimate version of UAPCC generated, uploaded on website for public access.
1 October, 2012 Civil society consultation on the UAPCC in Dehradun.
26-27 November, 2012 Expert consultation with Climate and Development Knowledge Network.
27 November, 2012 Round table on gender issues in UAPCC
January 2013 Generation of final edited version of the UAPCC
7 November 2013 Workshop on Climate Change with Ministers, MLAs, officials etc. of the State Govt.
organised by the British Deputy High Commission, Chandigarh and
the Confederation of Indian Industries, Uttarakhand Chapter
23 December 2013 Approval of UAPCC by the State Council of Climate Change presided by the Chief
Secretary with the instructions to incorporate changes in the context of 16-17 June,
2013 natural disaster.
30 April 2014 One day State Consultation on Gender and Climate Change in the Indian Himalayan
Region organised jointly by IUCN, Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation
(SDC) and Indian Himalayan Climate Adaptation Programme (IHCAP) held in
Dehradun
Figure 1: UAPCC revision process meeting on 19 March 2012 at the Uttarakhand Secretariat
Figure 2: Consultations of 26–27 March 2012 at Doon University

The two-day stakeholder consultation workshops at Doon University and at the Govind
Ballabh Pant Institute of Himalayan Environment and Development (GBPIHED), Almora
were designed so that Day 1 of the workshop focussed on seeking voices/inputs from
grassroots communities and representatives including Pradhans and Pramukhs from across
the Garhwal region of the state and Day 2 focussed on dialogue with scientific and academic
institutions as well as with civil society groups/organizations, with a view to soliciting inputs
on (i) climate change and its impacts and (ii) mechanisms for connecting science (both basic
and applied) and civil society to practice and policy in the UAPCC. Brief notes on the
proceedings of the workshops are given in Annexure 1.
Figure 3: Consultations of 13–14 April at GBPIHED, Kosi Katarmal, Almora
The inputs received from the above processes have been used to revise the first draft of the
UAPCC and create the revised draft. This draft was widely disseminated and
comments/inputs were sought not only from the government but also from academia and
research organizations, the private sector, civil society and other stakeholders. The inputs
received on the initial draft have been incorporated.
The UAPCC is anyway intended to be a ‘dynamic’ document and will undergo periodic
reviews and revisions and will be updated on an ongoing basis as the knowledge base
broadens and as more data and evidence become available. The UAPCC therefore has to be
perceived as an evolving document, with ample flexibility to internalize changes and
developments occurring at the national, regional and local levels over time.
The draft UAPCC was submitted to the MoEF for technical review and an in-principle
approval was received on 19 April, 2012 with a few comments/suggestions for improvement.
These were incorporated and a penultimate version of the UAPCC was generated in May
2012 and uploaded on the forest department’s website for public access and inputs. An
additional civil society consultation was held in Dehradun on 1 October, 2012 and an expert
consultation with the Climate and Development Knowledge Network (CDKN) on 26–27
November, 2012. Further, the country’s first ever inter-departmental roundtable on
mainstreaming gender in a State-level Action Plan on Climate Change (SAPCC) was hosted
by the Uttarakhand Forest Department, the nodal departments for the Uttarakhand SAPCC
(UAPCC), in collaboration with the Centre for Public Policy, Doon University; and
supported by Alternative Futures, a Delhi-based development and policy research
organization and Central Himalayan Environment Association (CHEA), a Nainital-based
grassroots development organization. The invitation from Mr Jai Raj, Additional Principal
Chief Conservator of Forests (APCCF), the nodal officer for the UAPCC, signalled the
importance of integrating gender concerns in the UAPCC for all relevant departments. The
day-long roundtable, inaugurated by Prof. V K Jain, Vice-chancellor, Doon University and
chaired by Dr R S Tolia, former Chief Secretary and Chair, Centre for Public Policy at Doon

University, was held at the university campus on 27 November, 2012. The inputs from this
workshop have been included in Annexure 1.
*****

Part A: Baseline Assessment
1 State Profile
1.1 Overview
1.1.1 Geographical Context—The Himalaya
The name ‘Himalaya’ has been derived from two Sanskrit words, Hima (snow) and Alaya
(abode), ‘the abode of snow’. The massive Himalayan arc extends over 2,500 km between
Nanga Parbat (8,126 m), in the west and Namcha Barwa (7,755 m), in the east.
Physiographically, starting from the Siwalik Hills in the south, the Himalayan mountain
range extends to the Tibetan plateau in the north. The broad divisions are the Siwaliks, the
lesser Himalaya, the greater Himalaya and the trans-Himalaya; extending almost
uninterrupted throughout its length, separated by major geological fault lines (Figure 4).
6
Figure 4: The Hindu Kush Himalaya (HKH) and the Indian Himalayan states
The higher regions of the Himalaya are snowbound throughout the year and in spite of their
proximity to the tropics, the perpetual snow level seldom falls below 5,500 m. The
Himalayan ranges encompass numerous glaciers (9,575); notable among them is the Siachen,
which is the largest glacier in the world except the polar region. The Himalayan glaciers are
the source for several large perennial rivers, which in turn further define and shape the
mountain configuration and drain into major river systems of the continent. The IHR,
6
Sources: Google Maps © 2014 and The GBPIHED Envis Centre
1. State Profile
including the Himalaya proper and the north-eastern hill states, lies between latitudes 21°57′
N and 37°5′ N latitudes and longitudes 72°40′ E and 97°25′ E, covering an area of 5,33,000
km2. It stretches over 2,500 km from Jammu and Kashmir in the west to Arunachal Pradesh
in the east, covering partially/fully 12 states of India, but its width varies from 150 km to 600
km at different places.
The region is vast, rugged and varied. The higher ranges remaining perpetually snowbound,
overlooked by more than 13 peaks surpassing 7000 m in elevation. The IHR plays a vital
strategic role in safeguarding the entire northern boundary of the nation. Apart from the
national security standpoint, the Himalayan region is also important for its high forest cover.
More than 65% of its geographical area is under forests, representing one-third of the total
forest cover and nearly half (46%) of the very good forest cover of the country. More than
9,000 Himalayan glaciers and high-altitude lakes form a unique reservoir storing about
12,000 km3 of freshwater. This reservoir releases its wealth to the rest of the country, mostly
in a manner that sustains the lives of millions, deep into the plains.
1.1.2 Uttarakhand—Overview and Economy

Uttarakhand is one of the hilly states in the Indian Himalaya. Formerly a part of Uttar
Pradesh (UP), Uttarakhand (formerly called Uttaranchal) (Figure 5) was created as the 27th
state of the Indian Union on 9 November, 2000 by carving out the 13 hill districts of UP. It
lies in the northern part of India between the latitudes 28°43′ N and 31°27′ N and longitudes
77°34′ E and 81°02′ E, having a maximum dimensions of 301 km in the east-west direction
and 255 km in the north-south and covering an area of 53,483 km2. The elevation ranges
from 210 to 7817 m. The state shares its border with China (Tibet) in the north, Nepal in the
east, inter-state boundaries with Himachal Pradesh in the west and north-west and UP in the
south.
Figure 5: Uttarakhand and its districts

1. State Profile
Broadly, the region constitutes of 13 districts falling in two major administrative units, viz.,
Garhwal (north-west portion) and Kumaon (south-east portion). Garhwal Division consists of
seven districts, i.e. Dehradun, Haridwar, Uttarkashi, Tehri, Pauri, Rudraprayag and Chamoli,
while the remaining six districts, viz., Pithoragarh, Bageshwar, Almora, Nainital, Champawat
and Udham Singh Nagar, fall in Kumaon Division (Table 2).
Hindi, Garhwali and Kumaoni are commonly spoken in the state. English is the medium of
education in many of its schools.
7
Table 2: General and economic profiles
General Profile
State formed on 9 November 2000
2
Total area 53,483 km
2
Total forest area 34,651 km
Capital Dehradun (temporary)
Total number of districts 13
High Court Nainital
Main crops Rice, barley, maize
Main fruits Apple, litchi, plum, peach, malta
Main rivers Bhagirathi, Alaknanda, Mandakini, Pindar, Tons, Yamuna, Kali, Bhilangna, Sarayu,
Ramganga
Main tourist and historic Nainital, Mussoorie, Pauri, Almora, Ranikhet, Khirsu
places
Main religious places Badrinath, Kedarnath, Gangotri, Yamunotri, Panchakedar, Panchabadari,
Panchaprayag, Haridwar, Rishikesh, Hem Kund Sahib
Population density 189
(persons/km)
Total population (millions) 10.11
Decennial growth rate 19.17%
(2001–2011)
Male population (millions) 5.15
Female population 4.96
(millions)
Sex ratio (females per 963
1,000 males)
Literacy rate (%) 79.6
Economic Profile
GSDP (` crore) (2011-12) 60,898
factor cost
Per capita income (`) 94,944
(2011–2012) (current
prices)
CAGR (%) (2004/05 to 12.9
2009/10)
Key industries Auto and auto-components, agro and food processing, paper, machinery and
equipment, pharmaceuticals, FMCG, tourism, hydro power, saw mills, plywood and
resin factories and other forest-based industries
Key industrial areas Haridwar, Dehradun, Sitarganj, Rudrapur
The Gross State Domestic Product (GSDP) stood at `60,898 crore in 2011-12 as against
`55,536 crore in 2010-11, registering a growth of 9.65%. The state’s Gross Domestic Product
7
All demographic information is from the 2011 Census data. Economic data are from CII’s Uttarakhand Investment Climate
Report, November 2011 and Uttarakhand at a Glance 2012-13. For detailed information and state statistical data, see
http://des.uk.gov.in/pages/display/61-uttarakhnad-at-a-glance

1. State Profile
(GDP) registered a compounded annual growth rate (CAGR) of 12.9% between 2004-05 and
2009-10 as against the national average of 8.6%. However, its contribution to the national
GDP was only about 1% during 2011-12. The state derives most of its GSDP from services
and secondary sectors, with shares of 52% and 37% during 2011-12, respectively. Services
sector registered a CAGR of 14.1%, while the secondary sector grew at a CAGR of 18.3%
during the period from 2004-05 to 2009-10. This growth is largely driven by sub-sectors such
as manufacturing, transport, warehousing, communication, trade, hotels and restaurants,
financing, insurance, real estate and business services. Manufacturing recorded the highest
CAGR, 27.5%, followed by trade, hotels, transport, storage and communication, with a
CAGR of 16.8%. Agriculture and allied sub-sectors, which are part of the primary sector,
grew by 1.55%. The growth of agriculture and allied sub-sectors was 4.62% in the year
2006/07, which has slowed down thereafter. Leisure, adventure and religious tourism play a
prominent role in Uttarakhand's economy, with Corbett Tiger Reserve and hill stations being
amongst the most frequented destinations. Other national wonders include the Valley of
Flowers, which along with Nanda Devi National Park, is a United Nations Educational,
Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) World Heritage Site. After attaining
statehood, the economic progress of Uttarakhand has been rapid, with its economic growth
rate increasing from just less than 3% per annum to surpassing 10% per annum. However,
this rapid growth has been accompanied by an adverse impact on the local ecology, thus
making the incorporation of sustainable development practices into the state’s overall
development strategy imperative. The Government of Uttarakhand has responded by making
sustainable development an important element in the state’s growth strategy.
Given the terrain of the state and its favourable climatic conditions, agriculture continues to
be the major source of income for more than three fourths of the state’s population.
Agriculture and allied activities, with a share of about 11% (at constant 2004-05 prices)
during 2011-2012, is a significant contributor to the state domestic product as against the
national average of 14.1%. The size of agriculture and allied sub-sectors is growing;
however, the share of agriculture and allied sub-sectors in the GDP is decreasing due to the
increasing contribution of other sectors during the period from 2004-05 to 2011-12 (Figure
6). The state hosts several climatic zones, which gives it an edge in developing activities
based on floriculture, fruits and nuts, vegetables and vegetable seeds. Given that Uttarakhand
has significant area under forests, forestry and logging were a key component of the
agricultural GDP (26.06% of the agricultural GDP) during 2011-12. The productivity of most
of the crops in the state was less than the national average during the period from 1999-2000
to 2011-12 as more than half of the agricultural area is in hilly regions.
8
Figure 6: State GDP and contribution of Agriculture
8
GSDP, Uttarakhand, Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation

1. State Profile
The per capita income (at current prices) of Uttarakhand registered a CAGR of 21.2%, from
`24,740 in 2004-05 to `94,944 in 2011-12, whereas the per capita income of India increased
by a CAGR of 14.0% 2004-05 to 2009-10. The state’s per capita income is higher than the
all-India average. In Uttarakhand, the Gini Coefficient9 (2004-05 uniform recall period
(URP)) for rural and urban areas is 0.28 and 0.32, respectively. It remains below the national
average of 0.30 and 0.37 for rural and urban areas, respectively. Thus, the income disparity in
the state is comparatively less skewed than that of India.
1.1.3 Uttarakhand—Human Development

UNDP data10 suggest that Uttarakhand’s Human Development Index (HDI) and the
corresponding Inequality Adjusted Index (IHDI) stand at 0.515 and 0.345, respectively. The
state’s HDI and IHDI ranks among Indian states were 7 and 10, respectively. Considering the
state’s HDI ranking of 18 in 2005, it has made significant progress in human development
since then.
The infant mortality rate (IMR) in Uttarakhand is estimated at 41 deaths per 1,000 live births
for 2009 as against 48 for 2001.11 The IMR for the state is better than the all-India average.
The Crude Birth Rate (CBR) and Crude Death Rate (CDR) stand at 19.7 and 6.5, both
slightly below the national average.12 The health infrastructure in the state fares moderately
on most of the health infrastructure indicators. It is evident that the state is better placed in
terms of the number of Sub-Centres, Primary Health Centres (PHCs) and Community Health
Centres (CHCs). There are 8 beds per 10,000 population in Uttarakhand (2008)13 as against
the national figures of 4 beds per 10,000 population (2008).
The overall literacy rate in Uttarakhand is 79.6%, which is higher than the national average of
74.0%. Male literacy in the state stands at 88.3%, while female literacy is 70.7%. The all-
India male and female literacy levels are 82.1% and 65.5%, respectively. The state is better
placed as compared with India as a whole in the case of literacy, Gross Enrolment Ratio
(GER), pupil–teacher ratio and dropout rate.14 The state has about 1.2%, 1.7% and 4.6% of
the total number of government middle, high and senior secondary schools of the country,
respectively. About 72% of the schools in the state are government schools and 28% are
private schools.15 This shows that the government plays a significant role in the education
sector.
1.1.4 Hill Districts, Livelihoods and Vulnerabilities

The hill region districts are relatively less developed in terms of infrastructure, i.e.,
electricity, roads and irrigation. The inter-district inequality in infrastructure has resulted in
increasing disparity in terms of income and livelihood between the hills and the plains. The
land holdings are small and fragmented and irrigation facilities are limited. Soil and water
conservation is another limiting factor for inclusive development. For physical, geographical
and environmental reasons, the scope for agricultural policies based on modern input-
intensive agriculture is severely constrained in the hill regions. The marketable surplus in hill
9
The Gini Coefficient is a measure of the inequality of a distribution, a value of 0 expressing total equality and a value of 1
maximal inequality.
10
M.H. Suryanarayana, Ankush Agrawal and K. Seeta Prabhu, Inequality-Adjusted Human Development Index for India’s
States. UNDP-India 2011.
11
SRS Bulletin, January 2011.
12
ibid
13
RHS Bulletin, 2010, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Government of India.
14
Census of India 2011, Selected Education Statistics 2007-08.
15
Selected Education Statistics 2007-08, MHRD.

1. State Profile
situations is low, marketing facilities are limited and marketing malpractices are prevalent.
The remoteness and inaccessibility of hilly areas also inhibit the transfer of technology. The
credit infrastructure and facilities in the remote areas are lacking. As a result, most of the
rural population in the hills either survives on subsistence agriculture or migrates to other
parts of the country for employment, leaving their lands untilled and fallow. The state faces
the challenge of promoting livelihoods to retain people through local employment and
income generation and to enhance their quality of life. Hill development remains an uphill
challenge as out-migration of local peoples continues from the highland hinterlands.
1.2 Geological and Agro-Ecological Settings

1.2.1 Physiography
The Uttarakhand Himalaya is divided into the distinct non-montane and montane
physiographic zones (Figure 7) as follows:
Figure 7: Physiographic zones of Uttarakhand
A. Non-montane
i. Bhabhar: This is a level surface zone at the foothills of the Himalaya, 34 km wide,
where the Himalayan torrents rush down from the steep slopes and disappear under
boulders and gravels due to the extremely porous soil type of the Bhabhar.
ii. Tarai: Situated below the Bhabhar and parallel to it, the Tarai is a marshy and damp
tract (once 80–90 km wide) containing fertile soils with good water retention capacity.
B. Montane
i. Sub-Himalaya: Called the Sub-Himalaya because it possesses the least Himalayan
features. It consists of two zones, the Shivaliks, the youngest of the Himalayan ranges
and the Doon (flat longitudinal structural valleys) to the north of the Shivaliks. The
Shivaliks extend in a narrow varying width of 6 to 30 km, with altitudes of 300–1,000
m.
 Mid Himalaya: This zone extends in a varying width of 60–90 km in an abrupt
rise in elevation between 1,000 m and 3,000 m. It contains two types of
physiographic sub-units: the Himachal ranges and the Himachal valleys and lake
basins.
ii. Greater Himalaya: This zone has a varying width of 40–60 km. The altitude varies
between 3000 and 7,000 m. Except for the lower valleys, this zone is perpetually

1. State Profile
covered with snow and hence it is called Himadri. The region covers glacial
landforms above 3,000 m.
iii. Trans-Himalaya: Also known as the Tethys Himalaya and the Indo-Tibet plateau, the
region is in the rain shadow of the Greater Himalaya and is therefore a cold desert; the
region is within the watersheds of Ganga and Sharda.
1.2.2 Agro-climatic Zones

The state has two distinct climatic regions: the predominant hilly terrain and the small plain
region. The climatic conditions of Uttarakhand vary greatly due to variations in altitude and
proximity towards Himalayan ranges. The climatic conditions of the plains are very similar to
those in the Gangetic plain, i.e. tropical conditions. Summers are relatively hot and winters
are chilly, with temperatures going below 0°C. The lowest temperature recorded is –3.0°C at
Mukteshwar and the highest is 43.2°C at Pantnagar. The extremes can further intensify,
depending upon the coverage of meteorological observatories.
The average rainfall in the state varies from 92 cm, in Srinagar, to 250 cm in Nainital.
However, spatial distribution of the rainfall varies, depending upon the geographical location
and slope and aspect of the place. The amount of rainfall is generally high in low
mountainous regions such as Nainital and Dehradun and it gradually decreases with
increasing height. About three-fourths of the total rainfall is confined to the monsoon season
and remaining one-fourth occurs in other seasons due to the western disturbances and local
orographic effects. The monsoonal activities generally start in the later part of June and pick
up in July/August. The temperature and precipitation distributions and overall climatic
conditions of the various districts of Uttarakhand are shown in Figures 8, 9 and 10,
respectively.
Figure 8: Temperature regimes in Uttarakhand (interpolated data)
District Boundary
Avg Temperature - Annual
<0
0 - 10
10 - 20
20 - 25

1. State Profile
Figure 9: Distribution of precipitation over Uttarakhand (interpolated data)
District Boundary
Precipitation - Annual (mm)
525 - 1,000
1,000 - 1,500
1,500 - 2,000
2,000 - 2,873
Figure 10: Overall climatic conditions in Uttarakhand
District Boundary
Agroclimatic Map
Perpetual Snow (Very High Hills)
Microthermal Wet (High Hills)
Mesothermal Wet (Moderate Hills)
Mesothermal Humid (Transitional Zone)
Tropical Wet (Bhabhar Region)
Tropical Humid (Terai Region)
No Data
Details of the various altitudinal zones of the state such as soil type and crops produced are
provided district wise, along with the rainfall distribution in these zones, in Table 3 (Figure
11).
Table 3: Altitudinal zones of Uttarakhand, their attributes, major produce and livestock
S.No. Zone Farming Soil Rainfall Districts Principal farm produce

situation (mm/ and livestock
year)
1. Zone A, Tarai Alluvial 1400 U.S. Nagar, Rice, wheat, sugarcane,
up to irrigated Haridwar lentil, chickpea, rapeseed-
1,000 m mustard, mango, litchi,
guava, peach and plums.
Livestock: Buffalo and
cattle.
Bhabhar Alluvial 1400 Nainital, Dehradun Rice, wheat, sugarcane,
irrigated mixed with and Pauri Garhwal rapeseed-mustard, potato,
boulders lentil, mango, guava and

1. State Profile
S.No. Zone Farming Soil Rainfall Districts Principal farm produce

situation (mm/ and livestock
year)
and litchi. Livestock: Buffalo
shingles and cattle
Irrigated Alluvial 2000– Champawat, Pauri, Rice, wheat, onion, chillies,
lower hills sandy soil 2400 Dehradun, peas, potato, radish,
(600–1000 Garhwal, Nainital, cauliflower, pulses,
m) Garhwal, Tehri oilseeds, soybean, mango,
guava, plums and peaches.
Livestock: Buffalo and
cattle
Rain-fed Residual 2000– Champawat, Pauri Finger millet, maize, rice,
lower hills sandy loam 2400 Dehradun, wheat, pulses, mango,
(600–1000 Garhwal, guava, plums and peaches.
m) Bageshwar, Livestock: Buffalo, cattle
Nainital, Garhwal, and goat
Tehri
2. Zone B, Mid hills, Sandy 1200– Champawat, Rice, finger millet, wheat,
1000– south aspect loam 1300 Nainital, Almora, potato, tomato, peas, Cole
1500 m (1000–1500 Dehradun, Tehri crops, pulses, peaches and
m Garhwal, plums. Livestock: Cattle,
Bageshwar sheep and goat
3. Zone C, High hills Red to dark 1200– Pithoragarh, Amaranth, finger millet,
1500– (1500–2400 2500 Almora, Chamoli, French beans, ole crops,
2400 m m) Bageshwar potato, peas, peaches,
plums, pear, apple, stone
fruits. Livestock: Cattle,
sheep and goat.
4. Zone D, Very high Red to 1300 Pithoragarh, Amaranth, buckwheat,
>2,400 hills black clay Chamoli, Uttarkashi peas, cole crops, apple and
m potato. Livestock: Sheep,
goat.
Figure 11: Uttarakhand soils and soil depth mapping by NBSS&LUP
W E
Soil Depth (m)

0
128
140
141
150
215
40 0 40 80 120 Kilometers
300
No Data
Soil is one of the most important natural resources and the biodiversity of a region strongly
depends upon soil and climatic elements. Soil also greatly influences the productivity of

0 70 Miles
1. State Profile
agro-ecosystems. Soil resources in Uttarakhand vary from the deep, alluvial and fertile soils
of the Tarai tract to the recently laid down alluvium of the dun valley; the thin fragile soil of
the Shivalik hills; the black soils of the temperate zone; and the arid, bare soil of the inner dry
valleys. Soils in the bottom of valleys are more fertile than those found on the ridge top due
to the presence of a large quantity of humus, mineral nutrients and moisture and due to the
suitable soil depth. This natural resource is depleting gradually, day by day, as soil erosion in
the area is increasing with the increase in deforestation and degradation. Various
classifications of the types of soils of Uttarakhand exist.
On the basis of soil texture, the National Bureau of Soil Survey & Land Use Planning
(NBSS&LUP), Nagpur has divided the soils of Uttarakhand into eight different categories,16
namely sandy loam, sandy clay loam, fine loam, fine silt, clay, coarse loam, loamy skeletal
and snow field.
1.2.3 Land-use Pattern

Owing to its largely mountainous regions, the state is endowed with unique ecosystems. The
northern region of the state is part of the great Himalayan range, covered with snow and
glaciers. Two of the Indian sub-continent’s major rivers – the Ganga and the Yamuna – also
originate from the glaciers of Uttarakhand. Other parts of Uttarakhand are covered with dense
forests that make up the bulk of the natural resources base.
As in most other hill economies, the people of Uttarakhand practice integrated systems of
farming, forestry, horticulture, livestock rearing and off-farm activities. According to the
2010-11 records, the land use pattern in the state is given in Figure 1217. However, there has
been a significant change in forest cover that has become 71.05% of the total geographical
area in 2012-1318
Figure 12: Land-use pattern in Uttarakhand
16
NBSS&LUP carried out a survey and sampling of soils several years ago, and thus the present soil pattern in the state may
vary from the soil types reported by them. Therefore, there is an urgent need to conduct a comprehensive survey and
sampling of the soils using the modern technologies of automated analysis, remote sensing, GIS and GPS.
17
Department of Agriculture and Cooperation, Ministry of Agriculture, GoI; http://eands.dacnet.nic.in/LUS_1999_2004.htm
18
Uttarakhand Forest Statistics 2012-13

1. State Profile
1.2.4 Forest Cover

The area under forest in Uttarakhand is 3.4 million hectares, which constitutes 61.45% of its
total land available for utilization. By legal status, reserve forests constitute 71.08%,
protected forests 28.51% and unclassified forests 0.41% of the total forest area. The major
forest types occurring in the state are Tropical Moist Deciduous, Tropical Dry Deciduous,
Sub-tropical Pine, Himalayan Moist Temperate, Sub-Alpine and Alpine Forests. Forests are
largely distributed throughout the state, with conifers and Sal being the major forest
formation.
1.2.5 Hydrological Setting

The predominantly hilly state of Uttarakhand has a varied hydrogeological set-up and can be
divided broadly into two distinct hydrogeological regimes, viz. the Gangetic alluvial plain
and the Himalayan mountain belt. The former is covered with a vast expanse of alluvium and
unconsolidated sedimentary material of varying size fractions (ranging from boulder to clay)
and is a promising zone for ground water development. The latter zone, being predominantly
hilly, offers much less potential for large-scale development of ground water. Ground water
in the hilly region occurs mostly in fissures/fractures and emerges as springs. The springs are
amenable to small-scale development of ground water resources in the state. The yield of
tube wells in the Shivalik formation ranges from 50.4 m3/h to 79.2 m3/h and in the Bhabhar
formations the yield is up to 332.4 m3/h. In the Tarai belt the yield of tube wells ranges from
36 m3/h to 144 m3/h and in the Indo-Gangetic plains the yield varies from 90 m3/h to 198
m3/h.
1.2.6 Major River Basins and Sub-basins

The main drainage system of Uttarakhand has been grouped into the following six
catchments:
Yamuna Catchment. The Yamuna River originates from the base of Bandarpunch peak. It
has carved a deep V-shaped gorge. The Yamuna cuts across the Nag Tibba range and
Mussoorie range near a place called Yamuna Bridge. The rivers Tons, Pabar and Aglar are its
important tributaries. It passes through the Doon valley at its western boundary.
Bhagirathi Catchment. This is one of the two rivers that join to form the River Ganga. It
originates from the snout of the Gangotri glacier at Gaumukh, which is at the base of
Chaukhamba peak. The Bhagirathi River has cut a deep gorge across the granitic rocks of the
higher Himalaya of Garhwal. Its main tributaries are the river Janhavi and the Bhilangna.
Alaknanda Catchment. The Alaknanda River joins the River Bhagirathi at Devprayag to
form the River Ganga. It originates from the eastern slopes of Chaukhamba, from the
Bhagirathi Kharak and Satopanth glaciers. The river flows by the side of the Badrinath
temple. Its main tributaries are the Khiraonganga, Pindar Dhauliganga, Birahi, Nandakini,
Mandakini, etc. It has formed a broad valley at Srinagar (Garhwal).
Mandakini Catchment. It comes out from the Mandakini glacier near Kedarnath. It cuts
through a gorge of glacial debris. The river has formed road terraces at Augustmuni and
Tilwara. At Tilwara, it is joined by the River Lastar Gad. The River Mandakini joins the river
Alaknanda at Rudraprayag.
Pindar Catchment. The River Pindar originates from the Pindari Glacier, which is located
between Nanda Devi and Nanda Kot peaks. The Sundardhunga River joins the Pindar near
Dhakuri. The Pindar joins the River Alaknanda near Karanprayag.

1. State Profile
Kali Catchment. The River Kali forms the boundary between Kumaon and Nepal. The Kali
River forms the border between Nepal and the border districts of Pithoragarh and Chamoli.
The main tributaries of the Kali are the Ladiya, Sarayu-Ramganga East, Goriganga,
Dhauliganga East and Kuti Yangte.
The Land Survey Directorate (LSD) has divided Uttarakhand into eight catchments, which
are divided into 26 watersheds. These are divided into 110 small watersheds and finally there
are 1,110 micro watersheds.
Natural Lakes and Reservoirs. Uttarakhand has 31 natural lakes covering an area of about
300 ha. The state is endowed with eight large-sized man-made reservoirs in Tehri and
Udhamsingh Nagar districts, covering an area of 20,075 ha. The Tehri dam is the largest dam
in Uttarakhand, followed by Sharda Sagar reservoir, with a water area of 6,880 ha and Nanak
Sagar reservoir, with a water area of 4,084 ha. These reservoirs are owned by the Irrigation
Department. Additionally there are a total of 1,545 small ponds/tanks covering an area of 604
ha in the state. The reservoirs are generally used for irrigation.
******

2 Climate Profile
2.1 Future Climatic Projections
2.1.1 Possible Future Climate Scenarios for India and the Himalayan
Region19
The projections/forecasts of climate change in the Himalayan region according to the 4 × 4
assessment made by the MoEF are summarized below (Table 4, Figure 13).
Figure 13: Temperature projection for India for 2030s for (a) December, January, February and (b) June, July,
August—4 × 4 assessment
Table 4: Projected climate change parameters in 2030s with respect to 1970s—4 × 4 assessment
Features Himalayan region

Temperature Increase
Precipitation Increase
Extreme temperature Increase
Extreme precipitation Intensity Increase
Number of rainy days Increase
2.1.2 Annual Mean Temperature

Most parts of India show a warming trend, except the north-western parts of the country,
where a cooling trend is observed. All the seasons show significant warming trends except
after the monsoons, where the trend is positive but not significant. For India as a whole, a
significant decreasing trend in the frequency of cold days and an increasing trend (close to
5% significant level) in the frequency of hot days have been forecasted. A warming trend has
been forecast for the sea surface temperature of the north Indian Ocean region. The seasons
may be warmer by around 2oC towards the 2030s.
Himalayan region: The annual temperature has been forecast to increase from 0.9°C ±
0.6°C to 0.6°C ± 0.7°C in the 2030s. The net increase in temperature ranges from 1.7°C to
19
All figures and data in this subsection are quoted from Climate Change and India, A 4 × 4 Assessment, Indian Network for
Climate Change Assessment, November 2010.
2. Climate Profile
2.2°C with respect to the 1970s. Seasonal air temperatures are also forecast to rise in all
seasons. However, winter temperatures (during October, November and December) are likely
to decrease by 2.6°C in the 2030s with respect to the 1970s.
According to the forecast of the 4 × 4 study, there is likely to be an increase in the
Temperature–Humidity Index (THI) in many parts of the Himalayan region between March
and September, with a maximum rise between April and July. In the Himalayan region,
thermal discomfort is likely to increase in the 2030s, with the THI > 80, thereby indicating
that in the 2030s, most places in this region are likely to remain under a high temperature
stress. The simulated seasonal and annual rainfall and mean temperature for the Himalayan
region (baseline and A1B scenario) as simulated by PRECIS are presented in Table 5.
Table 5: Characteristics of simulated seasonal and annual rainfall and mean temperature for the Himalayan
region (baseline and A1B scenario)
Himalayan Rainfall (mm) Mean temperature (°C)
Q0 JF MAM JJAS OND Annual JF MAM JJAS OND Annual
Means
1970s 141 315 551 202 1208 -13.3 0.6 10.1 7.0 -0.4
2030s 144 307 615 203 1268 -10.6 5.8 12.1 -4.4 1.3
Standard deviations
1970s 71.9 101.5 101.3 103.1 173.4 1.8 1.3 0.4 1.4 0.6
2030s 99.0 86.2 115.8 125.8 225.2 1.4 1.8 0.6 1.0 0.7

Means
1970s 176 346 412 221 1154 -11.8 -0.2 0.9 -6.8 -0.8
2030s 201 361 449 216 1227 -9.6 1.7 10.1 -5.2 0.9
Standard deviations
1970s 70.6 100.7 57 98.4 169.7 1.4 0.9 0.6 0.8 0.4
2030s 84.1 79.1 67.4 84.7 164.6 1.5 1.0 0.5 1.2 0.6

Means
1970s 232 355 527 284 1398 -12.0 0.9 10.9 -0.6 0.4
2030s 232 399 612 362 1604 -9.9 2.9 12.9 -3.2 2.6
Standard deviations
1970s 123 94.3 86.1 115.6 175.2 1.4 1.3 0.3 0.9 0.4
2030s 89.1 121.8 100.2 126.6 175.2 1.4 1.2 0.8 1.0 0.7
2.1.3 Rainfall and Monsoon

Increasing trends of rainfall are forecast for north-west India, the west coast and peninsular
India. The 4 × 4 assessment forecasts that a rainfall of 10 cm/day may be an extreme for the
north-west region, whereas it may not be a significant amount for the north-east region or
along the west coast of India during the summer monsoon. The 4 × 4 assessment for
precipitation forecasts a 3 to 7% overall increase in the all-India summer monsoon rainfall in
the 2030s with respect to the 1970s. However, on a seasonal scale, except for the Himalayan
region, all other regions are expected to have lower rainfalls in winter as well as in the pre-
summer period.
Himalayan region: According to the 4 × 4 assessment, the annual rainfall in the Himalayan
region may vary between 1268 ± 225.2 mm and 1604 ± 175.2 mm. The precipitation that has
been forecast shows a net increase in the 2030s with respect to the simulated rainfall of the
1970s in the Himalayan region by 60 to 206 mm. The increase in the annual rainfall in the

2. Climate Profile
2030s with respect to that of the 1970s ranges from 5% to 13%. All seasons in the Himalayan
region are forecast to have an increase in rainfall, with the maximum increase in rainfall
forecast to be in the monsoon months of June, July, August and September, 12 mm. The
winter rain in the months of January and February is also forecast to increase by 5 mm in the
2030s with respect to the 1970s, with the minimum increase being in October, November and
December. The Himalayan region is mainly fed by the Indus river system. The whole area is
expected to experience an increase in precipitation in the 2030s scenario. The increase varies
between 5% and 20% in most areas, with some areas of Jammu and Kashmir and
Uttarakhand showing an increase of up to 50%. The general impact of the increase in
precipitation is expected to be an increase in the sediment yield. The increase in the sediment
yield in the Himalayan region is up to 25%, which can be detrimental for the existing water
resources projects and has the potential to cause considerable damage to the environment.
Projections of extreme precipitation: On any particular day, if more rainfall than 2.5 mm is
received, the day is considered to be a rainy day. In simulations, the frequency of rainy days
is more in east and north-east India and less over western India. Q0, Q1 and Q14 simulations
for the 2030s, however, indicate that the frequency of the rainy days is set to decrease in most
parts of the country, except in the Himalaya, the north-western region and the southern
plateau. The intensity of the rainy days increases more in the intense warming scenario Q14
with respect to simulations Q0 and Q1. However, a Q14 simulation suggests a decrease in the
intensity of rainy days over the Western Ghats and northern India and an increase in the
intensity by 2–12% in the Himalayan region, north-eastern region, western and north-western
regions and the south-eastern coastal regions.
Projected changes in temperature extremes: Analysis of the three model simulations
indicates that both the daily extremes in surface air temperature may intensify in the 2030s.
The spatial pattern of the change in the lowest daily minimum and highest maximum
temperatures suggests a warming of 1°C to 4°C towards the 2030s. Over the entire Indian
landmass, this value exceeds 40°C, except over the mountainous regions and the west coast.
PRECIS simulations for the 2030s indicate an all-round warming over the Indian
subcontinent associated with increasing greenhouse gas concentrations. The annual mean
surface air temperature rise by the 2030s ranges from 1.7°C to 2°C as in the three
simulations.
2.2 Observed Climate Trends in Uttarakhand

The pattern and trend in the weather parameter may vary from one place to another. The
weather pattern of Pantnagar from 1968 to 2008 has been shown in Figure 14.
The maximum temperature of Pantnagar is continuously decreasing at a rate of 3°C/100 years
and the minimum temperature of Pantnagar is continuously increasing at a rate of 2.1°C/100
years. This is representative for the plains of Uttarakhand. This pattern in the minimum and
maximum temperatures is not very conducive for the growth and development of plants as
increasing the night temperature will lead to increasing loss of food material in the process of
respiration. Also, there are certain crops, such as tomato, which produce more when the
diurnal temperature range (difference between maximum and minimum temperatures) is
large. The mean temperature exhibits almost no trend (or decreases very slowly), with a large
inter-annual variability.
The rainfall at Pantnagar is increasing at a rate of about 10 mm/year. This is largely due to
the few high-rainfall events in the recent past. Otherwise, the amount of rainfall over the
years is almost constant, with large inter-annual variability. A very alarming trend can be
observed in the bright sunshine hours, which are decreasing at a rate of about 2 h/100 years.

32 Average Tmax y = -0.0301x + 89.715
Linear (Average Tmax) 2
o
R = 0.2805
31
Temperature (
30 2. Climate Profile
29
This can prove detrimental to some crops, especially
28 those that require more radiation. The
bright sunshine hours are decreasing due to the increasing cloud cover. Increasing cloud
cover is also responsible for the night warming 1968 1978 cooling
and day 1988 1998 2008
Year as it reflects the solar
radiation back to space during the day and retards the long-wave radiation from the earth,
which does not allow night cooling. The weather 18 andAverage
climate are highly influenced by the
Temperature ( oC)
Tmin y = 0.0215x - 26.045
local land use pattern and different physiographic17.5 processes and therefore may
Linear (Average Tmin) R = 0.3362
2 vary strongly
from one place to another. The trends in the climate17 parameters can also vary spatially.
16.5 be precisely analysed in order to place a
Therefore, the climatic pattern of all stations should
16
location-specific action plan. 15.5
15
Figure 14: Trends of maximum and minimum temperatures, rainfall and bright sunshine hours at Pantnagar
1970 1980 1990 2000
Observatory, District Udham Singh Nagar
Year
Average Tmax y = -0.0301x + 89.715 3500 Total Rainfall y = 10.488x - 19331

C)
32
Linear (Average Tmax) 2 Linear (Total Rainfall) R2 = 0.048
o
R = 0.2805
Rainfall (mm)
31 2500
Temperature (
30
1500
29
500
28
1970 1980 1990 2000
1968 1978 1988 1998 2008 Year
Year
8.5 Avg BSS y = -0.019x + 45.339
18
Linear (Avg BSS)
Temperature ( oC)
Average Tmin y = 0.0215x - 26.045 2

8 R = 0.3314
BSS (hrs)
17.5 Linear (Average Tmin) R2 = 0.3362

17 7.5
16.5
16 7
15.5
15
6.5
1970 1980 1990 2000 197 197 198 198 199 199 200 200
Year 0 5 0 5 Year 0 5 0 5
3500 Total Rainfall y = 10.488x - 19331

Linear (Total Rainfall) R2 = 0.048
The observations of available temperature data20 reveal that since the last 53 years (1955 to
Rainfall (mm)
2500
2007), the average temperature of a Lesser Himalayan Hill station, viz., Almora—located at
29o35’ o
1500and 79 35’’E at an elevation of 1640m from the m.s.l. has increasing trend (Figure
o
15). This data indicates that the average temperature of Almora, i.e., 17.55 C (1955–2007)
500
has increased up to 0.46oC during the last 53 years. This preliminary observation suggests
that the1970
average1980
temperature
1990 is2000
rising in the state.
Year
Likewise, analyses21 of rainfall records of 53 years (1955 to 2007) of Almora postulate the
fact
8.5that the
Avgaverage
BSS yannual rainfall
= -0.019x + 45.339has a decreasing trend (Figure 16). At present, on an
Linear
average, the (Avg BSS)
Almora Hill Station
2 is receiving 23% or 244 mm less annual rain compared to its
8 R = 0.3314
BSS (hrs)
53 years annual average rainfall, i.e., 1060 mm.

7.5
The normal monthly distribution of rainfall in the region reveals that the maximum rainfall
7 in the month of July, which constitutes the peak of the annual hyetograph and the
occurs
months
6.5 August and September constitute the recession segment of the hyetograph.
197 197 198 198 199 199 200 200
0 5 0 5 Year 0 5 0 5
20
Rawat J S. et al, Uttarakhand Centre on Climate Change, 1st Interim Report, issued by USERC, UCOST, UCCC and COE
NRDMS Uttarakhand, 2011.
21
ibid

2. Climate Profile
Figure 15: Variation in annual average temperature and its trend at Almora
Figure 16: Variation from annual rainfall and its trend at Almora
The rainfall records (2000–02) suggest that the peak of the annual hyetograph has been
shifted from July to August and since the last two decades there are incidences when the peak
of the annual hyetograph is being formed in the month of September. This indicates that in
future the peak of the annual hyetograph may be shifted from August to September.
The shifting of rainfall peak in the annual hyetograph reveals that the rainfall rhythm is
gradually changing in Uttarakhand due to climate change.
The state witnessed very heavy rainfall in 2013 which was in the range of 124.5 – 244.4mm.
On 15-17 June, 2013, there was a heavy downpour resulting in natural calamities in different
part of the state and especially in the Kedarnath valley.

2. Climate Profile
There also has been an increasing trend of occurrence of drought incidences in the recent
past. Rainfall records from Hawalbagh, Almora (Figure 17) reveal that between 1964 and
2000 the total incidences of draught were 16, out of which 5 were severe but between 2001
and 2009, 7 draughts occurred out of which 3 were severe.22
Figure 17: Rainfall pattern at Hawalbagh, Almora
Snow cover is highly sensitive to climate change. Geographical distribution of snow cover
area on different watersheds on different dates (from remote-sensing data) shows a declining
trend (Figure 18).
The geographical distribution of snow reveals that on 15 and 21 October 1990 about 4,884.29
km2 area of the state was under snow while on the same dates and months in 1999, the snow
cover was found in 4,145.95 km2 area. This reveals that the snow cover area was about
17.98% (or 738.34 km2—Figure 19) less in Uttarakhand in October 1999 compared to that in
October 1990, i.e., within a period of 9 years.
Results of the spot studies from Uttarakhand (Table 6a) reveal that the glaciers of
Uttarakhand are retreating at different rates in different time periods.23 The Pindari glacier
has retreated about 2,840 m since the last 121 years at an average rate of 23.47 m/year. It was
retreated at the rate of 26.22 m/year between 1845 and 1906, 20 m/year between 1906 and
1958 and 25 m/year between 1958 and 1966. The Thelu and Raktvarna glaciers have
retreated 1,248 m (at the rate of 30.66 m/year) and 1,585 m (at the rate of 37.73 m/year)
during the last 42 years (1962–2004).
22
ibid
23
ibid

2. Climate Profile
Figure 18: Snow cover area in the month of October in different years in the watersheds of Uttarakhand
Figure 19: Status of snow cover area in October 1990 and October 1999 in the Uttarakhand State (based on of
15th and 21st October 1990 LANDSAT TM data and 15th and 21st October 1999 LANDSAT ETM+ data)

2. Climate Profile
2
The Gangotri glacier is a system of as many as 32 tributary glaciers ranging from 1.05 km to
2
17.70 km in area. The tiny and small glaciers are retreating relatively at a faster rate. For
example, Chhanguch, a tributary glacier of the Pindari, retreated at more than 10 times higher
rate (i.e. 85 m/year) during 1958 to 1966 compared to the retreat rate (i.e., 25 m/year) of its
master Pindari glacier. Similarly, the rate of retreat of the two tributary glaciers, viz., the
Raktvarna and Thelu is near about two times higher compared to the retreat rate (19 m/year)
of their master glacier, viz., the Gangotri. Numbers of tiny and small glaciers have
completely disappeared from the region, which is not documented. Signatures of
development of pro-glacial lakes have started coming up in the region, which is another sharp
evidence of the impact of global warming in the region.
Table 6: Rate of recession of different glaciers of Uttarakhand
S.No. Name of Glacier Period Duration Recession Rate of

Retreat
1 Gangotri 1936–1996 61 years 1147 m 19 m/year
2 Pindari 1845–1906 61 years 1600 m 26.22
1906–1958 52 years 1040 m m/year
1958–1966 8 years 200 m 20.0 m/year
25.0 m/year
1885–1966 121years 2840 m 23.47
m/year
3 Milam 1849–1957 108 years 1350 m 12.5 m/year
4 Dokriani 1962–1991 29 years 480 m 16.5 m/year
1991–2000 9 years 161.15 m 18.0 m/year
Tributary Glaciers
1 Chhanguch 1958–1966 8 years 680 m 85 m/year
2 Thelu 1962–2004 42 years 1248 m 30.66
m/year
3 Raktvarna 1962–2004 42 years 1585 m 37.73
m/year
2.3 Vulnerability Assessment of Uttarakhand

Some independent studies examining various (and often discrete) aspects of Uttarakhand’s
vulnerability to climate change have been carried out. These include WWF India’s study of
the Ganga Basin24 (which includes Uttarakhand). An interim report has been brought out by
the Uttarakhand Centre on Climate Change25 (UCCC), Kumaon University. WWF India’s
report examines various factors contributing to exposure, sensitivity, adaptive capacity and
the vulnerability index. Likewise, the UCCC Kumaon University report includes sections on
evidence of climate change in the state as well as brief notes on vulnerabilities to various
sectors/sub-sectors such as water resources (ice, glaciers, ground water, rivers and lakes),
water quality, air and atmosphere, biodiversity (flora and fauna), agro-forestry and
ecosystems, agriculture, food and livelihood security, human health and environment,
disaster and hazard risks, electricity, tourism and industry and human settlement. More
recently, the Uttarakhand State of the Environment Report 2012 by UCOST, Uttarakhand
Science Education and Research Centre (USERC) and the Department of Science and
Technology, Uttarakhand too has highlighted various aspects of climate vulnerability.
24
Facing the Facts: Ganga Basin’s Vulnerability to Climate Change, WWF-India, 2011.
25
Interim Report, Uttarakhand Centre on Climate Change (UCCC), Kumaon University, March 2011.

2. Climate Profile
Additionally, a few examples of documented ‘perceptions’ of climate change and its impacts
are currently available, primarily from the standpoint of grassroots communities. One such
example is the study conducted by the International Centre for Integrated Mountain
Development (ICIMOD)—International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD),26 which
included community perceptions from Uttarakhand. Broadly, perceptions that were recorded
in this study as well as from the consultations held in March and April 2012 as part of the
UAPCC process show the following trends:
 Overall less rainfall, more erratic
 Overall decreased water availability
 Less or absent winter rains
 Increased frequency of intense rainfall events
 Increase in pests and disease
 Increasing temperatures
 Warmer and shorter winters with less snowfall (although the winter of 2011–2012
seemed to be an aberration, with extreme cold weather and excessive snowfall)
Brief notes from the WWF and ICIMOD-IFAD studies are given in Annexure 2. While these
and other available information are a useful starting point to understand the state’s
vulnerability to climate change, there is a clear need for detailed vulnerability assessments of
the state. Studies covering different sectors and the state in general will be carried out and are
part of the action agenda under the UAPCC. Climate and Development Knowledge Network
(CDKN), London has agreed to assist the state in assessing vulnerabilities to climate change
across the state in important sectors.
*****
26
Climate Variability and Change in the Himalayas: Community Perceptions and Responses, International Centre for
Integrated Mountain Development, Kathmandu, Nepal, 2011.

Part B1: Overall Approach, Strategies
and Actions
3 Overarching State Framework
3.1 State Vision and Commitment
Through the UAPCC, the Government of Uttarakhand commits itself to fostering inclusive,
sustainable and climate-resilient growth and development of the state. This vision will be
achieved through (a) charting a green development/carbon neutral growth strategy and
climate-resilient development model; (b) integration of climate concerns into all aspects of
development policy and implementation and (c) ensuring complementarity with and
contributing to the national agenda on climate change. These will be supported by the
strategies and actions outlined in this UAPCC and by all other necessary actions by the state
government for achieving the vision.
3.2 Overall Approach, Principles and Strategies

The overall approach of the UAPCC will be to create and define an overarching climate
response framework at the state government level as also develop flexible sector-specific
response strategies and actions while keeping in mind the overall vision as articulated above.
As already mentioned climate change escalates the already existing vulnerabilities (social,
ecological, economic and cultural) of Uttarakhand and could manifest disastrously if not
addressed adequately. Therefore, the climate response strategy of Uttarakhand has key
elements such as accelerating inclusive economic growth, promoting sustainable
development, securing and diversifying livelihoods and safeguarding ecosystem services.
Further, the strategy is not to be viewed as a stand-alone action; instead, it will be integrated
into the regular developmental planning process.
Climate change adaptation is the predominant philosophy and component of the climate
response strategy of Uttarakhand. At the same time, it will leverage opportunities for
mitigation too. The state lays equal emphasis on both ‘hard’ and ‘soft’ adaptation
approaches—where ‘hard adaptation options’ include options that have physical attributes
(e.g. infrastructure and engineering structures) and ‘soft adaptation options’ include the
development of skills, processes, institutions, social systems, policies and programmes. The
key elements of the climate response strategy for Uttarakhand also involve flexibility (within
livelihoods and economic, social, cultural, ecological and institutional systems),
diversification (involving multiple independent flows to livelihoods and natural systems),
learning and education (from events at both individual and institutional levels and knowledge
base required to develop new systems when existing ones are disrupted), mobility (an
attribute of flexibility), operational techniques (dynamic plans for risk reduction before and
following disruptions), convertible assets and innovation (designing new systems and
options).
Specific elements of the overarching climate response framework at the state government
level are articulated below (and additional elements will be added as and when necessary).
The state will develop action-oriented operational plans and a budgetary framework for these
in a time-bound manner. It has also been ensured that all actions to be undertaken as part
of the UAPCC have broad conformity with NAPCC and the eight national missions
under it.
3. Overarching State Framework
3.2.1 Scientific Knowledge, Evidence Base and Understanding of Climate

Change
The UAPCC recognizes that the currently available data/information on vulnerability to
climate change and its impacts on the state, its economy, its various sectors and communities
are limited. On this front, the UAPCC seeks to achieve the following outcomes (which are
linked to the overall Knowledge Management Strategy under the UAPCC):
 Development of detailed climate vulnerability and risk analyses covering all districts, as
well as specific analyses pertaining to each of the sectors addressed in the UAPCC.
 Improved scientific evidence base and coordination mechanisms between scientific
research and academic institutions (including both national and state-level agencies) for
building a scientific data and evidence base for the state.
 Collation of available scientific information and data on climate change pertaining to the
state.
 Documentation (on an ongoing basis) of people’s perceptions on climate change and its
impacts and, where appropriate, establishing if these have scientific bases and validity.
 Collection of data and documentation of information related to customs and traditional
knowledge in respect to natural resources management and utilization.
To fulfil the above outcomes, the state will take all necessary steps including initiating (as
one of the highest priority agendas) processes for carrying out detailed climate vulnerability
analyses and developing a climate vulnerability atlas, which will be updated on an ongoing
basis. An appropriate state department/agency will be nominated to anchor this process.
Dialogue between scientific research and academic institutions will also be fostered and
coordinated on an ongoing basis. The UAPCC also recognizes that the scientific knowledge
and evidence base is also limited and scattered. While Uttarakhand plays host to a large array
of national and state-level scientific and research organizations, many of which are involved
in research programmes/studies on various aspects of climate change, there is no single
clearing house mechanism that aggregates the available evidence base and tracks all ongoing
and planned research programmes that may have relevance to the state. The state therefore
will put into motion a process for doing this. Climate Change Cells will be constituted in the
line departments.
3.2.2 Governance Mechanisms, Institutional Decision Making and

Convergence
As indicated in an earlier section, Uttarakhand is already implementing a range of
steps/programmes that are climate friendly/carbon neutral. While continuing to support such
initiatives, the state will seek to fulfil a range of outcomes including the following:
 Developing and putting in place overarching institutional and governance mechanisms at
the state level to oversee and implement the UAPCC.
 Reviewing all state policies and revising these as necessary to articulate and integrate
climate concerns.
 Articulating and integrating climate change considerations into development strategies,
plans and programmes.

 Strengthening institutional decision-making mechanisms and processes (including

monitoring and evaluation) to ensure cross-sectoral coordination related to climate
change.
 Developing and adopting appropriate management approaches including regulatory,
incentive-based and innovation-based approaches to encourage appropriate adaptation
and mitigation measures.
 Developing and strengthening the institutional capacity for climate-related disaster risk
reduction (DRR) and management.
In order to provide an overarching governance framework and guidance to the state’s climate
agenda, the state has already constituted the SCCC under the chairmanship of the Chief
Secretary, comprising 29 members including Principal Secretaries/Secretaries in charge of
various line departments as well as other senior government officials. The SCCC, which is
mandated with the apex role of overseeing all aspects of the state’s preparations and
initiatives to address climate change and its impacts, has been activated and specific terms of
reference will be further developed for it, including outlining other key responsibilities,
reviewing all state policies and programmes and identifying gaps, risks, opportunities and
possible corrective actions towards achieving the above outcomes.
The overarching state-level institutional architecture is given in Figure 20.
Figure 20: State-level architecture for UAPCC implementation
State Council for Climate External Advisory

Change (SCCC) headed by Group/Panel
Chief Secretary
Ministry of Environment and Nodal Department at State

Forest, GoI Level: Forest
Department/Environment
Directorate
Climate Change Cells of Civil Society /NGO/ Private

Line Departments Sector
Line Ministries and Missions Line Departments and their

at the GoI Field Functionaries
The State Forest Department, currently the nodal department for development of the UAPCC,
will play an interim role as the nodal agency for overseeing all operational aspects,
implementation and coordination of the UAPCC at the state level. It is anticipated that once
the proposed State Environment Directorate (SED) comes into being, this role will be
transferred to it. In the interim, a full-fledged Climate Change Cell will be set up with the
State Forest Department to oversee implementation of the UAPCC. The State Forest
Department (and subsequently, the SED) will work in close coordination with the SCCC and
report to it on the operational aspects of the UAPCC.

The nodal agency/department overseeing the operational aspects of UAPCC implementation

will be supported closely by several other state-level departments/agencies whose work is
crosscutting. These will include (a) UCOST, (b) the State Disaster Mitigation and
Management Centre (DMMC) and (c) the Watershed Management Directorate (WMD).
Close coordination with the departments overseeing Rural Development, Panchayati Raj,
Women and Child Development, finance and planning will also be ensured. While this
UAPCC focuses on sectoral interventions across a selected set of government line
departments/agencies, this will by no means exclude the role of other line
departments/agencies and civil society/ NGOs/ private sector. These will be co-opted to
support UAPCC implementation processes from time-to-time. The role of the climate change
cells in these departments would be important to achieve this. A framework for
implementation at the district and sub-district levels, including the role of Panchayati Raj and
other local institutions, will also be formulated in the due course.
3.2.3 Capacity Development, Education and Awareness

The state recognizes that overall awareness of climate change and its impacts in Uttarakhand
is limited. Therefore, the UAPCC seeks the fulfilment of the following outcomes:
 Significantly improved awareness of climate change and its impacts in government at all
levels as well as in communities, civil society and the private sector in the state.
 Capacities of government line departments, agencies and civil society at all levels to
analyse, plan, converge, implement and monitor programmes addressing climate change
and its impacts.
Therefore, the state will initiate and foster a range of ongoing awareness and capacity-
building measures aimed at targeting government departments and agencies at various levels
to improve overall awareness levels. It is envisaged that each sectoral line department and
state-level agency will develop and activate Climate Change Cells and actively seek and
foster climate champions.
The state will also put into motion a process of building awareness on climate change and its
impacts among the population and communities in general and develop and widely
disseminate sets of actions that the citizens of the state can take to support the UAPCC. In
addition, the state will examine the possibility of incorporating climate change–related
modules into the educational curriculum across various levels, including the development of
specific academic programmes on climate change at university levels. Appropriate external
agencies will be co-opted as necessary to support the awareness and capacity-building
processes.
3.2.4 Connecting Science, Practice and Policy

As an extension of the overarching principles related to actions for improving the scientific
knowledge and evidence base articulated above, the state is committed to supporting
processes that connect science to practice and policy. The following outcomes are envisaged
towards this end:
 Data/research needs to support UAPCC implementation and related policy making
identified (on an ongoing basis, as needs evolve).
 Mechanisms to foster dialogue with and between scientific research, academic agencies
and civil societies.

 Specific mechanisms to adopt and implement practical approaches and solutions based on
basic and applied research, including customary and traditional practices to support
UAPCC implementation.
 A Centre for Climate Change in the State Forest Department/ Environment Directorate
specifically for the above agendas of connecting science, practice and policy.
As such, under the UAPCC, the state seeks to actively consult and have a dialogue with
relevant scientific organizations and academia in the formulation of state policies to develop
a culture of evidence-based policy making. Similarly, it will also support similar consultation
and dialogue in the formulation of developmental and sectoral programmes by the various
line departments and agencies, through their Climate Change Cells, as has been proposed in
the UAPCC. On an immediate basis, specific emphasis will be given to practical approaches
and solutions (technological and otherwise) that have already been developed by various
research centres and academic institutions that have not yet found the dissemination, outreach
and exposure that are needed to make these widely available for deployment in the
development contexts (both rural and urban).
3.2.5 Integrating Poverty, Livelihoods, Gender and Equity Issues

The UAPCC recognizes that because climate change can have disproportionately higher
adverse impacts on the poor, women, children and aged and can also impact their livelihoods,
developmental planning needs to explicitly integrate poverty, livelihoods and equity
concerns. Uttarakhand’s inclusive climate change policy will be guided by gender equality
where men and women are equally valued and entitled. Gender mainstreaming in adaptation-
focused programmes and schemes, especially in agriculture-related livelihoods, will empower
women and not work only for their welfare. The multi-sectoral UAPCC envisages that the
gender mainstreaming in Climate Change Directorate and the Climate Change Cells within
all Line Departments, will equip these institutions to undertake gender analysis of all
programmes and schemes and implement climate solutions to empower women to adapt to
climate change. This will be done through broad-based gender sensitization activities,
involvement of gender experts at various levels and constituting a gender empowerment sub-
committee within each Climate Change Cell.
With policies, programmes and schemes often not ‘gender-neutral,’ the following four
indicators can be used to test them for gender empowerment. Thus, policies, programmes and
schemes will empower women and men if these:
a) Create assets for women and men alike. Assets such as land titles, livestock ownership,
lease on forest land, biogas plants, rainwater harvest tanks, etc.;
b) Create equal opportunities for income-generation activities and for exercising control
over that income through, for example, creating institutional arrangements to encourage
women to actively engage with markets;
c) Lead to reduction of labour and drudgery for both women and men; and
d) Lead to equal participation of women as informed decision-makers in mainstream
institutions to help shape laws, policies and programmes that impact their lives and
livelihoods.
To implement gender-responsive climate adaptation plans, there will be a need for the
following:
(a) Policy-level or legal changes, administrative orders or government notifications. For
example, the strong legal backing of biodiversity laws that now exists for patents and

protection of traditional knowledge can be particularly useful for women’s traditional

knowledge and recognition of women as knowledge managers and trainers. Again, an
administrative order making it mandatory for at least two women to be present to make
up the quorum of Van Panchayats (where four of nine members are women) will help
empower women in decision-making roles in mainstream institutions.
(b) Several studies across sectors to obtain gender-disaggregated ground-level information,
mainly in the livelihoods-oriented sectors such as agriculture, livestock rearing and
forests. For example, higher temperatures in the wake of climate change are leading to
an increase in weeds and weeding is essentially a woman’s task, which urgently requires
technological intervention to reduce her labour and drudgery. Or, organic agriculture
demands far more labour input from women and a gender-disaggregated study on
various tasks involved for preparing and applying bio-inputs will ensure that
programmatic interventions target main stakeholders.
A heightened focus will be put on gender budgeting, especially within the adaptation-focused
sectors, to ensure that adequate financial resources reach women (not only men) through
women-friendly financial instruments. For example, women workers dominate the dairy
sector but public resources in the diary sector do not prioritize women. Again, Kisan Credit
Cards (KCCs) favour landowners who are predominantly male. This can be dealt with by
giving KCCs through women farmers’ groups/SHGs and by promoting ownership of land by
women farmers.
It is expected that these actions will significantly enhance and contribute to equitable
adaptive climate resilience in the state.
3.2.6 Private Sector and Financial Institutions

As has been outlined in Part A, Section 1, of this UAPCC, the private sector already plays a
significant role in contributing to the state’s economy in the secondary and tertiary sectors. A
range of PPP (private–public partnership) initiatives and projects are under way in the state
through the Uttarakhand PPP Cell under the State Planning Department. Such PPP models
can be useful for pooling resources and expertise and for up-scaling climate change
adaptation (especially in terms of climate-resilient infrastructure and low-carbon goods and
services) and mitigation initiatives by way of explicit incorporation of climate concerns into
project frameworks. The private sector has great potential and competency for bringing
innovative solutions and scale to the various models for climate change adaptation shaped by
the civil society and/or government institutions; however, their primary thrust thus far has
been limited to the clean development mechanism (CDM) and related projects.
Increasingly, there is a huge potential and need for the private sector to play critical roles in
sectoral initiatives in the primary sectors as well—bringing in new management practices,
technologies and technology transfer, innovation, capital and investments, capacity building,
etc. In this direction, the UAPCC will seek to secure the following outcomes:
 A roadmap for exploring the potential role of private sector across the various focus
sectors of the UAPCC, especially in the primary sectors such as agriculture (with special
emphasis on rain-fed mountain agriculture and extension) and forestry.
 A review of existing initiatives by the private sector including CSR to examine the
possibility of incorporating climate agendas.

 A review of existing policy frameworks governing the private sector, including the draft
State PPP Policy, with the objective of exploring the incorporation of climate change
concerns into PPP projects in the state.
 Outlining necessary enabling frameworks and regulatory mechanisms for involving the
private sector.
As in the case of the private sector, increasingly, the financial sector and financial institutions
will have critical roles to play in sectoral initiatives, especially across the primary sectors—
bringing in new financial practices, products, innovation, capital, investments, etc. The
financial sector and institutions have already been active in the primary sector, such as
providing crop insurance, etc.—however, the experience has been mixed. As such, the
UAPCC envisages the following outcomes:
 Developing a roadmap for exploring the potential role of the financial sector and financial
institutions across the various sectors, especially in the primary sectors, such as
agriculture (with special emphasis on rain-fed mountain agriculture and extension) and
forestry.
 Outlining the necessary enabling frameworks and regulatory mechanisms for involving
the financial sector.
3.2.7 Role of Civil Society

Civil society and voluntary organizations have played critical roles in shaping the
development landscape of not only Uttarakhand but the nation. These will continue to have
vital roles in the context of climate change and have the potential to deliver programmes and
services to communities and to bridge the roles of not only the government and community
but also the roles of scientific research institutions and the private sector with government
and the community.
As such, the UAPCC envisages the following outcomes relating to the role of civil society:
 Developing a roadmap for exploring and articulating the potential role of civil society
organizations (including non-governmental organizations (NGOs), NGO networks,
community-based organizations (CBOs) and CBO networks) in UAPCC implementation,
including capacity building at various levels, especially at district and sub-district levels,
providing inputs to the UAPCC on poverty, equity and livelihood concerns, providing
outreach and extension services, playing bridging roles, documentation of community
perceptions and best practices, undertaking participatory research, knowledge networking
and contributing to expanding the available evidence base on climate change.
 Identifying appropriate civil society organizations and their networks at various levels
that can partner UAPCC implementation at various levels including the state, district and
block levels and at the grassroots.
3.2.8 Role of International Agencies

Likewise, international/external agencies play significant roles in supporting developmental
initiatives and bringing in technical assistance to the state. A range of international
organizations, including multilateral, bilateral and other agencies, have supported and
continue to support significant development projects across government departments as well
as civil society. As such, it is envisaged that international organizations will also play a
significant role in supporting various aspects of UAPCC implementation; the state will
therefore proactively seek opportunities for collaborative partnerships with such

organizations, especially in the context of external support—financial support, technical

assistance and advisory services, bringing in international best practices, knowledge
management and networking, inter-state and regional dialogues on climate change, especially
in the context of Himalayan states, etc.
3.2.9 Monitoring Framework

A tentative and indicative outline of a monitoring and reporting framework is given in Figure
21.
The state is committed to ensuring that UAPCC implementation is complemented by a robust
framework and mechanisms for monitoring and evaluation not only as a means of ensuring
that the detailed operational plans that will be developed under the UAPCC are implemented
as planned but, more importantly, as a tool for systematic review and programme
improvement as the needs of the state will evolve with implementation. It is tentatively
expected that reporting will take place on a quarterly basis at all levels and there will be
internal reviews of implementation progress and performance on a half-yearly basis.
Likewise, considering that this UAPCC broadly covers implementation plans over a 5-year
period, there will be implementation of an external third-party evaluation during mid-2014 to
critically examine implementation and recommend course corrections and another similar
external evaluation will be carried out at the end of 2017.
A detailed and robust monitoring framework will be developed, including specific
methodologies, protocols and templates for monitoring and reporting as part of the process of
developing detailed work plans under the UAPCC.
Figure 21: Tentative and indicative monitoring framework for UAPCC
State Council for Climate External Advisory

Change Group/Panel
Nodal Department at
State Level
External Third Party Climate Change Cells of Civil Society and Private
Reviews and Evaluations Line Departments Sector
Line Ministries and Line Departments and

Missions at the GoI their Field Functionaries

3.2.10 Knowledge Management and Dialogue across the IHR and Beyond
The UAPCC recognizes that knowledge creation, management and dissemination/exchange
will be critical and central to the successful implementation of the SAPCC. The UAPCC also
recognizes that Uttarakhand does not exist in an independent developmental vacuum; it exists
in the developmental context of the IHR and also in the larger context of the HKH.
Therefore, the UAPCC will seek to achieve the following outcomes in this regard:
 Develop and deploy mechanisms for collating the existing knowledge base on climate
change and its impacts as relevant to the state and identify the anchoring/nodal
organization for this (to be done in close collaboration with UCOST, which will host the
scientific research-aggregating mechanism under the UAPCC).
 Develop protocols for new knowledge creation and documenting emerging best practices
across sectors and at all levels, as well as document and share the perceptions of people
on climate change and its impacts on an ongoing basis.
 Develop mechanisms and partnerships for sharing the knowledge base and emerging
experiences including best practices not only within the state at all levels but also with
other states in the IHR as also in the larger HKH context.
As such, it is envisaged that the UAPCC outcomes related to knowledge management will be
cross-cutting and also closely connected to the envisaged outcomes on capacity building.
Additional elements of knowledge management may be taken up from time to time during
UAPCC implementation as required.
*****

4 Sectoral Implementation Approaches
4.1 Overall Common Implementation Framework
It is envisaged that UAPCC implementation under the various sectors of the state will be
governed by a common implementation framework27 as in Figure 22.
Figure 22: Common framework elements for sectoral implementation under UAPCC
Sector policy
reviews
Monitoring and Sector climate

evaluation vulnerability
protocols assessments
Incorporation of Sector Sector

poverty, equity programmes public/communit
and livelihood under UAPCC y perceptions
concerns documentation
Sector climate Knowledge

change impacts management
evidence base activities
strengthening Periodic
consultations
with civil society
and
communities
The common elements will include the following:

 Sector policy reviews. Each sector will undergo a policy review and where appropriate,
climate change concerns and sectoral responses will be articulated explicitly.
 Sector climate vulnerability assessments. Sectoral climate vulnerability and risk
assessments will be carried out as part of a larger vulnerability and risk assessment for the
state and where appropriate, sectoral programme elements will be re-framed based on the
findings.
27
Since these will be common across sectors, in order to avoid repetitiveness, they will not appear in the descriptions of each
sectoral programme.
4. Sectoral Implementation Approaches
 Sector climate change impacts evidence base strengthening. Each sector will put into
motion a process of building the evidence base on climate change and impacts on the
sector.
 Sector public/community perceptions documentation. Each sector will carry out periodic
documentation of public/community perceptions on climate change and its impacts
relevant to the sector.
 Periodic consultations with civil society and communities. Each sector will carry out
periodic consultations with civil society and communities to gauge adaptive resilience
needs.
 Incorporation of poverty, equity and livelihood concerns. Each sector will, where
appropriate, incorporate and explicitly articulate poverty, equity and livelihood concerns
in their policies, plans and budgetary processes.
 Gender Concerns. The different schemes of various sectors will be examined in terms of
gender concerns by Women and Child Welfare Department before being given the final
approval.
 Monitoring and evaluation protocols. Each sector will, in line with the overarching state-
level framework, develop and deploy monitoring and evaluation processes and protocols
to guide effective programme implementation.
 Knowledge management activities. Each sector will, in line with the overarching state-
level framework, carry out knowledge management activities and contribute to the state-
level processes on an ongoing basis. Under the UAPCC, the Uttarakhand State Council
for Science and Technology (UCOST) will perform the role of a knowledge aggregator
and become a clearinghouse of all data/information on existing and planned research
projects and initiatives relating to climate change in the Uttarakhand context. Towards
this, the proposed activities of UCOST are as follows:
o Hosting of a geo-portal on climate change.
o Serving as a host-hub for knowledge/information sharing related to climate change.
o Providing a knowledge repository.
o Identification of potential research and development (R&D) domains concerned with
climate change issues in the state.
o Demonstration of technologies, carrying out R&D and establishment of protocols for
transfer of technology relating to climate change.
Additionally, efforts will be made to explore the options for participation of and leveraging
the private sector and financial institutions in each sectoral programme. Likewise, where
appropriate, suitable external support agencies will be leveraged/sought to bring in additional
implementation support or technical assistance.
*****

Part B2: Sectoral Approach and
Strategies
5 Agriculture
5.1 Overview, Characteristics and Status
Agriculture includes horticulture, and their linkages and support system. Agriculture is a
prime source of sustenance for most mountain communities. Five major farming systems are
prevalent, namely: (i) a cereal-based production system (ii) a horticulture or agri-horti-based
production system, (iii) a vegetables and floriculture-based production system, (iv) a
livestock-based production system and (v) an agri-horti-silvi-pastoral-based production
system. Foodgrains, oilseeds, vegetables, fruits such as apples and livestock produce are the
major products. The response of agricultural crop production in different agro-ecological
regions to climate change varies according to crop composition, edaphic conditions and the
cropping pattern. Wide variations in edaphic, topographic and climatic conditions and
selection procedures over centuries of cultivation have cumulatively resulted in the
preservation of an immense crop genetic diversity in Uttarakhand.
Out of the total reported area of 53.48 lakh ha, only 7.66 lakh ha (14%) is under cultivation.
Most of the agriculture in the state is rain-fed. The net irrigated area of the state is 3.36 lakh
ha (2010-11), which is mostly confined to the plains. The cropping intensity in Uttarakhand
is 157.63% higher than the national average. As has been detailed in the State Profile sub-
section, the state has four agro climatic zones covering six altitudinal farming situations
(Table 7):
Table 7: Farming situation in Uttarakhand
S.No. Farming situation Soil Principal crops

1. Irrigated lower hills Alluvial sandy soil Rice, wheat and vegetables.
(600–1,200 m.)
2. Rain-fed lower hills Residual sandy Finger Millet, maize, rice, wheat.
(600–1,200m.) loam
3. Mid hills, south Sandy loam Rice, finger millet, wheat, potato, tomato.
aspect (1200–
1,700m)
4. Mid hills, north aspect Brown forest soil Rice, finger millet, wheat, potato, tomato, peas, cole
(1200–1,700m.) crops.
5. High hills (1,700– Red to dark Amaranth, finger millet, french beans, cole crops,
2,500 m.) potato, peas.
6. Very high hills Red to black clay Amaranth, buckwheat, peas, cole crops, potato.
(2,500–3,500 m)
5.1.1 Land Holding and Land Use Pattern

Most of the area of the state is under forests and wastelands, thus leaving only a small
amount of land (about 14%) for cultivation. Of the cultivated land, about 50% of the land
holdings are sub-marginal and a further 21% of the land holding is between 0.5 and 1 ha.
Thus we find that about 70% of the land holdings are less than 1 ha in size and cover about
27% of the area under cultivation, while about 26% of the land holdings is between 1 and 4
ha in size, covering about 51% of the total cultivated area. Also, just over 3% of the land
holdings are above 4 ha in size and cover about 22% of the total cultivated area. As there are
a large number of cultivated lands and the area is under small and marginal holdings, the
input cost per unit of output is higher.
5. Agriculture
5.1.2 Irrigation
Most of the agriculture in the state is rain-fed. The net irrigated area of the state stands at 3.36
lakh ha (2010-11). The net irrigated area, as a percentage of the net sown area in the state, is
47%. The state is also home to a range of unique irrigation methods/techniques and facilities.
5.1.3 Crop Production Scenario

In the state, farmers generally adopt two types of agricultural practices, i.e. the rain-fed and
the irrigated. Cereals are emphasized in irrigated agriculture and two crops are taken in an
agriculture year. However, in the rain-fed system, millets, pulses and tuber crops are grown
along with cereals and oilseeds. Mono cropping is a common practice in the irrigated areas.
In contrast, mixed cropping is common in rain-fed areas. Mixed cropping practiced in the hill
region helps maintain the crop diversity and reduces the risk of environmental uncertainty.
Time and the amount of precipitation have major impacts on crops both in rain-fed and
irrigated areas. In rain-fed areas, the sowing time, crop duration and productivity are directly
linked to the quantum and distribution of rainfall, while in irrigated areas the distribution of
rainfall affects germination and harvesting of crops. The growth of food grain production is
quite variable in different areas. As a result, the agriculture scenario presents a mixed picture.
The productivity of Udham Singh Nagar, Haridwar, Nainital (plain) and Dehradun (plain)
districts is very high; the productivity of the hilly areas is very low, although the valleys are
fertile. The plains’ agriculture and hill agriculture stand in stark contrast to each other. While
the productivity in the plains can be compared with that of the agriculturally developed
regions of the country, the productivity in the hills lags far behind. Plains’ farming greatly
benefited from the advent of the Green Revolution. At the same time, hill farming systems
have their inherent strengths, including the fact that they are largely organic, mixed cropping
based and subsistence driven. Table 8 illustrates this dichotomy.
Table 8: Dichotomy of agriculture in the state
Plains agriculture Hill agriculture

Characterized by commercial farming Characterized by subsistence farming
Mono cropping is common Mixed cropping is prevalent
Consolidated holdings Scattered and fragmented holdings
Percent of irrigation is 92% Percent of irrigated area is 11%
Seed replacement rate 20%–25% Seed replacement rate 4%–5%
Use of chemical fertilizer 150–200 kg/ha/year Use of chemical fertilizer 5–7 kg/ha/year
Productivity of main crops Productivity of main crops
Rice 23 q/ha Rice 13 q/ha
Wheat 33 q/ha Wheat 12q/ha
Ragi 13 q/ha
Sawan 13 q/ha
Has benefited greatly from the advent of the Green Has been completely deprived of the benefits of the
Revolution Green Revolution
Productivity is exhibiting a declining trend. Organic and Productivity is almost stable. Suitable for organic
microbial content of the soil have been lost to a very farming as in most of the areas conversion period will
great extent. Carbon content in soil has reduced from be just 1 year and around 65 million tonnes (MT) of
2% to 0.5%. Requirements of inorganic fertilizers and biomass is available annually for composting.
pesticides are growing steadily to sustain the same However, a lot of extension effort and research for
level of productivity. Restoration of soil health and selection among local cultivars and prescribing suitable
propagation of pest-resistant, suitable genetically package of agronomic practices for the same are
modified crop varieties is required. Extension efforts for required. Great deal of agro-bio-diversity exists. There
adoption of crop rotation practices, farm residue is a need to adopt ex situ and in situ conservation
manuring and popularizing water economy measures measures.
are required.

5. Agriculture
The trend of foodgrain and oilseed production is shown in Table 9.

Table 9: Trend of food grain and oilseed production
Year Total foodgrains Total oilseeds

Area Production Average yield Area Production Average yield
(ha) (MT) (q/ha) (ha) (MT) (q/ha)
2000/01 9,85,047 1,647,022 16.72 25,283 14,752 5.83
2001/02 9,81,475 1,644,858 16.76 25,486 15,325 6.01
2002/03 9,62,447 1,527,484 15.87 27,669 15,525 5.61
2003/04 9,72,351 1,631,431 16.78 30,444 27,259 8.95
2004/05 9,90,560 1,719,877 17.36 32,401 30,233 9.33
2005/06 9,70,145 1,518,772 15.66 34,003 29,827 8.77
2006/07 9,67,615 1,723,564 17.81 28,308 23,293 8.23
2007/08 9,42,591 1,723,499 18.28 26,775 23,171 8.65
2008/09 9,60,386 1,685,591 17.55 25,272 21,196 8.39
2009/10 9,40,955 1,727,612 18.36 26,221 27,691 10.56
5.2 Vulnerability to Climate Change

No detailed vulnerability and risk assessment of the agricultural sector in Uttarakhand to
climate change currently exists. However, available evidence in qualitative terms suggests
that:
 The overall predictability of weather and climate will decrease, making the day-to-day
and medium-term planning of farm operations more difficult.
 Increases in the frequency of droughts and floods are likely to affect production
negatively, especially in subsistence sectors.
 Higher night temperatures may increase the dark respiration of plants, diminishing net
biomass production.
 The productivity of most crops will decrease due to increases in temperature and
decreased water availability. Greater losses are expected in the rabi crop as compared
with those in kharif.
 Loss of biodiversity from some of the most fragile environments, such as forests and
agro-forestry systems.
 Spatial changes in the diversity of tropical/sub-tropical crops (maize, rice, etc.) and
spatial changes in the diversity of temperate crops (apple, cabbage, cauliflower, carrot,
potato).
 Increasing temperatures will increase fertilizer requirements for the same production
targets and result in higher greenhouse gas (GHG) emission costs of crop production.
 Winter-kill of pests is likely to be reduced at high latitudes, resulting in greater crop
losses and a greater need for pest control. The incidence of diseases and pests, especially
alien ones, could increase.
 Present (agro) ecological zones could shift in some cases over hundreds of kilometres
horizontally and hundreds of metres altitudinally, which is crucial for some plants,
especially trees and animal species, which cannot follow in time. Farming systems cannot

5. Agriculture
adjust themselves in time. For instance, the cool upper stretch with the presently elevated
maximum temperature of 25.5°C at Haridwar has become conducive to warm water
fishes. Warm water fishes such as Glossogobius giuris, Puntius ticto, Xenentodon
cancila, Mystus vittatus and Catla catla, mainly inhabiting the middle and lower Ganga,
are now present in the upper Ganga at Haridwar and above.
 Higher temperatures will allow seasonally longer plant growth for crop growing in cool
and mountainous areas that remain snowbound (or remain at very low temperatures not
suitable for vegetation) for most of the time, allowing in some cases increased cropping
and production. In contrast, in already warm areas, climate change can cause reduced
productivity.
 High levels of organic matter content can be found at cool and moist sites where
conditions for primary production are still sufficient, but decomposition of their litter is
limited due to low temperatures and limited soil aeration.
 There will be damaging effects of increasing UVB on crops. Reductions in yield up to
10% have been observed experimentally with very high UVB values and will particularly
affect plants where the CO2 fertilization effect is strongest. On the other hand, UVB
increases could increase the amounts of a plant’s internal compounds that act against
pests.
People’s perceptions about climate change derive not from any direct measurements of
climate but from the way the climate affects their immediate surroundings and livelihood. For
people in the central Himalaya, a good climate means sporadic low rainfall from March to
mid-May; peak rainfall during July–August; moderate rainfall/heavy snowfall during
December–January; and an absence of cloudbursts. People consider onset of the monsoon to
be more uncertain compared with other phases of rainfall. Climate changes felt in the recent
decades included a shift in peak rainfall time from July/August to August/September and
winter precipitation from December/January/February and increase in frequency of
cloudburst and warming (see Table 10).
Table 10: Perceptions of climate change and impacts on agriculture
Kind of Change Evidence

Warming Decline in snowfall period, depth and persistence, decline in apple
yield, success of cabbage/pea/tomato cultivation in high elevations in
recent years, shortening of maturity period of winter crops, increased
pest infestation
Decline in rainfall during March–May Large-scale mortality, abandonment of Panicum milliaceum in rain-fed
area, declining yields of amaranth
High rainfall during August/September Damage to rainy season crops when they are close to maturity,
instead during the normal peak in increased frequency and severity of landslides
July/August
Winter precipitation in Delayed sowing of winter crops, decline in barley and wheat yields
January/February instead of in
December/January and decline in
intensity of snowfall
Increase in instances of cloudbursts Heavy losses of life and property
5.3 Issues, Challenges and Priorities

5.3.1 Main Issues and Challenges
 Majority of small, marginal and fragmented land holdings. About 70% of the land
holdings are less than 1 ha in size and cover about 27% of the area under cultivation,

5. Agriculture
while about 26% of the land holdings are between 1 and 4 ha in size, covering about 51%
of the total cultivated area. As a large number of the holdings fall under the small and
marginal category, application of economies of scale is difficult.
 Predominance of rain-fed agriculture. About 55% of the area in the state is under rain-fed
agriculture. Irrigation facilities are limited to the plain areas and valleys. In the hills the
ratio between net irrigated area and net sown area is about 11%, while the same for the
plains is 91%.
 Problem of soil erosion. Soil erosion is a constant problem, with about 88% of the area
experiencing soil erosion of more than 10 t/ha/year (above the permissible soil loss limit)
and 35% of the area suffering from very severe soil erosion (>40 t/ha/year).
 Limitation of use of farm machinery in hill areas. Mechanization has the potential to
improve productivity; however, several factors inhibit the use of improved farm
machinery in hills, including the poor purchasing power of farmers.
 Crop depredation by wildlife. More than 70% of the area is under forests and has a rich
flora and fauna. As such, most of the villages adjoin or are in close proximity to forest
areas. Reports and incidences of crop depredation by wildlife—especially by monkeys
and wild pigs—are on the rise and are perceived as a serious threat to agriculture.
 Higher cost of production for agriculture in the hills. Owing to limitations to the use of
improved methods and techniques in hill agriculture, the cost of cultivation is much
higher. Consequently, youth are reluctant to engage in farm practices. Enhancement of
subsidies on various agricultural inputs to 50% is required.
 Migration and impacts. A significant migration is taking place, especially from the hill
districts—many farmers are leaving their areas and migrating to cities and towns in
search of better livelihood options, leaving their lands fallow and uncultivated.
 Inadequate infrastructure in agriculture. Inadequate value addition, storage and agro-
processing units; non-availability of cold storages; and a lack of road and transportation
are a big constraint to marketing.
 Low (and often unavailability of timely) inputs and access to last-mile connectivity for
extension services in agriculture due to unavailability of agri-inputs on time. Inaccessible
terrain and institutional issues hamper the availability of timely inputs and connection to
efficient and effective extension services (despite the state having excellent research
facilities, tried and tested sources of extension products and services).
 Continued vicious cycle. The cycle of low production, low productivity, low input supply,
non-awareness of new technologies and lack of extension support leaves the farmer
practicing inefficient farming operations.
 Reduction in crop genetic diversity. This is with respect to local/land races.
 Most of the land is owned by men but women till the land—In the hilly agro-based
economy, land primarily belongs to men though majority of them work outside their
villages, leaving their womenfolk to till the land. Not owning the land prevents women
from accessing many government programmes and schemes as these accrue to land
owners rather than to farm workers. In the wake of climate change, this also prevents
women from taking quick decisions on even basic matters such as what crops to sow and
what farming practices to adopt in order to adapt to climate vagaries.

5. Agriculture
5.3.2 Priorities
Food and nutritional security
 Improvement of soil health in plains areas and soil and water conservation in hilly areas.
 Development and extension of farm economic models under the farming system approach
in the organic mode for small and marginal farmers and market base diversification of
agriculture.
 Water management for irrigation—maintenance of old infrastructure and creation of new
infrastructure.
 Revitalization of rain-fed agriculture.
 Promotion of production of nutritional/coarse cereals, pulses and oilseeds.
 Identification of problems relating to crop production and intervention based on the
research, education and extension system.
 Standardization and quality control of agricultural inputs.
 Promotion of voluntary consolidation of holdings and co-operative or contract farming.
 Watershed management-based long-term planning and implementation for development
of agriculture, forestry, horticulture, fisheries and animal husbandry.
 Optimal use of public–private resources for extension in multi-dimensional agriculture.
 Organization of Krishak Mahotsava each year before the rabi–kharif sowing seasons.
Economic security of farmers

 Promotion of mechanization and development of infrastructure facilities in agriculture
and market intervention to ensure the payment of fair prices to farmers for their produce.
 Establishment of Special Agriculture Zone and promotion of agriculture-based industries.
 Institutional and policy reforms in agricultural marketing.
 Promotion of electronic literacy among farmers.
 Management of pre-harvest and post-harvest basic facilities such as crop loans, crop
insurance, marketing centres, storage and collection centres and cold storages. Farmers’
information and advisory centres will be established at each block.
 Promotion for quality improvement in agriculture production according to the norms of
inland and international markets.
 Promotion of PPPs in various fields of agriculture.
Sustainable agriculture, conservation of biodiversity and environmental security

 Promotion of sustainable agriculture.
 Establishment of gene banks to conserve agro-biodiversity.
 Eradication of invasive alien species.
 Documentation of traditional knowledge.

5. Agriculture
 Complete crop diversification of hill rain-fed agriculture into organic mode and
horticulture by 2020.
Agriculture education and research

 Emphasis on rain-fed farming, floriculture, fisheries, agricultural economics, agricultural
management, post-harvest technology, etc.
 Short-term courses under formal education system and distance learning system.
 Establishment of Syllabus Improvement Cell under the control of Extension Directorate
of G.B. Pant University of Agriculture and Technology.
 Separate university of horticulture and forestry in the state.
 Use of information technology in agricultural production and rural development.
 Conservation of traditional knowledge and enhancement of its use in local agriculture.
5.4 Relevant Existing Initiatives

Some of the existing agricultural policies and programmes targeting increased agricultural
production in Uttarakhand are very relevant in the context of climate change. Watershed
management programmes, soil and water conservation initiatives, rainwater harvesting, input
availability and efficiency, mechanization, promoting horticulture and medicinal cultivation
and compensation for crop depredation by wildlife, are particularly relevant. Some of the key
programmes in the agriculture sector in the state relevant to the context of climate change are
described below.
Watershed management. Anchored by the WMD, the decisions regarding the effective
management of watersheds in the State are taken through active participation of all
stakeholders, particularly the local people. The main objective of the watershed management
programme is ‘to improve the productive potential of natural resources and increase incomes
of rural inhabitants in selected watersheds through socially inclusive, institutionally and
environmentally sustainable approaches’. There are 1,110 micro watersheds in Uttarakhand,
out of which 584 are being treated by various agencies/programmes such as the Employment
Assurance Programme and the Uttarakhand Decentralized Watershed Development Project
(UDWDP). Around 204 micro watersheds are snowbound and do not require treatment.
However, still there are 322 micro watersheds that have not been taken up for treatment.
Soil and water conservation programme. Uttarakhand is having serious problems of soil
erosion. About 88% of the area is experiencing soil erosion of more than 10 T/ha/year (above
the permissible soil loss limit) and 35% of the area is suffering from very severe soil erosion
(>40 T/ha/year). Landslides, mine-spoils and torrents are the main causes of massive erosion.
Ecological degradation in the mountain region is a threat of huge proportions, affecting
agricultural lands as well as the rural habitations. As the watershed development programme
is spatially and temporally limited in scope, this needs to be supplemented with soil and
water conservation programmes in critically affected regions. Therefore, strategies are being
developed for distinct zones for development of crops and a package of practices for each of
the focus zones. Each of the focus zones has potential for niche crops and unique eco-
sustainable practices that need to be leveraged for high income generation and corresponding
economic growth in a sustainable manner. A mechanism is being developed for
dissemination of information on the weather, market prices and market demands and other
related extension services.

5. Agriculture
Increasing the availability of inputs. Currently, agricultural inputs in different regions of the
state are being increased by providing considerable subsidies for the inputs. Krishi Mahotsavs
are being arranged twice in a year in the rabi and kharif seasons, in which all the agricultural
inputs are made available to the farmers. Not only inputs but also expert advice is given to
the farmers. A scheme for production and distribution of improved seeds has been
implemented in Uttarakhand with a 100% central share. There are different programmes
under this scheme such as (1) aid for transportation of seed, (2) establishment of seed banks,
(3) controlling quality through the National Seeds Research and Training Centre, (4) a seed
village programme, (5) strengthening the services for seed replacements, (6) seed production
in the private sector, (7) human resource development, (8) promoting seed export, (9)
production of seeds of hybrid rice and (10) use of biotechnology in agriculture. Most of the
programmes are being handled by the Tarai Development Corporation (TDC).
Increasing the seed replacement ratio. Currently, the seed replacement ratio in the plains of
Uttarakhand is 10%–12%, while it is only 3%–4% in the hill region. It is one of the major
factors responsible for low productivity. Efforts are now on to ensure the availability of seed.
Also, technology to produce good quality of seeds is being made available to farmers through
TDC (responsible for producing, procuring, certifying and distributing quality seeds).
Promoting organic farming. Yield levels can be effectively raised in a stable and sustainable
manner by adopting organic farming methods, since extensive use of chemical fertilizers may
ultimately lead to soil deterioration. Currently, the use of fertilizers in the hill districts is very
low and around 10,000 ha is under organic farming, covering over 15,000 farmers and 45
crops. The key objective of orientation towards organic farming is to improve crop
productivity, soil health and the income of the farmers. Organic products have a parallel
market, which, if captured in a strategic manner, can lead to rapid development of these hill
districts. Uttarakhand is the first state of the country to be declared as an organic state. UOCB
came into existence to promote and coordinate dispersed organic activities and efforts for
organic farming in the state. Trainings in organic food processing and value addition have
been imparted to producer groups, but inadequate infrastructural facilities hamper the efforts.
It is necessary to integrate the farmers to generate surpluses for exports, but the physical
geography of the hill villages makes this difficult. Another issue is in branding organic
products for premium sales.
Promoting horticulture and ago-horticulture. In addition to staple foods, the hill districts of
Uttarakhand have diversified into the production of spices and condiments such as chillies,
ginger and garlic. The area under these is as high as 2,275 ha in Almora, 1,098 ha in
Champawat and 962 ha in Pithoragarh. Some parts of Pauri District grow sugarcane also. The
area under fruit cultivation is quite high in Uttarkashi and almost all hill districts have
vegetable cultivation. There is great potential for diversification into oilseeds such as
sesamum, rapeseed, mustard and soybean. These will contribute towards increasing income
in the hill regions.
Herbal and medicinal plants. Uttarakhand has observed an increase in the area under
cultivation of medicinal and aromatic plants (MAPs). This positive change in attitude of
farmers towards MAPs is because of the high returns. Intercropping of MAPs with
foodgrains can help diversify the income basket for small and marginal farmers. The state has
the Herbal Research and Development Institute (HRDI), which works on MAPs used in
cosmetics, soaps and perfumes. Although the productivity of land in the hills is very low,
there is a huge demand and ready market for MAPs. The HRDI has identified areas in
selected hill regions where MAPs can be grown and has adopted a cluster approach that
includes production and processing. The HRDI has tried to install processing units among the

5. Agriculture
clusters of farmers close to their farms. The Institute also has storage facilities where farmers
can store their oil extracts if they are not sold at an appropriate price in the market.
There is huge commercial potential for the oils and essences extracted from MAPs. Aromatic
plants such as lemon grass, citronella, palmarosa, chamomilla, tulsi, geranium, naramotha,
Japanese mint, khus and marigold are used extensively in the cosmetics industry. The main
problems are the high cost of processing and the difficulty of getting buyers to the processing
units. There is also huge scope for medicinal plants and medicinal trees such as tejpatta,
amla, harad, ritha and bahera. To increase production and productivity, it is important to
spread the cluster approach and facilitate low-cost processing. The Forest Development
Corporation has made 3–4 mandis where auctions of MAPs take place. There is a need to
take appropriate measures for improving the productivity and production of herbal and
medicinal plants and their trade in the state. MAPs can be a strong option for diversification,
provided proper linkages with the market can be developed.
Promoting mechanization. The state has been providing improved agricultural machinery,
tools, devices and implements to farmers at subsidized rates. Whereas in the hilly region,
lightweight machinery, implements and tools are popular, in the plains, power machinery,
tractors and tractor-driven implements are common. Water-lifting pumps, sprinkler sets and
plant protection implements are also provided. A scheme with 100% central government
support is in operation to popularize the different implements through demonstrations in
Uttarakhand.
Extension reforms. The need for reforms in agriculture extension has been explicitly raised in
the National Agriculture Policy (NAP), the report of the Expenditure Reforms Commission,
as well as the XI Plan. Keeping the recommendations of these policy initiatives in view and
to provide policy directives for extension reforms, a broad policy framework for agriculture
extension has been developed with elements of reforming public sector extension, promoting
the private sector to effectively complement, supplement and wherever possible substitute
public extension, augmenting the support of the media and information technology for
extension, mainstreaming gender concerns in extension and capacity building/upgrading
skills of farmers and extension functionaries.
This programme was started in 2005/06 and is being implemented at the district level through
the Agriculture Technology Management Agency (ATMA). This scheme is running in eight
districts, viz. Dehradun, Nainital, Almora, Chamoli, Champawat, Udhamsingh Nagar,
Uttarkashi and Pauri. Activities in the remaining districts are being conducted under macro-
management agriculture. Another scheme for extension reforms is being operated in the state
with the help of the GoI, which is contributing 90% of the cost of the scheme. Under this
initiative, different small schemes are operational, such as SAMETI (State Agriculture
Management and Extension Training Institute, Pantnagar) and ATMA.
Agricultural insurance. Rashtriya Krishi Bima Yojna (RKBY) was introduced in 2002/03 as
a centrally sponsored programme, equally funded by the central and state governments. The
objective of the scheme is to insure selected crops against natural calamities such as flood,
drought, pest attack and epidemics. Paddy, wheat and mandua are the main crops covered
under this scheme. This programme is being implemented by Bhartiya Krishi Beema
Company Ltd.
Agro-climatic Planning and Information Bank (APIB). To harness the natural resources in a
sustainable manner, the Government of Uttarakhand has started detailed mapping of natural
resources. For this purpose, APIB has been established in the Ministry of Agriculture, with
the Department of Agriculture being the implementing agency and the Indian Institute of

5. Agriculture
Technology (IIT)—Roorkee and the Indian Institute of Remote Sensing (IIRS) (Dehradun)
being collaborating agencies. Technical and financial sanction has been accorded by the
Ministry of Agriculture, GoI for three pilot phase districts: Pauri, Hardwar and Champawat.
Remote-sensing images of IRS P6 LISS IV, 5.8 m resolution, 1:10,000 scale and LANDSAT
MSS and Geomatics Technologies are being utilized. In addition, field surveys to collect,
collate and interpret spatial and non-spatial data will also be carried out.
Strengthening agricultural statistics. Accurate knowledge on agricultural produce is very
important for framing policies and taking timely decisions. With this objective, two different
schemes ((1) timely reporting of agricultural statistics and (2) improvement of crop statistics)
are in operation in the state, fully funded by the GoI.
Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojna (RKVY). This centrally sponsored programme has been
implemented in the state for promotion of investment in the agricultural sector. Under the
RKVY, different programmes are being undertaken on the basis of agro-ecological situations,
available technologies and natural resources to increase the incomes of stakeholders.
Mukhyamantri Food Security Mission. The scheme has been launched in Uttarakhand to
provide food security to people. It is envisaged that every year 10,000 ha of
uncultivated/fallow land will be treated to increase the share of cultivated land. Cultivation of
legume crops will be promoted on the treated land. It is also proposed to replace the rice crop
with legume and maize crops to increase the productivity of the land.
Plant protection. Under this scheme, a subsidy is provided for recommended chemicals, bio-
fertilizers, micronutrients, etc. to protect and increase the productivity of crops. A 50%
subsidy is given on the purchase of above-mentioned inputs by the central government.
However, for schedule castes and scheduled tribes, the subsidy is up to 90%. In the year
2010/11, a provision for a 50% subsidy has been made to promote the cultivation of green
manure.
Laboratories to support agriculture. Several dedicated laboratories have been established for
the advancement and adaptation of agricultural technology in the state.
Kissan Soochana and Salah Kendra. Under this scheme, information and advisement centres
are established to advise farmers about technological advances in agriculture. All the centres
are being connected with the Internet for faster communication and retrieval of information.
Meetings are also organized from time to time to impart agro-technology. So far, 64 centres
have been established in the state.
Ensuring finance and credit. Uttarakhand has started implementing the Pradhan Mantri
Rojgar Yojna (PMRY) in the state from 2004/05 for the benefit of successful small-scale
industries (SSIs) that are willing to expand their ventures. Under this scheme, all PMRY
beneficiaries who have been regularly repaying the instalments of their loan and have a good
track record and desire to expand projects are being supported.
5.5 Sectoral Vision and Strategies

5.5.1 Sectoral Vision and Commitment
Uttarakhand is situated in the Himalaya, where maintenance of the ecological balance is of
vital importance. Proper land and water management with due emphasis on agricultural
extension has tremendous opportunities for increasing nutritional food security. Therefore,
treatment of the catchment area and practices of sustainable agriculture are of utmost
importance. Additionally, considering that most of the agriculture in the state is rain-fed,
revitalizing this sub-sector will be a high-priority agenda.

5. Agriculture
5.5.2 Strategies
For improving the scientific knowledge and evidence base and understanding climate change
and its impacts, a range of research projects/initiatives are proposed, including the following:
 Sub-sector study on revitalization of rain-fed agriculture in Uttarakhand.
 Evaluation of major hill crops for tolerance of different situations of drought stress,
terminal heat stress and cold stress.
 Screening of suitable crops/crop varieties for varying weather under field situations to fit
in the crop rotations, inter-cropping and mixed cropping.
 Impact assessment of climate change/climate variability on yield trend of major hill crops
through the InfoCrop crop simulation model.
 Analysing the impact of the climate on production, demand and supply in a changing
market economy.
 Studies to minimize soil and water losses through resource conservation technologies.
 Development of the Integrated Farming System Model for different agro-ecological
situations.
 Identification and improving availability of suitable inocula for composting.
 Promotion of traditional crops such as various millets.
 Use of information and communication technologies including mobile telephony for
dissemination of information about weather forecasts such as the arrival of the monsoon
and precipitation.
 Promotion of Rashtriya Krishi Bima Yojana.
 Resource conservation through appropriate mechanization techniques.
 Contingency crop planning for changing weather conditions through alterations of
production technology.
 Preservation of genetic material of various indigenous varieties.
The broad elements of the adaptation strategy in agriculture sector in Uttarakhand will
include28 (a) investments in adaptation research capacity (varieties, land use systems,
resource conservation technologies, pest surveillance, traditional knowledge in agriculture);
(b) changes in policies (e.g. incentives for resource conservation, integrated and diversified
farming systems, promoting organic farming, pricing of resources, credit for transition to
adaptation technologies); (c) investments in infrastructure for water management and soil
conservation; (d) relocation to more productive areas and practices; (e) greater insurance
coverage for the farming operations; (f) improved information, knowledge base and
dissemination of information on climate changes and options to adapt to them; (g) creating
alternate livelihood options, etc.
Similarly, from the point of view of improvement of crops and systems, the adaptation
strategy includes the following elements: (a) natural adaptation—crops and animals show
varying ability to adapt to climate variability by shifting their optimum thermal range; (b)
genetic adaptation—breeding crop varieties for heat tolerance through conventional/modern
28
Singh S D., Impacts of Climate Change on Agriculture, Indian Agriculture Research Institute.

5. Agriculture
breeding techniques and screening heat-tolerant crop genotypes followed by exploitation of

desirable genes, mainly in germplasm adapted to such conditions; (c) non-genetic
adaptation—agro-physiological interventions such as dates of sowing, frequent irrigation,
changes in agronomic practices, crop diversification and green manuring to reduce
vulnerability to climate change and identification of crop genotypes for faster grain growth
rates with delayed leaf senescence under higher thermal regimes; (d) crop insurance—
reducing climatic risks of crop productivity through crop insurance; and (e) better support
prices and credits—better support prices for agricultural produce and bank credits are
essential for crop sustainability and for meeting the additional adaptation costs of climate
change. Post-harvest storage infrastructure augmentation as well as promotion of value
addition and food processing will be given additional emphasis. The state will also take steps
to promote apiculture and reduce current threats to honey bees with a view to boosting
agricultural productivity.
Under the capacity development, education and awareness components and regular training
of the farmers will be taken up in order to make them understand the impact of climate
change on agriculture and to take appropriate measures to protect crop and to increase the
productivity. Village knowledge centres (VKCs) in clusters of villages will be established
with Internet and satellite-based linking (EDUSAT). A technical person (Krishi Mitra) may
be designated at each knowledge centre to assist farmers in day-to-day agricultural operations
and will maintain the VKC. Krishi Mitras can be trained agricultural institutions such as
Govind Ballabh Pant University of Agriculture and Technology (GBPUA&T), Pantnagar,
Vivekananda Parvatiya Krishi Anusandhan Sansthan (VPKAS), Almora and National
Academy of Agricultural Research Management (NAARM), Hyderabad.
To connect science, practice and policy, efforts will be made to review existing policies and
amendments made towards evidence-based policy making. Policy measures that support the
priorities of the sector under the UAPCC will be strengthened and the support base required
for such strengthening will be ensured.
Women’s involvement in an agricultural capacity is high in the state and likely to be most
adversely affected by the impacts of climate change. In these contexts, the responsibility for
adaptation is likely to fall on their shoulders—including finding alternative ways to feed their
family. However, statutory and/or customary laws often restrict women’s property and land
rights and make it difficult for them to access credit and agricultural extension services, while
also reducing their incentives to engage in environmentally sustainable farming practices and
make long-term investments in land rehabilitation and soil quality. Despite these obstacles,
recent evidence demonstrates that women who are already experiencing the effects of
weather-related hazards—such as erratic monsoon patterns, flooding and extended periods of
drought—are developing effective coping strategies, which include adapting their farming
practices. Therefore, efforts will be made to further recognize and support the role of women
in adaptation, including promoting women’s involvement in decision-making processes and
implementation. Also, given the key role of women in agriculture, efforts will be especially
made so that gender-disaggregated data become available.
*****

6 Forests and Biodiversity
6.1 Overview—Characteristics and Status of Forests
Uttarakhand has about 71% of its land under forests. The variation in the landscape has
created a highly diverse flora and fauna and, consequently, resources. The various
classification of forests in the state as per the legal status is provided in Table 1129.
Table 11: Details of classification of forests as per legal status
Category Area (in km2) % of Geographical Area

Reserved Forests 24,642.932 46.08
Protected Forests 154.021 0.29
Civil & Soyam Forests 9,730.555 18.19
Private Forests 123.506 0.23
Increase in Forest Area in 3,348.510 6.26
Pithoragarh Forest Division
Total 37,999.524 71.05
Details of the forest and tree cover data of Uttarakhand30 is given in Table 12.
Table 12: Details of forest and tree cover
Category Area (in km2) % of Geographical Area

Tree Cover 642 1.20
Forest Cover 24,496 45.80
Forest and Tree Cover 25,138 47.00
Reserved Forests constitute about 71.1% of the total forest area, Protected Forests around
28.52% and Unclassified Forests about 0.35% (Figure 23). The State has six national parks,
six wildlife sanctuaries and two conservation reserves constituting about 13.79% of its
geographical area. A forest cover map of the State is given in Figure 23.
29
Uttarakhand Forest Statistics, 2012-13, Forest Department, Uttarakhand
30
India State of Forest Report, 2011
6. Forests and Biodiversity
31
Figure 23: Statistics related to the percentage of forest cover of Uttarakhand
Figure 24: Forest cover map of Uttarakhand (Source: Forest Survey of India)
31
Ibid.

The district-wise forest cover in Uttarakhand is indicated in Table 1332:

Table 13: District-wise forest cover in Uttarakhand
District Geographical 2011 Assessment Percent of Change Scrub

Area Very Mod. Open Total GA
Dense Dense Forest
Forest Forest
Almora 3,139 222 928 427 1,577 50.24 0 10
Bageshwar 2,246 194 883 304 1,381 61.49 0 4
Chamoli 8,030 427 1,586 682 2,695 33.56 0 6
Champawat 1,766 336 571 274 1,181 66.87 0 8
Dehradun 3,088 584 695 328 1,607 52.04 0 24
Pauri Garhwal 5,329 523 2,094 672 3,289 61.72 0 59
Haridwar 2,360 26 353 240 619 26.23 1 0
Nainital 4,251 601 1,923 566 3,090 72.69 -3 13
Pithoragarh 7,090 567 1,115 412 2,094 29.53 0 32
Rudraprayag 1,984 246 581 298 1,125 56.70 0 5
Tehri Garhwal 3,642 298 1,232 617 2,147 58.95 0 89
Udham Singh Nagar 2,542 171 247 128 546 21.48 3 0
Uttarkashi 8,016 567 1,959 619 3,145 39.23 0 21
Grand Total 53,483 4,762 14,167 5,567 24,496 45.80 1 271
6.2 Overview—Characteristics and Status of Biological Diversity

There are several ecosystems in Uttarakhand, namely forest ecosystems, agro ecosystems,
aquatic ecosystems, grassland ecosystems, wetland ecosystems, cold desert ecosystems,
urban ecosystems and human ecosystems. The forest ecosystem is the largest ecosystem in
the state and supports other ecosystems actively.
6.2.1 Floral diversity

According to scientific studies carried out by the Botanical Survey of India (BSI),
Uttarakhand is a floristically super-diverse state, with ca. 4,700 species of flowering plant,
representing nearly 25% of the Indian angiosperm flora, reported. This vast diversity, under
1,503 genera and 213 families of flowering plant, including 93 endemic species, is found in
various vegetation types, ranging from the sub-tropical forests in the upper Gangetic plain
and Shivalik zone in the south to the arctic–alpine vegetation of the trans-Himalayan cold
desert in the north. Besides 487 species of fern, of which 15 species are endemic, 18 species
of gymnosperm are also reported from the state. Every now and then a new species is
discovered during the taxonomical surveys conducted by various agencies.
6.2.2 Faunal diversity

Uttarakhand is bestowed with a great faunal diversity. It is home to many species of bird,
mammal and reptile and to threatened and endemic species. According to the Northern
Regional Centre (Dehradun) of the Zoological Survey of India (ZSI), Uttarakhand has a
faunal biodiversity that has 3,748 species belonging to 1,848 genera and 427 families, both
vertebrate and invertebrate. To be precise, there are 499 genera with 1,060 vertebrates and
1,349 genera with 2,688 species of invertebrate found in Uttarakhand. Of these, 451 species
32
ibid

have been reported by researchers for the first time from Uttarakhand, constituting new
records for the state. Twenty-two of these are also new records for India. Thirty-five species
reported from Uttarakhand are endemic to the state, while one is endemic to India. The
enormous faunal diversity is represented by 102 species of mammal (which is about 25% of
the known Indian species), 743 species of bird, including migratory winter visitors
(representing 60% of the Indian avifauna, second only to Assam), 72 species of reptile and
about 439 species of butterfly. While the butterflies are an indicator of the good health of the
ecosystem, the mayflies, dragonflies and damselflies are indicators of the quality of water and
are represented by more than 200 species in Uttarakhand alone.
The mammalian diversity of Uttarakhand is ca. 23% of the total mammalian diversity of
India. The state is represented by 7 families, 26 genera and 55 species of the order Carnivora,
which forms 40% of the total Indian carnivore diversity. The avian diversity constitutes about
60% of the known Indian diversity. Out of 743 avian species, 43 are listed under the
threatened category. The reptilian diversity of Uttarakhand constitutes about 15% of the
Indian reptile diversity. The amphibian diversity of the state constitutes about 8% of the total
amphibian diversity of India. Uttarakhand has a total of 132 species of fish out of the 2,546
species of fish found in India. Of these 132 species, 10 species are endangered (7.5%), while
10 species are exotic (7.5%) and 11 species (8.3%) are endemic. Uttarakhand is a storehouse
of the invertebrate diversity of the country. A total of 2,688 species are known from 1,349
genera, with 35 species endemic to the state, while 10 out of these 35 species are endemic to
the country also.

No detailed assessment of vulnerability of the sector to climate change exists; however,
available evidence suggests that the general effect of projected climate change is that the
habitat of many species will move poleward of upward from their current locations.
Disturbances can increase the rate of species loss and create opportunities for establishment
of new species. The abrupt changes in climatic conditions in the mountainous part of the
Himalaya are directly or indirectly affecting the vegetation development and regeneration of
important species. The variation in rainfall and temperature may lead the variations in
phenological events of many species, particularly the dominant oaks. Some early studies on
phenological aspects of tree and shrub species in the Himalayan region are available and
could potentially be used as base line data would be helpful to predict the vegetation—
climate change response and adaptation of species in such conditions. Alpine ecosystems are
particularly vulnerable to warming, as species occurring near the mountaintops will have no
space for their upward march. The regeneration of many species is dependent on the
monsoon rainfall especially the dominant Sal, banj oak and telonj oak. The variation in such
conditions may adversely affect the regeneration and growth of these species. Similarly many
other species are vulnerable to the climate change phenomenon.

The IPCC Fourth Assessment Report spells out the following key vulnerabilities:
 The Himalayan ecosystem is particularly at risk with the rise in global temperatures. The
biodiversity which resides in the higher altitudes will have less and less place to occupy
and will be at increased risk of extinction.
 The increase in global temperatures will cause an increased occurrence of GLOFs (glacial
lake outburst floods) and will affect the size of the glacial lakes. The breakage of such
lakes can be extremely devastating to human habitations, among others.

 It can be stated that the precipitation will be with increased intensity and will become
more erratic. This will make the fragile ecosystems susceptible to damage by cloudbursts,
increased soil erosion, etc. The overall pattern of rainfall is expected to be heavy rainfall
followed by long period of droughts. This will reduce the overall availability of water in
the hills.
 The alpine meadows have high soil organic content and are very good at sequestering
carbon. They are also extremely rich in biodiversity. The increase in global temperatures
threatens the existence of alpine meadows and makes them vulnerable to extinction.
 There will be a gradual shift of plant species towards higher altitudes. This will force
local communities to shift to newer agricultural and fodder species. Because of this and
the fact that the area lies in a highly sensitive seismic zone, there is bound to be a heavy
stress on the housing sector.
 Increased tourism activities will cause severe stresses on the fragile Himalayan
ecosystems, which are already reeling under the pressure of water scarcity, excessive
constructions, heavy usage of fuel wood and improper waste management, to name a few.
The 4 × 4 assessment has projected that there will be changes in forest vegetation types with
the rise in temperature and the Himalayan region has been shown to be the most vulnerable to
this shift. The Indian network for climate change assessment (INCCA) also projects that the
temperature increase is likely to be 0.9°C to 2.6°C by the 2030s, compared with the 1970s
and a 2%–12% increase in the intensity of precipitation. Increases in the frequency of forest
fires and glacial melts have also been projected.

Uttarakhand is rich in forests and has a long history of scientific forest management. It has an
excellent protected area network. The state has village-level institutions that are adept at
managing chunks of forests, which are called Van Panchayats. Presently 12,089 Van
Panchayats are entrusted with the management of over 5,449.64 km2 of forests. Forestry
operations are being carried out under various state and centre-sponsored schemes, with an
annual average planting of 10,000 to 15,000 ha.
A major portion of the forests is managed by the Forest Department in accordance with
management plans, which are updated on a 10-year basis. Besides, there are panchayat
forests managed by the Van Panchayats, traditional village-level institutions with a legal
backing, in addition to revenue and private forests. Traditionally the forestry and biodiversity
sector has been conservation oriented, with a special thrust on the participation of local
communities. There is a moratorium on the felling of green trees above an altitude of 1,000
m. The climate consideration is already becoming an integral part in the formulation of
management plans. The department has already constituted a Green India Mission Cell and a
10-year perspective plan is in the process of finalization under the mission.
The rich and varied biodiversity of the state has attracted naturalists, wildlifers, taxonomists
and conservationists since time immemorial and the state has been explored extensively.
Comprehensive information on the floral and faunal resources of the state has been recorded
and published by various agencies including the Forest Research Institute (Dehradun),
universities, individual researchers, the BSI and the ZSI. The state has a network of with one
biosphere reserve, six national parks, six wildlife sanctuaries and two conservation reserves
to conserve its biodiversity. The Bharat Ratna Pandit G.B. Pant High Altitude Zoo, at
Nainital, is a valuable centre for ex situ conservation of high-altitude wild fauna.

6.6 Sectoral Strategies

The overall sectoral vision and commitment will be to improve forest and biodiversity
management practices through multiple strategies and initiatives in the state to minimize the
impacts of climate change and for the overall well-being of the state and its people.
6.6.2 Strategies
For improving the scientific knowledge and evidence base on climate change and its impacts,
the following will be taken up for immediate research under the Forest Department:
 Evaluation of total carbon stock and annual increment for Uttarakhand.
 Monitoring the carbon fluxes of forests in various ecological and altitudinal zones.
 RS-GIS analysis of the whole state to evaluate/monitor the carbon stock.
 Ex situ conservation of the genetic diversity of both the flora and fauna.
 Documentation and monitoring of the biodiversity of various ecosystems.
 Development of appropriate silvicultural techniques with climate change considerations.
 Research on the eradication of invasive alien species.
 Management of forest fires.
 Monitoring the population dynamics and movements of wildlife.
Likewise, the following will be taken up by the Uttarakhand Biodiversity Board:
 Studying the impacts on high-altitude wetlands, alpine meadows and moraines.
 Documentation of traditional knowledge related to biodiversity.
A decentralized forest governance as envisaged in Mission for a Green India is being
developed and strengthened. The emphasis is on revamping local institutions such as Van
Panchayats, the Forest Development Agency and Biodiversity Management Committees set
up under the Forest Rights Act. These institutions are crucial for supporting livelihood
activities and prudent use of the natural resource base with a perspective of developing larger
landscape-level governance. Capacity development of local institutions and building a cadre
of community foresters, especially the unemployed/underemployed youth, are important
steps in this direction. The Green India Mission has cited the example of the carbon
assessment under ‘Project Kyoto: Think Global Act Local’ in Lamgarha Block in the state.
Partnerships with NGOs will be facilitated for a better organic link with the local
communities. Alliances of the forest frontline staff with enthusiastic school children and
college students will further pave the way for a constant dialogue with the local communities.
The forestry and biodiversity sector has important links with various other sectors such as
agriculture, animal husbandry, water resources and alternative energy. Active involvement of
local institutions will be the basis for a holistic development plan for enhancing the adaptive
capacity of the people. There will be efforts by the Forest Department to avail benefits under
Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation Plus (REDD+), CDM and
other carbon market mechanisms.
With the current pace of warming, the resilience of the ecosystems is also threatened. This
hampers the adaptive capacity of the communities. Moreover, this part of the Himalaya

provides water, food and energy security and other ecosystem services to a large part of the
sub-continent. The depletion of these ecosystems will have a cascading effect on the adaptive
capacity of the vast population downstream. In addition, this area falls under a sensitive
seismic zone.
The significant points with respect to the forestry, wildlife and biodiversity sectors are as
listed below.
1. There is a need to carry out studies to find out the impact of global change on the carbon
mitigating capacity of the forests. There may be significant effects on the
growth/decomposition rates, the area, type and intensity of natural disturbances, land-use
patterns and ecological services.
2. Since a large portion of the population of Uttarakhand is dependent on forests for their
basic needs such as fuel and fodder, any climate response strategy has to be developed
with the community in mind. Comparing environmental and social co-benefits and costs
with the carbon benefit will help promote sustainable development.
3. Extensive measures need to be taken by using both traditional as well as modern inputs to
contain forest fires. With the increase in the temperature, the forests are likely to be more
prone to fires. Hence, wildfire management needs to be taken up at a priority basis to
combat an increased frequency and intensity of wildfires in the future.
4. The forestry sector also provides opportunities for formulating projects under CDM.
REDD+ is a potential global tool in the forestry sector for climate response.
Table 14 represents the inter-relations between parameters of climate change and the
evolution of a strategy towards developing adaptation and mitigation potential.
Table 14: Inter-relations between parameters of climate change and the evolution of a strategy for adaptation and
33
mitigation potential
Problem Impact How to address? Objective

Change in vegetation Shrinking sink Increasing the existing area Maximize sink, enhance
types, die-backs, insect under forests and trees and resilience of forests and
pest attacks, loss of improving the quality and ecosystems, avoid
biodiversity density of the degraded forests. possible large leakages
Altitudinal and Problem of wildlife Linking of protected areas Conserve biodiversity,
latitudinal shifts of corridors minimize man-animal
species conflicts
Increased forest fires Large leakage Climate-friendly silviculture, Retain sink
forest fire/disaster management
Increased water stress (a) Degradation of Soil and water conservation, Adaptation
life support systems rangelands, agro/farm forestry
(b) Increase of Alternate livelihood options Adaptation
demand-supply gaps
of various forest
products
Extreme events, Housing sector, Alternate materials for Adaptation
outbursts of glacial tourism and others construction, regulated tourism
lakes and floods
Proposed actions/programmes will include the following:

1. Increasing the existing area under forests and trees and improving the quality and density
of the degraded forests. The activities contemplated under this are the following:
33
Managing Forests for climate Change, FAO, 2010

 Management intervention in scrub forests.

 Plantation of climate-resilient species beneficial also to local communities in open
forests according to the principles of three-tier forests.
 Assisted natural regeneration in moderately dense forests.
2. Enhancing natural resources and livelihood options of the vulnerable sections:
 Rangeland Management—the threats to rangelands in Uttarakhand can be listed as
follows:
a. Local populations including certain pastoralist nomadic communities, such as
gujjars, are highly dependent on the rangelands for grazing their cattle.
b. The upward movement and shrinkage in areas of high-altitude meadows,
unpredictable changes in species assemblages and the possible upward shifting of
human habitations in the future are likely to increase pressures on these areas.
c. The pastoralist nomadic communities, such as gujjars, have concessions for
grazing their cattle in the rangelands and bugyals, which might exacerbate the
situation.
The following are action points towards meeting these challenges:
a. Mapping of all important rangelands using remote sensing and geographical
information systems (RS-GIS), followed by ground truthing.
b. Conservation of high-altitude meadows through local and nomadic communities
and related institutions (2,500 ha/year).
c. Alternate livelihood options for communities such as non-timber forest produce
(NTFP) collection, community based eco-tourism, biomass briquetting,
establishment of decentralized nurseries and cultivation of medicinal herbs
including yarsagambu.).
d. Improving the variety of cattle.
e. Protection and management initiatives towards regulated grazing.
 Agro-forestry—Agro-forestry provides a rich mix of no-regret options that build the
biophysical and socio-economic resilience of natural and societal systems. It can
contribute to mitigating current sources of stress, including climate variability and
could be relevant to adaptation to future climate change.
The action points are as follows:
a. Mapping of all land areas with a potential of agro-forestry using RS-GIS.
b. R&D for varieties of different species for best commercial use and climate
change concerns.
c. Establishment of quality planting material production centres.
d. Training programmes and extension activities.
3. Soil and water conservation
The observed warming (over several decades) has been linked to changes in the large-
scale hydrological cycle, such as increasing atmospheric water vapour content; changing
precipitation patterns, intensity and extremes; reduced snow cover and widespread
melting of ice and changes in soil moisture and runoff.

The soil and water conservation activities will include the following:
 Minimizing the human interference in the ecology of the glaciers.
 Identifying vulnerable areas with the help of experts.
 Strategic and scientific planning for road cutting that results in minimal loss of soil
and water resources.
 Construction of large-scale rainwater harvesting structures to reduce the water stress
in moisture-deficient areas.
 Enhancement of soil and moisture conservation regime by introduction of multi-tier
forest plantations.
 Rejuvenation of traditional chals, khals and tals with emphasis on indigenous
traditional knowledge.
4. Biodiversity conservation
The activities related to biodiversity conservation are as follows.
 Establishment of biodiversity management committees.
 Making biodiversity registers.
 Management of invasive species (lantana, parthenium, eupatorium, etc.) and
replacement by suitable species (bamboo, grass, etc.).
 Creation of water holes/anicuts.
 Maintenance of existing water holes/anicuts.
 Conservation of wetlands; conducting studies of and managing high-altitude wetlands.
 Establishing a task force to identify/prioritize corridors.
 Involve all stakeholders to regulate change of land use.
 Maintaining cover through agro-forestry, preventing crop raiding in corridors through
fencing.
 Maintenance and development of existing zoos, rescue centres for wildlife and
botanical gardens.
 Maintenance and development of biodiversity centres and biodiversity hotspots.
 Providing rapid responses in cases of crop raiding and chance encounters of humans
with animals, including ex gratia payments.
 Rehabilitation of rescued wildlife
5. Fire management
With changes in the monsoon system, short-term, high-intensity precipitation
accompanied by intervening drought-like conditions are the major possible threats.
According to the studies carried out by the Forest Research Institute (Dehradun), the pine
forests shed about 6 T of dry leaves/year/ha. This, along with shifts in forest types and
large-scale diebacks, is likely to pose increased fire hazards, calling for more planned
operations for management of fires and associated research.

The main components of the strategy that will be adopted for effective fire management
are as follows:
 Quick response teams for firefighting.
 Daily monitoring of fire threats with the help of satellite imagery and information
technology.
 Utilization of pirul (pine needles) as an energy-efficient eco-friendly energy source in
the form of briquettes, for making pine needle check dams and in bio-gasifiers for
production of electricity and collection of pirul instead of controlled burning.
A range of capacity building, education and awareness building measures will be taken up;
the Forest Department will undertake a detailed capacity needs assessment, especially the
need for frontline field staff/personnel. Additionally, the assessment will also examine the
scale and scope of capacity development that should be directed at local communities for
sensitizing school children and college students. Appropriate action measures will be
designed and taken up based on the capacity needs assessment results.
As climate change is unfolding, the science of climate change too is in the process of
development. Nevertheless, adaptation and mitigation efforts are urgently needed
corresponding to the existing level of scientific understanding; while efforts will be on to
keep refining the data. With further improvements in data and observations, better-informed
decisions will emerge at regional levels. Therefore, the Forest Department’s strategies will be
based on the available evidence and corresponding no-regret options while maintaining
rigour and flexibility to detect and respond to any sudden trigger-offs or positive feedbacks.
Though the line between long-term and short-term research is very thin and the mandate and
requirement of both types of researches vary temporally and spatially, an effort is made
below to list the major long- and short-term research goals in the forestry sector of
Uttarakhand as part of the Forest Department’s efforts to connect science, practice and
policy:
 Adapt and develop dynamic vegetation models relevant to tropical and sub-tropical forest
types, plantations and natural ecosystems such as wetlands and grasslands.
 Initiate studies to assess the likely impacts of climate change on natural ecosystems and
identify vulnerable and sensitive ecosystems such as forests, montane grasslands,
plantation systems and bugyals.
 Initiate focused short-term field ecological and physiological studies in selected forest
type sites to generate parameters for various plant functional types required for dynamic
vegetation models.
 Develop an adaptation framework relevant to forest and grassland ecosystems and
develop adaptation strategies, practices and management systems.
 Plan and implement pilot adaptation projects to demonstrate effectiveness of adaptation
practices.
 Assess the vulnerability of forest-dependent communities to climate impacts.
 Develop programmes to enhance the adaptive capacity of forest-dependent communities.
 Assess the implications of REDD+, forest conservation and sustainable management of
forests for Uttarakhand.

 Develop a methodological understanding of carbon stock changes under REDD+, forest

conservation and sustainable management activities.
 Develop models for assessing carbon sequestration and the mitigation potential of
different forestry and plantation activities.
 Assess the rates of changes in carbon pools under different forest and plantation systems
to assist the development of CDM projects, based on cross-sectional studies.
 Develop emission factors for GHG inventories in land-use sectors, forests, grasslands,
wetlands, etc.
 Assess the mitigation potential of different bio-energy technologies.
 Assess the environmental impact of plantations of different bio-fuel crops.
 Estimate the land availability for biomass feedstock (woody biomass and oilseeds) and
production for energy.
 Assess the competition for land for carbon sequestration versus bio-energy for fossil fuel
substitution.
 Assess the impacts of climate change on sustainable biomass feedstock production for
energy.
Most of the activities prescribed here are in consonance with the draft proposal of the
National Mission for Green India and the National Mission for Sustaining the Himalayan
Ecosystem. In addition to the overall common framework for monitoring described in an
earlier sub-section, the proposal envisages monitoring at four levels, namely:
 On-ground self-monitoring by the local community, implementing organization and
Forest Department.
 Field review by an external agency.
 Remote-sensing-based forest cover monitoring by the Forest Survey of India.
 Intensive monitoring of a few pilot areas by an implementing agency, the Forest
Department and a support organization.
It is essential to recognize that, in addition to being crucial carbon stores, forests provide a
home and livelihood for several people. Women play a crucial role in agro-forestry,
especially when it comes to NTFPs such as food and materials for crafts, building materials,
medicines and rituals. The collection of forest materials can also be an important income-
generating activity. Women possess extensive local and/or indigenous knowledge about tree
species and medicinal and edible plants. In the state, women are the primary guardians of the
forests and their rich biodiversity. Policy making in the forest sector is male dominated and
tends to neglect the needs and interests of women.
The specialized knowledge of women about forestry, botany, biodiversity and water
management makes them critical resources in combating deforestation. To realize their
potential, the Forest Department will examine options for adopting policies that support
women’s leadership and recognize their expertise and support women in combating gender
discrimination. It will also take necessary steps to ensure that all forest-protection
mechanisms and measures will include affected communities in consultation, decision
making and implementation, including effective participation of women in the process. In
particular, the historical role and positive contribution of women in the governance and

nurturing of forests will be taken cognisance of, including through steps taken to ensure their
full participation in decision making.
Community-based natural resource management requires enhancement of forest-based
biomass in the form of food, fuel wood, grass/fodder and timber and non-timber forest
products to help the community augment their livelihoods. The concept of the Mahila Kisan
Nursery is a step towards empowerment of women. Collection of pine needles is also
emerging as a viable option for augmenting livelihoods and reducing fire hazards.
Maintenance of ecotourism destinations in partnership with local communities also provides
livelihood opportunities. Further, the Forest Department is now in the process of taking steps
to address the issue of crop depredation by wildlife, especially monkeys and wild pigs.
A healthy relationship between scientific knowledge and traditional knowledge is very much
required for combating climate change. It is required to develop, expand and mainstream
traditional adaptation measures into adaptation strategies. Traditional knowledge should be
further studied, supported documented and integrated into scientific research.
The private sector can play a role in incentivizing collection and adding value to NTFPs,
growing of medicinal plants by the people and promoting agro-forestry and thus enhancing
livelihood opportunities. As such, the Forest Department will actively examine the creation
of enabling mechanisms for increased roles for the private sector in selected
operations/activities in a highly consultative and transparent manner.
*****

7 Livestock and Animal Husbandry
7.1 Overview—Characteristics and Status
Uttarakhand is well endowed with a variety of livestock: cattle, buffaloes, goats, sheep, pigs,
horses, ponies, mules and poultry. Large populations and low productivity are the hallmarks
of livestock in Uttarakhand, across all species. Individual livestock holdings are small and
often have a mix of different species, except in the case of tribal and transhumant
communities (large migratory flocks of sheep and goats particularly). Cattle are the most
popular and so they are the preponderant species. According to the 2007 round of the
Livestock Census, the districts constituting the state of Uttarakhand had 2.24 million cattle,
1.22 million buffaloes, 1.34 million goats, 0.29 million sheep and over 2.60 million poultry.
The Livestock Census 2007 summary is given below (Table 15).
Table 15: Uttarakhand livestock summary (2007)
Sl. no. Species 1997 (lakhs) 2003 (lakhs) 2007 (lakhs) Change process (%)
1. Cattle 20.309 21.882 22.351 (+) 1.01
2. Buffalo 10.943 12.282 12.195 (+) 1.56
3. Sheep 3.104 2.958 2.904 (–) 0.64
4. Goat 10.857 11.582 13.353 (+) 2.30%
5. Equine 0.238 0.174 0.154 (–) 2.66
6. Pig 0.316 0.327 0.198 (–) 3.73
7. Poultry 9.723 19.840 26.019 (+) 16.76
The livestock population in Uttarakhand, given its geographical area, is small.

Concomitantly, the per-capita distribution of livestock (0.35) is more than the national
average (0.24), which is due to the smaller human population of the state. Most of this
population is non-descript and low in productivity, across all species. The cattle in
Uttarakhand are mostly non-descript and small, but for a small number of cross-breeds: 3.39
lakh in all, just over 15% of the total cattle. The number of breeding females among the cattle
was 8.13 lakh in 2007; 6.47 lakh were non-descript and 1.66 lakh were cross-bred (25.66%),
most of them being concentrated in the districts of Udham Singh Nagar, Haridwar, Nainital
and Dehradun.
Buffaloes are the main dairy animals in Uttarakhand and almost all of them are grades of
Murrah from the neighbouring states, brought in for milk production. The growth in buffalo
numbers has been some 1.56% per annum over the last 10 years (1997–2007), entirely
demand driven, in response to the demands of the growing organized dairy industry in the
state. The population size of sheep is smaller and sheep are concentrated in the upper reaches
of the districts of Pithoragarh, Pauri, Tehri, Uttarkashi, Rudraprayag, Dehradun and Chamoli.
Their holding pattern too is different from the other species (larger flocks, migratory). Goats
are common in Uttarakhand, distributed in all districts, with very heavy concentrations in the
districts of Almora, Pithoragarh, Pauri and Tehri, widely held across all land-holding
categories. The poultry in Uttarakhand, over 60% of them desi fowls in backyards, are quite
important from the point of view of livelihoods as they are owned almost entirely by
marginal farmers. The pig population in Uttarakhand is tiny, seen mostly in the plains and
foothills areas around Haridwar, Udhamsingh Nagar and Dehradun; and the ownership
entirely confined to marginal farmers.
7. Livestock and Animal Husbandry
Over 80% of the rural households own livestock and earn a part of their living out of them.
Livestock production is the endeavour of the small holders (marginal, small and landless) and
over 80% of all species of livestock and almost 100% of the desi poultry in Uttarakhand are
owned by them. The livestock sector in Uttarakhand is therefore extremely livelihood
intensive and investment in livestock development is critical to rural prosperity. The per-
capita bovine population in the state (0.35) is higher than the national average (0.24), whereas
the per-animal daily milk production is lower (3.503 kg) than the national average (3.940 kg).
Increasing the cattle population for greater production is not an option due to a 36.09%
fodder deficit and other logistic constraints in the hills. Increasing the per-animal productivity
is the best available option (Table 16).
Table 16: Per-capita availability
Availability (per capita)
2009/10
Product
India Uttarakhand
Milk (g/day) 264 388
Meat (kg/year) 3.28 1.013
Egg (numbers/year) 51 26
Fish (kg/year) 4.02 0.350
Uttarakhand has a mix of almost all domesticated species of livestock, very large in numbers
and very low in productivity, across the board. In economic terms they are a wealth indeed,
low productivity notwithstanding, as the sector supports the livelihoods of nearly 80% of the
rural households in the state, at least in part in the majority of cases and fully in some (tribal
communities and nomads exclusively living off livestock). Livestock populations in
Uttarakhand were growing steadily over the decades until the mid-1970s, which were a
watershed of sorts for the livestock sector, as both qualitative and quantitative changes began
to set in in the animal populations, reflecting the changes taking place in the state’s economy.
The most remarkable of these changes are as follows:
 Sharp reduction in the numbers of the working males among the cattle and the
consequent slowing of the growth of the desi cattle numbers.
 Changes in the male: female ratio among the cattle (ratio moving steadily in favour of
the females over the past two decades, rapidly rising cross-bred cow numbers), heralding
a shift in the priority of the farming community in bovine production from work animals
to milch animals.
 As the growing dairy industry in the state gets organized, the buffalo has claimed its pre-
eminent position as the main dairy animal and its population (female) is growing steadily
at 1.52% per annum.
 Vigorous market pull pushing up the goat population, in spite of the government policy
being loaded against the species.
 The steadily declining numbers of sheep in the face of mounting global competition in
wool quality and quantity.
 The burgeoning desi fowl population (backyard poultry system), driven by its livelihood
intensity, supporting the bottom 40% of the state’s poorest of the poor (marginal farmers
and rural landless) in terms of household incomes and family nutrition.

Hence decreasing the number of low-production cattle is a priority agenda of the government
not only with the objective of increasing milk production but keeping in view the 36.09%
deficit of fodder in the state. Hence the concerns of climate change are already being
addressed, albeit on a very low scale. There is a need to increase efforts in this direction so
that absolute livestock numbers are reduced within a firm timeframe and issues of food
security are also addressed at the same time.

No detailed vulnerability and risk assessments are currently available for the animal
husbandry sector. An important observation put forth by some experts is that the production
of greenhouse gases by ruminants through rumen fermentation and degradation of dung is
significant in places where intensive livestock rearing is practiced. But in Uttarakhand, as is
the case in many parts of India, livestock holdings are small and restricted to a few animals
per household. Hence there is no concentrated production of these gases and no mass
accumulation of dung. Intensive dairy activities are restricted to only urban and peri-urban
areas in Uttarakhand.
It has been envisaged that climate change will bring about an increase in global temperatures,
which will have various effects on the agro-climatic situations around the world. Various
projections have been made, based on which it has been reasoned that the livestock sector
will also be adversely affected. Hence adaptation strategies need to be put in place so that the
livestock adapt to these anticipated adverse effects.
Some of the main anticipated effects of rising global temperatures on livestock are changes in
disease patterns such as increasing disease morbidity and variations in disease occurrence and
decreases in the availability of feed, fodder and water, leading to direct competition between
man and animal for scarce food and water resources. Hence, a growing livestock population
will lead to an increased demand for feed and fodder, whereas, conversely, increasing global
warming will cause a decrease in the production of feed and fodder and shortages of water.
Increases in the global temperature and a changing rainfall profile will seriously affect the
pattern of occurrence of livestock diseases. Changes in the climate modify the reproduction,
maturation, survival rate and dispersal of vector species and consequently bring about
changes in the time, duration, severity, morbidity and mortality of the diseases borne by these
vectors.
Though the perceptions of the community with regard to the livestock sector per se have not
been documented, changes in the occurrences of particularly two important viral diseases
(foot and mouth and peste des etits ruminants diseases) have been seen in the past few years.
These diseases used to occur in the monsoons and the months immediately after the
monsoons. These diseases have now started occurring during the peak of winter and the
months immediately following the winter. This in turn is reflected in the increase in demand
for vaccination of livestock against these diseases during the winter months.

The livestock sector in Uttarakhand is extremely livelihood intensive and it has been
estimated that, in dryland and mountain ecosystems, livestock contributes anywhere between
50% and 75% of the total household income of the rural population (12th Five Year Plan
Approach Paper 2012—Planning Commission of India). Adequate support to these massive
and highly diverse livestock populations in these regions is needed, commensurate with its
importance. A comprehensive programme that specifically raises the capacity of the rural

poor to conserve and manage their livestock resources and enables them to derive sustainable
incomes from these resources is necessary. The programme will focus on the dependence of
the rural poor on small ruminants such as goats, pigs and promote a range of fodder options
for them. Decentralization and convergence of policy support for these options is crucial for
diversification of livelihoods in smallholder farming. The issues, challenges and priorities for
the livestock sector have been summed up in the matrix in Table 17.
Table 17: Issues, challenges and priorities for the livestock sector
S.No. Issues Causes Challenges Priorities

1. Fodder deficit Limited land under fodder To mitigate this fodder Policy changes at the
(36.09%) crops in hills, mostly rain- deficit using various level of the GoI
fed. More than 62% of the available technologies, permitting the
land under reserve forest. methodologies and harvesting of green
Hence, grazing and opportunities and dry fodder from
harvesting of fodder from reserve forests
these areas restricted. Funding R&D
Remote and dedicated to
geographically difficult developing
terrain and limited road technologies, fodder
connectivity increases the varieties specific to
cost of transportation of the Himalaya
fodder from plains.
No hill-centric R&D
towards mitigating this
fodder deficit.
2. Low per-animal milk Most cattle and buffalo Increasing per-animal Establishing a buffalo
production populations are non- milk productivity through breeding station in
descript and low-yielding. breed improvement and Uttarakhand for
Feed and fodder deficit replacement with high- production of buffalo
yielding animals to some breeding bulls of
extent superior genetic merit.
Establishing livestock
markets in the state
for easier trade in
livestock
3. Poor infrastructural Budgetary constraints Upgrading infrastructure Increasing monetary
facilities at veterinary and providing the latest provisions under the
hospitals, equipment and ESVHD-CSS for
dispensaries diagnostic facilities in Uttarakhand
production support these centres Re-defining objectives
institutions and increasing
budgetary support to
production support
institutions
4. Limited mobility Difficult geographical Providing prophylactic Establishing
terrain and therapeutic ambulatory veterinary
veterinary health care at services so that
the doorstep services can be
delivered at the
doorstep of the farmer
5. Animal husbandry Livestock rearing is Creating opportunities in Mobilizing financial
practiced as an practiced as a the livestock sector in instruments in such a
ancillary activity supplementary activity such a way that they are way that livestock
secondary to agriculture pursued as full-time sector activities can
activities be easily funded
Establishing
marketing linkages
and value addition of
livestock produce
6. Low egg production Unorganized poultry Increasing egg Providing subsidy for
development in the state productivity and poultry feed
due to difficult production of animal

S.No. Issues Causes Challenges Priorities

geographical distribution proteins for rural food Establishing mother
Previously, less impetus security units at district/block
was given to poultry level for producing
development programme and making available
Lack of Infrastructure for month-old chicks
poultry-breeding purposes
7. Poor quality of small- In-breeding due to non- Making available good- Facilitating the import
ruminant germplasm availability of exotic quality breeding bucks of exotic germplasm
germplasm and brood mothers and/or germplasm of
superior genetic merit
from other states
8. Increasing dropouts Artificial insemination, Establishing sustainable Providing tapering
amongst para-vets in vaccination, castration and artificial insemination grants to these para-
hills first aid do not provide centres in the private vets in the hills during
sufficient income for domain the project period
sustaining the para-vets’
livelihoods
9. Income Tax Income from livestock Rates need to be At par with agriculture
enterprise is taxable rationalized
10. Power Commercial electricity Rates need to be At par with agriculture
rates are applicable rationalized
11. Bank interest Interest is charged at Rates need to be At par with agriculture
market rates rationalized
12. Traditional breeds Emphasis on high-yielding Re-building emphasis Revival and
breeds and interest revitalization
13. Livestock predation Habitat loss, expansion of Policy considerations, Addressing habitat
by wild animals agriculture inter-sectoral co- issues, wildlife
ordination corridors, etc.
14. Animal diseases Changes in pest/parasite Need for further Further studies and
life cycles understanding of investigations into
possible changes in possible climate
animal disease related causes and
occurrences and sharing of information
patterns and enhancing vet
services at community
level

As is true for the rest of the country, a large-scale intensive livestock rearing system is not a
part of the general scenario in the case of Uttarakhand. Livestock rearing is the endeavour of
the small farmer, with very smallholdings often having a mixture of various species. As
opposed to other countries where intensive livestock rearing systems are followed, the
production of GHG by rumen fermentation and degradation of dung are not concentrated on.
Thus one of the existing adaptation initiatives, albeit by default, is the pattern in which
livestock husbandry is carried out in the state, the small, scattered and diversified nature of
livestock holdings. The intensive systems of livestock rearing are only followed in urban and
peri-urban pockets of the state close to major cities and towns. These are now slowly closing
down due to municipal legislations since they are taxing the already over-burdened sewage
and solid waste management (SWM) systems. The high costs of inputs, water scarcities,
sanitation issues, competition from multinationals, increased cost of real estate, shortage of
skilled labour, etc. are now making these intensive systems economically unviable.
The Government of Uttarakhand is pursuing the agenda of cross-breeding for increasing the
production potential of its livestock. This is being done with the sole objective of increasing
the per-capita productivity of its livestock. It is assumed that this will lead to a reduction in

the absolute numbers of dairy animals, but at the same time it will also lead to an increase in
the overall milk production. Another initiative taken under the breed improvement
programme is the castration of scrub bulls. This, coupled with increasing farm
mechanization, has led to the reduction of males amongst cows and buffaloes. This is
reflected in the continuous decrease in the population of buffaloes in Uttarakhand over the
last decade (Livestock Census 2007, National Sample Survey Organization).
The prophylactic vaccination measures being undertaken by the state for the control of
common animal diseases are also strategies that will help in adaptation and the emergence of
resilience amongst livestock during the events envisaged during climate change. Routine
practices adopted by the Animal Husbandry Department wherein preventive measures are
initiated before the onset of disease episodes in particular seasons also help in developing
resilience amongst livestock as and when the seasons for those diseases set in.

The vision and commitment of the livestock sector is to create new opportunities and
intensify/amplify existing opportunities in the field of animal husbandry for employment
generation and enterprise development in the state in an environmentally sustainable way and
ensuring inclusive growth across all livestock-holding categories and communities with the
ultimate objective of increasing animal productivity; protecting and creating livelihoods;
enhancing income generation and providing employment.
7.5.2 Strategies
At present there are no institutional mechanisms in place within the department to document
the effects of climate change and there is no level of sensitization amongst the officers and
staff. Hence, efforts will have to be made to first sensitize the officers of the department
regarding aspects of climate change and their relevance to the livestock sector. With respect
to this, the development of human resources has been incorporated in the design of the
proposal so that initially sensitization is carried out and subsequently scientific knowledge is
shared. Collation of evidence base mechanisms will have to be evolved. These will include
studies on the adaptation mechanisms evolved, resilience and/or susceptibility to common
livestock diseases, spread of zoonotic diseases, changes in the pattern of disease occurrences,
issues pertaining to water, feed and fodder and the changes in production trends of livestock
produce over a period of time.
Any effect on production indices of milk, meat, egg and wool, will be automatically recorded
by the department through its dedicated statistical cell already in existence along with
demographic studies. As far as disease surveillance and monitoring is concerned, this too will
be undertaken by the state animal husbandry department with the help of the centrally
sponsored National Disease Reporting System (NADRS). Data will also emerge from the
monthly disease reporting forms that are received from all the institutions of the department.
The College of Veterinary Science of the GBPUA&T, Pantnagar; Indian Veterinary Research
Institute, Mukteshwar Campus, Nainital; and G.B. Pant University, Hill Campus, Chamba,
Tehri Garhwal are three of the institutes dedicated to conducting research in the livestock
sector. Specific scientific issues related to the effects of climate change on livestock holdings,
changes in disease incidences and patterns, developing modules for disease forecasting so
that remedial actions can be initiated well in time and initiating R&D on fodder crops for the
hills will be some key areas where the expertise of these institutions will be harnessed.

The effect on various breeding indices in cattle and buffaloes as a result of climate change
will be assessed by the Uttarakhand Livestock Development Board (ULDB) on a continuous
basis. Similarly all effects on the production, breeding and disease occurrences in the case of
small ruminants will be studied on a continued basis by the Uttarakhand Sheep and Wool
Development Board (USWDB).
Under its reform agenda for the department, the Department of Animal Husbandry has
already created special-purpose vehicles for species-specific development in the state. The
ULDB was formed for the production, supply and distribution of quality breeding inputs to
the artificial insemination and natural breeding centres of the state and the USWDB was
created for a holistic development of the small ruminant sector. The Department of Animal
Husbandry has also been re-organized and re-cast for improving its efficiency. The
department in its turn is the nodal department for all issues related to the livestock sector and
will continue to be responsible for all governance issues and institutional decision making.
The major portion of the state is under forest cover, be it reserve forests or other forests and
since most of the village communities and transhumant livestock rearers are dependent on
forests for meeting the needs of their animals, a convergence issue definitely exists,
especially from the standpoint of the large fodder deficit. As such, specific emphasis will be
given to co-ordination with the Forest Department to enable joint discussions/planning of
fodder resources and improving availability.
In addition to this, convergence with watershed programmes also exists, as the livestock
component is also included in their mandate. Close co-ordination with the Department of
Health and Family Welfare for the control of zoonotic diseases is also of importance.
Management of livestock populations in urban and peri-urban areas calls for close co-
operation between the Department of Animal Husbandry and the Department for Urban
Development. Since water is needed by livestock for drinking and bathing and is needed for
irrigation of fodder crops, convergence with urban and rural water supplies as well as the
Irrigation Department is a must.
Livestock contributes to the household income and food basket of more than 80% of the rural
households. The programmes for ensuring better overall animal health are the following:
strengthening of vaccination delivery mechanisms for prophylaxis against animal diseases;
optimizing breeding efficiency; ensuring the availability of year-round green fodder;
development of human resources; creating, protecting and enabling livelihoods; income
generation and employment avenues; continuous monitoring and evaluation and assessment
of the impact of all the programmes being implemented by the department routinely and as
part of the climate change agenda.
Animal husbandry is thus one of the best tools for building resilience and reducing
vulnerability across communities and all sectors and investment in this sector is the critical
tool to address any possible perils that may arise as a result of any adverse changes occurring
due to anticipated events of climate change. The breed improvement programme for cattle
and buffaloes, initiating alternate feed resources and better feeding practices, planting fodder
trees and increasing the Van Panchayat lands under fodder crops will definitely bring about a
reduction in the emission of GHGs.
A range of initiatives are being proposed for implementation under the UAPCC.
Policies: Policies and procedures will be put in place so that these anticipated adverse effects
are addressed in a planned manner along with the co-benefit of a reduction in GHG
emissions.

Project management: Livestock programmes will be implemented and co-ordinated by the

Department of Animal Husbandry, for which a separate Central Project Management Unit
(CPMU) will be established at the Directorate of Animal Husbandry (Dehradun). The CPMU
will be further supported in this effort by the two Divisional Project Management Units
(DIVPMU), one each for the Garhwal and Kumaon divisions located at Pauri and Nainital,
respectively and by the District Project Implementation Units (DPIU), which will be located
in the 13 districts of the state and will be responsible for the field implementation of the
programme. All the programmes and initiatives envisaged will be implemented through the
line department in co-ordination with other role players including other government
departments, the ULDP, the USWDB, the Uttarakhand Gau Sewa Ayog and voluntary
organizations of national repute involved in the livestock sector. The CPMU will report to the
Central Advisory Council for Climate Change constituted by the state government as directed
by the government from time to time.
Disease surveillance, forecasting and mitigation: The existing disease surveillance system
needs to be strengthened and suitably re-organized to meet the anticipated requirements of
the future. There is a need for the development and adoption of a standard operating
procedure (SOP) for disease outbreaks and other calamities causing episodes within the
livestock scenario as a result of global warming. The Department of Animal Husbandry has
already started a programme under the centrally sponsored project NADRS. As a first step,
111 locations, including all block headquarters, district offices and the directorate, are being
linked by a ‘Virtual Private Network’ so that the disease-reporting system becomes
immediate. A new location-specific reporting system is being developed by the National
Informatics Centre (NIC) for uniform reporting from all these locations, thus ensuring timely
disease forecasting so that necessary mitigation steps can be initiated. This effort is being
supported by the GoI.
Strengthening of institutions: Veterinary hospitals (VH), dispensaries, laboratories and other
production-support institutions of the AHD are in urgent need of strengthening and
modernization. The department is definitely making efforts towards equipping these
institutions so that their service-delivery capacity and quality are improved. Additional
support to the AHD will definitely herald a rapid change in the way livestock health and
related services are being provided. These institutions require support in terms of
maintenance, modern equipment, mobility and human resource development.
Mobile veterinary and diagnostic services: The concept of a stationary VH in Uttarakhand is
a concept that needs to be re-thought since the major part of the state is in the hills. In these
hills it is very difficult to bring animals to a hospital for treatment, vaccination and artificial
insemination and practically all services are delivered at the farmers’ doorsteps. Hence, it is
proposed to introduce mobile veterinary ambulances that will deliver livestock services at
road heads along pre-defined routes.
All disease diagnostic facilities are stationary in the state. Blood, serum and other tissue
samples are collected, preserved and sent to these laboratories for diagnostic tests. Often it is
already too late and fatalities occur before diagnosis is established. It is hence proposed to set
up at least two mobile laboratories in the state, one for each division, which can be rushed to
areas where incidences of disease outbreaks have occurred. This will help with instant
diagnosis and prevent the loss of valuable livestock wealth.
Organizing intensive livestock health and infertility treatment camps: The increase in inter-
calving period leads to direct losses to the livestock owners both in terms of production losses
and decreased profits from feeding a non-producing animal. Infertility is one of the single
most important factors in cattle and buffaloes that lead to an increase in the inter-calving

period. Often such unproductive cattle are abandoned by farmers. In the case of buffaloes,
though, some amount of money is salvaged by the livestock owners through sale for slaughter
and the value of its hide. Organizing livestock health camps and addressing issues of
infertility in domestic animals is one of the most effective measures for providing expert
veterinary health care facilities for farmers at one place. This activity is already being carried
out by the AHD and requires acute scaling up so that its impacts can be of real value to
farmers.
Strengthening vaccine cold chain management system: Vaccination is one of the basic tools
through which livestock can be protected against major livestock diseases and hence it is of
the greatest importance. It is perhaps the only tool that can help in mitigating disease
outbreaks whenever they occur so that the surrounding susceptible population is immediately
protected. One of the single most important factors in the vaccination programme is the
delivery of these vaccines to the end user at refrigeration temperatures ranging from 4oC to
8oC. Owing to the far-flung locations of the areas and the villages being in remote locations,
the problem of delivering a quality vaccination programme has always been a challenge for
the department. With the easy availability of electricity in the state, the setting up of cold
chain management systems with reasonable power backups is now a very easy option. This
cold chain can also be utilized in reverse for sending samples from diseased animals under a
cold chain till they reach the diagnostic laboratories.
Fodder development: It has been estimated that the state has a fodder deficit of about
36.09%, which is going to get adversely affected if there is a rise in global temperatures
coupled with the anticipated scarcity of water. As of now, every household owning livestock
spends several hours a day on the collection of fodder for its animals. The onus of this effort
has sadly fallen on the already over-burdened women in these households. Addressing issues
of fodder deficit with alternate strategies will not only mitigate the deficiency of fodder but
will also help reduce the drudgery of women involved in this work so that the time saved
from this menial and mundane task can be better utilized by them.
Efforts have already been initiated by the department through various schemes to address this
shortage. The setting up of 19 nurseries for providing planting material of Napier grass and
other perennial fodder grasses is one such effort. It needs to be intensified on a massive scale
not only with the cultivation of grasses but fodder trees as well.
Technological interventions: Pilot projects for harvesting fodder grasses during the flowering
seasons so that their protein content can be preserved, as opposed to the traditional practice of
letting them dry on the slopes and then harvesting them according to the need and subsequent
storage will be undertaken. Fodder-compacting technologies have been used for the
manufacture of complete feed blocks at two locations in the state, with an installed capacity
of 15 T each. Compacting wheat straw into blocks makes it easier and more cost effective to
transport fodder in the hills. In addition to compacting, the blocks are bound with molasses
and some feed ingredients so that they also provide energy and a basal maintenance ration for
livestock in the hills. The installed capacity of these plants is sufficient for the time being, but
facilities need to be created for additional storage space for several metric tons of wheat
straw. This is important for procuring and storing large volumes of wheat when it is
harvested. Since the price of wheat straw is very low at that point of time, the cost of the
compacted feed block can be reduced and made uniform the year round. Hence, monetary
arrangements in the form of rotating seed capital for the procurement of bulk amounts of
fodder will be made.

These compacted feed blocks are being marketed through a chain of fodder banks that have
been established and efforts will be further intensified wherein the blocks are available to the
farmer on a full-cost basis.
Package of practices: Improved animal husbandry practices will be demonstrated and
farmers will be provided inputs so that the implementation of various packages of practices is
intensified.
Construction of mangers: In the hills it is a common practice to feed fodder to livestock by
just untying a bale and placing it in front of an animal. Most of the fodder is wasted and
trampled upon as well as soiled by the dung and urine of the animal. Even after repeated
demonstrations under various watershed programmes, efforts to motivate farmers to make
mangers for clean and efficient feeding of straw have failed. Perhaps they have not been at
the level where they could have an impact. Leopard-proof manger designs will also be
adopted.
Chaffing fodder: In addition to this, chaffing of straw is never carried out. The straw is fed as
such, thus adversely affecting its digestibility and consequent bio-availability to the animal.
Hence the chaff-cutting initiative needs to be strengthened further so that the livestock is fed
chaffed straw rather than the whole straw.
Other initiatives: There are certain communities within the state that follow a pastoral way of
raising livestock and are transhumant in nature. They live and move along with their herds
and flocks year round in search of pastures. During the summer they can be found in the
alpine pastures (bugyals) in the higher reaches of the Himalaya and during winter they travel
to the lower valleys and plains in the foothills. Their migratory routes and temporary
dwellings have been used over the decades. These shelters can be either in reserved forests or
in other areas where temporary enclosures with small shelters can be erected for the
protection of their stock in the night and during inclement weather. Because the proposed
location of most such shelters is likely to be in forest areas, this activity can be carried out by
the Forest Department on behalf of the Animal Husbandry Department.
Livestock rearing is carried out in hundreds of households in Uttarakhand in very small
holdings, with two or three animals per household. Hence a household’s supply of dung is not
enough to meet the requirements of even a small biogas plant. Biogas plants will greatly help
in cutting down greenhouse gases as the majority of them will be harnessed and put to use for
generation of energy for domestic chores. Dairying as an enterprise is largely dependent on
markets for sustainability. Hence, it is profitable in urban and peri-urban areas, where ready
markets are available for selling the produce. In the case of the hills, due to shortages of
fodder and the difficulties in the marketing of milk due to the hamlets being located far away
and in remote places, commercial dairy farming is a difficult option. The small ruminant
(sheep or goat) serves as a very good option for generating income and securing livelihoods.
It is proposed to intensify this activity by encouraging the rearing of goats under stall-fed
conditions, keeping in view its livelihood intensity and high internal rate of return.
Uttarakhand is unique in the fact that it has more than 1,200 community-owned and managed
Van Panchayats that are being used for augmentation of fodder production in the state. These
Van Panchayats can also be used for providing shelter to stray cattle so that they can be
prevented from entering forests areas and causing damage to forests. The poultry population
in Uttarakhand is growing at a rate of about 16% every year and is one of the most
livelihood-intensive activities, often supporting resource-poor farmers, particularly the
landless, marginal, disadvantaged groups and those living below the poverty line. There has

been a phenomenal rise in the poultry sector in the state. About 60% of the birds are desi
birds, in the unorganized sector.
The backyard system of poultry development involves the setting up of small units of low-
input-technology birds by providing 50-day-old chicks to the beneficiaries. The birds are
reared by farmers under free-ranging conditions, with zero-input foraging for their food and
surviving on kitchen waste. The department has six parent farms producing chicks and
supplied to the farmers of the state. The total present-day capacity of these installed
hatcheries is for the supply of 3.45 lakh day-old chicks annually. It is envisaged that in order
to intensify the backyard poultry programme, the production capacity of the hatcheries will
have to be enhanced by adding another parent unit. This will augment the capacity of the
farm to supply an additional amount of 1.8 lakh day-old chicks per annum.
The development of human resources has always been a priority agenda of the department
and forms its core philosophy. Convergence with regard to the animal husbandry and issues
pertaining to climate change across departments will be established and will be a major
component of the project. Sensitization of livestock owners, bare foot service providers, para-
veterinarians, middle-level functionaries and officers of the department regarding issues
pertaining to water, irrigation, agriculture, forests, rural development and power will form
key areas of convergence with regard to climate change. Hence a major thrust will be placed
on creating awareness, capacity development and educating the major role players involved
in rearing livestock and/or involved in providing services and all those involved in the
livestock value chain.
As is true for the rest of the country, the onus of providing farm advisory services, production
support services and all regulatory services to the livestock sector is on the government.
Efforts are now being made, albeit still on a very minuscule scale, towards privatization of all
farm advisory and production support services. An example is provided by the training of
suitably educated, unemployed local youth (men and women) to provide breeding services,
primary veterinary first aid and complete prophylactic vaccination of livestock in their
respective areas. These trained individuals act as barefoot service providers to the local
farming community at mutually agreed market prices. How successful the programme will
be, only time will tell, but providing livestock services in the remote and often difficult
geographical terrain in Uttarakhand has always been a difficult task anyway and alternative
models will have to be developed and put in place for the future.
The training component will require capacity building of all the major stakeholders, including
officers and staff of the Department of Animal Husbandry and the livestock-owning
community in general. The main emphasis of the training will be to sensitize them about the
various effects that climate change will possibly bring about in livestock farming and the
various methodologies and adaptation measures that will be needed to face the challenge of
climate change. Knowledge sharing across farming communities both within the state and
among those rearing livestock in other hilly areas of the country will also help them in these
adaptation measures. Along with the progress of the programme, the training need
assessments of all the stakeholders will also be revised from time to time. As the need arises,
suitable changes will be incorporated into the programme.
Scientific research in the livestock domain with respect to the mountain states is very limited
and limited efforts have been made towards initiating hill-centric research. Hence, major
efforts need to be made in order to carry out even baseline surveys so that potentially
exploitable opportunities can be identified within this sector for the benefit of the farmer. In
addition to this, R&D of fodder varieties for the rain-fed areas of the hills and technologies to
address fodder and feed shortages need to be developed for year-round availability.

In addition to this, a better people-to-science interface will have to be established by setting

up knowledge centres for sharing scientific information amongst all role players. The present
system of setting up Krishi Vikas Kendras (KVKs) has not been effective with regard to
sharing of knowledge pertaining to animals. Hence either the KVKs will have to be
strengthened further or a new initiative will have to be launched. The setting up of a
dedicated 24 × 7 helpline and dedicated audio-visual programmes, using the print media,
organizing village-level knowledge seminars, development of the human resources of the
Department of Animal Husbandry for better extension, etc. are some of the methods that will
be adopted towards attaining this objective.
At present, monitoring of all livestock programmes is done by the department, for which it is
ill equipped. The routine production parameters of milk, meat, eggs and wool in the various
seasons are noted periodically by the department according to the guidelines of the GoI
through its statistical cell and field institutions dedicated to this purpose. Livestock
populations are enumerated every fifth year by the officers and staff of the department and
are compiled by the statistical cell.
The progress of schemes is monitored in terms of achievement of targets of the activities
being implemented, but no effective deliverables and outcomes are ever measured. Hence the
creation of a complete monitoring and evaluation mechanism within the project management
unit of the department will have to be made. Measurable outcomes will have to be decided
and monitoring and evaluation done along these lines so that subsequent impact assessment
of the activities proposed can be done. In addition to this, documentation of all success stories
and failures also needs to be an important part of the programme.
The sequel to an effective monitoring programme will automatically lead to documentation
of all the outcomes. A common knowledge-sharing platform will have to be created for
sharing these outcomes. The platform may be through people-to-people interaction; through
an interactive Web portal; through electronic and print communications; or through seminars
and workshops.
Livestock farming is the endeavour of the poor, landless and marginal people and with
respect to the hill districts of Uttarakhand; it is a women-centric activity. The share of
livestock has been projected to be 50%–75% of household incomes in rain-fed and mountain
ecosystems (12th Five Year Plan Approach Paper, Planning Commission). Livestock can
adapt and develop resilience with efficacy and ease as they can move around and can be
taken from one place to another, as opposed to crops. The efficacy of supporting livelihoods
is also very high, as can be ascertained by the fact that more than 80% of the self-help groups
formed have expressed an interest in pursuing activities related to the livestock sector.
The role of the private sector with regard to this sector is ill defined. Except for the milk
unions of U S Nagar and Lalkuan, which sell any excess liquid milk to Mother Diary, most of
the livestock products are consumed within the state. Certain districts are importing milk,
butter, ghee, live animals and poultry for slaughter and for eggs from outside the state. Hence
there is a demand–supply gap for several products from livestock, which is area specific and
hence opportunities do exist. Only in the case of commercial poultry farming does the private
sector have a role to play, which it is already doing by supplying genetic inputs, technical
backstopping, farm advisory services and marketing backup.
The cost of livestock is increasing day by day and a lack of institutional credit has hampered
the growth of this sector very negatively. Several schemes providing credit subsidies either
directly or back-ended by the National Bank for Agricultural and Rural Development
(NABARD) are yet to achieve their targets. This has been largely due to the limited capacity

of the often illiterate and poor farmer to understand the modalities for even applying for a
loan and his inability to put forth collateral. Hence the staff of the department will have to
play a proactive role in facilitating the farmer for preparation of project reports and
processing loan applications.
As the cost of livestock is increasing day by day, any livestock enterprise, even if it be very
small, cannot be initiated without institutional credit and easy access to it. Owing to its
delicate nature, it will also have to be protected through suitable insurance packages and once
again easy access to them will have to be made a priority.
Voluntary organizations and NGOs have been playing a key role in livestock-centric
livelihood schemes in the state and have delivered yeoman service. They will form the
organic link between the department and livestock owner and help bridge gaps and provide
ancillary support during the various projected interventions.
The United Nations–funded International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI), based at
Nairobi (through the Sir Ratan Tata Trust), a local NGO (Himothan) and the department are
providing technical support in certain areas. Their expertise will be harnessed for identifying
R&D for grey areas and evolving suitable programmes for the same.
*****

8 Disaster Management
Climate change is recognized as being the biggest threat that the earth and human race face
today. Climate change is driven by an increase in the average global temperature (global
warming) and results in changes in cloud cover and precipitation, particularly over land,
melting of ice caps and glaciers and reduced snow cover, an increase in the frequency of
extreme climate events and increases in ocean temperatures and oceanic acidity due to
absorption of heat and carbon dioxide from the atmosphere by seawater. It thus encompasses
all the environmental changes that are likely to have detrimental effects on nature as also on
socio-economic aspects of our lives.
The impacts of climate change are all the more visible in vulnerable and sensitive regions and
the Himalaya represents one such region. The Himalayan region has its own significance as
far as India is concerned. It forms a formidable physical barrier that has played a major role
in stabilizing the south-west monsoon over the sub-continent. Precipitation caused by the
south-west monsoon is the primary mechanism of fresh water delivery in the sub-continent
and is the lifeline of the economy of the region. It thus has a direct bearing upon the ecology
and economy of the region. About 10% of the world’s population depends on mountain
resources and a much larger percentage draws on other mountain resources, including water.
The Himalaya also acts as a massive fresh water reservoir and a number of perennial rivers
and their tributaries have their source in this region. Two of the largest river systems of the
sub-continent, the Ganges and the Indus, originate in the glaciers of this region and are fed by
myriad lakes, glacial melts and streams. These perennial rivers provide water for household,
industrial and irrigation purposes and are also the primary source of energy in the region.
These bring huge quantities of silt and clay that get deposited in the Indo-Gangetic and Indus
plains and thus regularly replenish the soil fertility. It is because of these river systems that
these plains are in a position to sustain a dense population.
The state of Uttarakhand is located in the central Himalayan region. The terrain of the state is
predominantly mountainous and the forest cover accounts for 71% of its geographical area.
Most of the northern portion of the state forms a part of the Great Himalayan Range and is
studded with a number of snow-clad peaks and glaciers.
Increasing uncertainty in the precipitation patterns in the state is amply highlighted by the
fact that in both 2007/08 and 2008/09, the state faced severe drought conditions. In 2007/08,
nine districts of the state (out of a total of 13 districts) were officially notified as being
drought affected, while in 2008/09, 10 districts were notified as being drought affected. On
both these occasions, the state government had to seek central assistance mounting to ` 241.5
crores and ` 200.1 crores, respectively, to manage the situation. Completely opposite was the
case in 2010, when the entire state witnessed excess monsoonal precipitation and massive
losses were reported from across the state due to repeated floods, flash floods, landslides and
cloudburst events and the state government had to seek central assistance amounting to ` 653
crores.
During 15 to 17 June, 2013, cloud bursts and heavy to very heavy rainfall hit several parts of
the higher reaches of the state. The onset of monsoon came was 15 days prior to its expected
arrival. This unprecedented rainfall resulted in a sudden increase in water levels giving rise to
flash floods in the Mandakini, Alakananda, Bhagirathi and other river basins and also caused
extensive landslides at various locations. Adding to this, melting of the Chorabari glacier
caused waters in the Chorabari Lake to rise. The lake’s weak moraine barrier gave way and a
8. Disaster Management
huge volume of water along with large glacial boulders came down the channel to the
east devastating Kedarnath town, Rambara, Gaurikund and other places in its way.
According to official sources, over 9,00,000 people have been affected by this natural
calamity in the state. A total of 580 human lives were lost; over 5,200 people were reported
as missing; 4,200 villages were affected; 9,200 cattle/livestock lost; and 3,320 houses were
fully damaged. This event also left over 70,000 tourists and 1,00,000 local inhabitants
stranded in the upper reaches of the mountain terrain, who were rescued.34 Hundreds of
mules were stranded on the yatra routes. The total estimated reconstruction costs for the state
is at ` 3,964 crores. (Further information can be found in Annexure 3).35
The changes in the climatic parameters are at the same time affecting the biodiversity of the
region and a large number of species have started to clearly show signs of distress due to the
climatic variability–induced changes in their habitats. These conditions are fast making the
native species extinct or threatened and allowing invasive species to establish themselves,
thereby promoting change in the ecology and microclimate of the region.
The effect of climate change is bound to affect the communities in this region because they
are still largely dependent on nature for their basic needs and their economic activities, be
they farming or tourism. Both are largely dependent on climatic conditions.
Traditional knowledge is a precious national resource that can facilitate the process of
disaster prevention, preparedness and response in cost-effective, participatory and sustainable
ways. There is much to learn from indigenous, traditional and community-based approaches
to natural disaster preparedness. Indigenous people have been confronted with changing
environments for millennia and have developed a wide array of coping strategies, and their
traditional knowledge and practices provide an important basis for facing the even greater
challenges of climate change. Although their strategies may not succeed completely as they
will undoubtedly need support to adapt to climate change, yet they have expertise to offer on
coping through traditional time-tested mechanisms. Hence a blend of approaches and
methods from science and technology and from traditional knowledge opens avenues towards
better disaster prevention, preparedness, response and mitigation. Globally, there is an
increasing acknowledgement of the relevance of traditional knowledge as a valuable and
under used knowledge reservoir, which can be a powerful asset in environmental
conservation and natural disaster management. Communities have been using traditional
knowledge since time immemorial to monitor climate and other natural systems and establish
early warning indicators for their own benefit and for future generations.
8.2 Vulnerability to climate change

No detailed climate vulnerability risk assessments are currently available from the standpoint
of disasters. Nevertheless, the Disaster Management Department has been carrying out a
range of related activities. The following are the main initiatives of the Department:
 Assessment of the impact of natural disasters upon the masses, particularly women.
 Assessment of the people’s perception of climate change and documentation of their
adaptation strategy through primary data collection in various regions of the state.
 Assessment of the changes being introduced in the geo-environment due to climate
change through primary data collection in various regions of the state.
34
August 2013, India Uttarakhand Disaster June 2013 – Joint Rapid Damage and Needs Assessment Report
35
August 2013, India Uttarakhand Disaster June 2013 – Joint Rapid Damage and Needs Assessment Report

 Study of the impact of changing weather patterns and extreme weather events on natural
resources and the livelihoods of people.
 Documentation of best practices in traditional coping methods, possible interventions to
meet present demands and promotion of the same.
 Documentation of the indigenous technical knowledge (ITK) of the masses.

8.3.1 Issues and Challenges
Under the influence of climate change, the geo-environment of Uttarakhand is increasingly
getting more susceptible to a number of problems that include soil erosion, landslides,
prolonged dry spells, glacier recession, erratic precipitation, extreme climate events and rapid
loss of habitats and biodiversity. These have a direct implication upon the issues related to
the livelihoods of people in the state and adjoining regions.
Despite still being an economically developing state, Uttarakhand is amongst the most
densely populated mountain eco-systems and even a slight disturbance in the ecology of the
region is sure to jeopardize the life support strategy of a large number of people living in the
region as also in the downstream areas. It therefore becomes important to keep a close watch
even upon small signs of distress in the ecosystem of the region so as to understand their
long-term implications on the region and to frame appropriate strategies in a timely manner
for mitigating the same.
Mystic charm of the Himalaya has always attracted people since time immemorial and people
from far and wide have been coming and settling down in the region. The region has acted as
a melting pot of diverse cultures. The state of Uttarakhand has also been inhabited by people
of diverse ethnic and linguistic backgrounds, including many tribes and minority
communities. Owing to the inherent inaccessibility of the region, people have traditionally
been dependent on nature for satisfying their various needs. The culture of the region is thus
intricately interwoven around nature and the indigenous people ensured adherence to the
principles of ecological conservation by invoking religio-magical rites as also social
sanctions. Accumulated knowledge and experience of the generations thus gave rise to a rich
repository of indigenous technical knowhow that was passed on orally to the next generation.
Rain-fed agriculture of a subsistence nature, together with animal rearing, has been the
mainstay of the economy of Uttarakhand. The state of Uttarakhand receives approximately
90% of its annual rainfall during the monsoon season. A slight change in the monsoon pattern
can significantly affect the food productivity and even destabilize the hydrological cycle. A
reduction/enhancement in the total amount of rainfall by a mere 20%–30% in a season can
cause agricultural droughts or severe floods. The monsoon and its timing therefore play an
important role in ensuring food security in the region.
8.3.2 Priorities
The traditional practices of resource management have been responsible for the cultural
diversity and prosperity of the region. The absence of written records of traditional practices
and poor efforts to conserve this knowledge are however resulting in the loss of many
invaluable practices. The documentation of traditional knowledge is therefore of utmost
importance. The implementation of the Biological Diversity Act, 2002 has enabled the
documentation of biodiversity along with the traditional knowledge in the form of People’s
Biodiversity Registers (PBRs).

Driven by differential appreciations in the price of traditional coarse crop products and the
finer cereals and a lack of adequate quality support from the government, the cropping
pattern in the region has witnessed a major change, which in turn has had a direct impact
upon the local climate and soil. The masses, at the same time, are ill equipped to cultivate
input-intensive crops. Integrated with changing climate, this has resulted in reduced
agricultural productivity in the state. The ensuing reduced farm biodiversity and the depletion
of the gene pool in mountain agriculture are a major cause of concern today.
Climate change–driven fluctuations in the precipitation pattern have increased uncertainty in
the farm output and recurring crop failures have left little incentive for the masses to continue
with the same. Labour-intensive hill farming has thus been rendered unsustainable and the
region is presently threatened by food insecurity. The repercussions of this are clearly
reflected in large stretches of hitherto regularly sown agricultural lands being left barren.
Climate change is thus taking its toll on hill farming, agricultural diversity and the overall
well-being of the people.
At the same time, the region does not have alternative gainful employment opportunities and
climate change–driven uncertainly in mountain agriculture has forced people to migrate from
the hills in search of employment. A large proportion of the males/able-bodied persons of the
region have thus resorted to migration to urban and proto-urban centres in the plains in search
of alternative employment opportunities. The mountainous areas are thus left with women,
the elderly and children, who are amongst the most vulnerable section of the society. The
overall situation has resulted in the farming hands being depleted in the region, which has
further led to deterioration of the state. This harsh ground reality of the region is clearly
reflected in the census statistics. Therefore, ensuring and exploring livelihood options in the
hills is of utmost importance.
Climate change–induced societal adjustments have thus added to the drudgery of the hill
women, who have to share additional responsibilities in taking care of agriculture-related
work besides their routine household chores, which include collection of fuel wood, fodder
and water, besides cooking, cleaning and looking after children and the elderly. Climate
change–related resource depletion has at the same time made the primary resources scarce
and hill women have now to devote more time to managing these. They are thus left with
little time to look after their health and entertainment-related needs, leave alone engaging
themselves in some gainful economic pursuits.
Climate change has thus trapped the Himalayan region, its people and the economy in a
vicious circle and unless serious attempts are made to break the impasse, there seems no
respite. With the passage of time, the situation is only going to deteriorate and solutions are
going to become more complex. We are thus left with no option but to act now if we do not
wish to witness a total meltdown. We need to decrease the vulnerabilities and develop a more
resilient community and this can be done by building the capacity of the people by utilizing
the existing resources and past experiences. It is important to seriously take note of the
magnitude and dimensions of this problem so as to formulate appropriate interventions aimed
at improving the scenario.
Appropriate changes have also to be incorporated in the existing legal and policy
frameworks, together with establishment of new ones to assist the masses to adapt better to
the changes being introduced in their surroundings by climate change. This would assist
informed and judicious decision making with a vision of sustainable development and a
resilient country.


The Disaster Mitigation Management Centre (DMMC), Dehradun has been carrying out a
number of initiatives in the field of disaster management and mitigation. These include the
following:
 Preparation of a database of indigenous traditional knowledge (ITK).
 Preparation for assessing the impact of climate change upon the life support strategy
of the masses and their perception of the changes being introduced in their
surroundings.
 Land use/land cover change studies were carried out for the cities of Nainital and
Haridwar using high-resolution satellite imagery (IKONOS and WV 2).
 Landslide and environmental risk assessment were carried out for the cities of
Nainital and Mussoorie.
 Socio-economic vulnerability assessment was carried out for the city of Nainital.
 Dam break and inundation studies are being carried out for the area downstream of
Tehri Reservoir.
 Training and capacity building:
o Training departmental officials in vulnerability assessment.
o Training departmental officials in the use of GIS and RS tools for effective
resource management.
o Training of engineers in retrofitting existing structures.
o Training of engineers in safer construction practices.
o Training of masons in safer construction practices. This is an important initiative as
most constructions in the state are non-engineered.
o Training of formal first responders in search and rescue and first aid.
o Training of community members on search and rescue. Details of trained persons
are available at http://srtraining.dmmcuttarakhand.org/.
o Training of state government officers in post-disaster needs assessment.
o Training of media personnel in reporting disaster-related issues.
o Training of government officials in preparation of disaster management plans.
o Training of government officials in post-disaster response and utilization of ICS
(IRS) principles.
o Training of school teachers in vulnerability assessment and school disaster
management plan preparation.
o Training of doctors in mass casualty management and hospital disaster
management plan preparation.
o Mock drills and tabletop exercises involving nodal officers of various government
departments.
 Awareness generation: Various modes are being utilized for mass awareness. These
include the following:

o Print media
o Electronic mode
o Folk theatre
o Films
o Tele serials
o Video and audio spots
o Meetings and workshops
o Competitions, both face-to-face and online
 School safety: The following activities are being organized.
o Vulnerability assessment; both structural and non-structural
o School disaster management plan preparation
o Training of teachers in school disaster management plan preparation
o Search and rescue and first aid training
o Mock drills
o Competitions
 Hospital preparedness and safety: The following activities are being undertaken.
o Structural safety assessment
o Assessment of non-structural safety
o Preparation of hospital safety and mass casualty management plans
 Emergency preparedness
o Emergency Operations Centre
o SMS alert service
 Structural vulnerability and risk assessment:
o The vulnerability of the building stock of Mussoorie, Nainital, Bageshwar,
Haridwar, Dehradun, Rudraprayag, Pauri, Srinagar and Joshimath were assessed
using rapid visual screening.
o A detailed vulnerability assessment of four important buildings in Nainital was
carried out.
o Vulnerability assessment of lifeline structures is being carried out.
 Preparation of disaster management plans
o State plan
o District plan
o Tehsil and block plans
o Nyaya Panchayat plan
o Village plan
o Tehri Dam

 Value-added services
o GIS and remote sensing
o Mapping
o Surveying
o Database preparedness
o Training
o DM plan preparation.

The Department of Disaster Management is committed to the cause of a disaster-resilient
state. Climate change is making extreme climate events more frequent and incidences of
landslides, flash floods and droughts are on the rise. In the long run, this is sure to adversely
affect the water and energy sectors, besides others. The department is thus committed to (i)
assessing the vulnerability of various sectors to these changes, (ii) monitoring some of the
critical parameters, (iii) educating the respective departments on likely problems they might
face, (iv) preparing mitigation/adaptation plans, (v) ensuring implementation of these plans
through various departments, (vi) bringing forth mass awareness on this important issue, (vii)
preparing community-based mitigation/adaptation plans, (viii) ensuring capacity building of
both departments and masses, (ix) suggesting appropriate changes in the techno-legal regime
and (x) monitoring and evaluating the progress. The department’s activities under the
UAPCC will be closely linked to the overall institutional framework at the state level for
close co-ordination and a response across the sectors and regions of the state; as such, a close
working coordination will be established with several line departments and other agencies,
such as the armed forces, for emergencies and emergency preparedness.
8.5.2 Strategies
The following initiatives are planned to be undertaken for improving the scientific knowledge
and evidence base and understanding climate change and its impacts:
 Study of recent changes in climate parameters: Speleothems (deposits in limestone
caves) are increasingly being used for reconstructing changes in the various climate-
related parameters. A study of the same will be undertaken in collaboration with the
Indian Institute of Science (Bangalore) and the Physical Research Laboratories
(Ahmedabad).
 Documentation of adaptation strategies of the masses. Various adaptation strategies and
traditions being used by the masses to ward off or minimize the climate change–related
impacts will be documented. This will ensure protection of intellectual property rights
relating to the same where applicable.
 Land use/land cover change in the previous decade. Temporal satellite data will be
utilized to assess the changes in the land use/land cover pattern.
 Monitoring of various climate parameters. A series of automatic weather stations will be
installed at critical locations in the high reaches of the state so as to monitor the changes
in various climate parameters.

 Mass balance of Gangotri Glacier. Mass balance studies will be carried out for Gangotri
Glacier in collaboration with the Wadia Institute of Himalayan Geology (WIHG)
(Dehradun).
Towards improving governance mechanisms, institutional decision making and convergence,
in accordance with Section 14 of Disaster Management Act, 2005, the State Disaster
Management Authority (SDMA) has been constituted under the chairmanship of the Chief
Minister, Uttarakhand. SDMA has the mandate to plan for all disaster-related contingencies
and ensure implementation of the same. SDMA is thus an appropriate forum for ensuring
inter-departmental coordination and convergence.
The following initiatives are planned to be undertaken to build adaptive resilience and reduce
vulnerability across communities and sectors:
i) Capacity building for effective planning. Planning is the key to mitigating effects of
various climate-induced contingencies. Various stakeholders from amongst the
community as also from various sectors will be trained in assessing their
vulnerabilities and to prepare plans in the light of the various contingencies that they
might face.
ii) Planning at community level. Community-based plans will be prepared for tackling
better any contingency that might take place in the future.
iii) Administrative planning. Sections 23 and 31 of the Disaster Management Act, 2005
make the SDMA responsible for preparing plans for the state and districts for
effectively tackling all hazard-related situations and ensuring implementation of the
same. State and district plans will therefore be prepared accordingly.
iv) Planning for schools. Plans will be prepared for each school of the state for tackling
better any contingency that might take place in the future.
v) Planning for hospitals. Mass casualty management plans will be prepared for all the
major hospitals in the state.
vi) Planning for government infrastructure. The entire public infrastructure will be
mapped under the GIS environment and the vulnerability of the same would be
assessed. This will help in developing adaptive resilience plans, including retrofitting
where required.
vii) Preparation of disaster management plan for all major reservoirs in the state. In the
case of extreme precipitation or GLOF events in the catchments of major reservoirs,
the possibility of flash floods in the downstream areas cannot be ruled out. Various
possibilities have therefore to be simulated and based upon these, appropriate plans
have to be developed for tackling these situations.
viii) Raising quick response teams at the grassroots level. In case of any disaster situations
the people at the grassroots level are the first responders and in most events response
activities are over before the arrival of formal responders on the scene. It is therefore
critically important to raise quick response teams at the grassroots level. These will be
raised in every village so as to effectively manage any contingency. Certified training
in search and rescue and first aid will be imparted to selected volunteers.
ix) Vulnerability assessment of all lifeline structures in the state. The vulnerability of all
the lifeline structures will be assessed and this will help the respective sectors to
undertake appropriate measures for vulnerability reduction.

x) Retrofitting of lifeline infrastructure. After assessing the vulnerability of the

infrastructure, the beneficiaries will be asked to undertake retrofitting of their
infrastructure.
xi) Landslide and flash flood vulnerability assessment. This investigation will help in the
identification of human habitations and critical infrastructure that are likely to suffer
losses in the future.
xii) Relocation of critical infrastructure. The infrastructure and critical facilities falling in
an identified high-risk zone will be advised to relocate. This will at the same time act
as a disincentive for infrastructure development in the high-risk zone.
xiii) Relocation of threatened habitations. More than 233 villages have already been
identified as being chronically affected by extreme weather events that have rendered
these unsafe for human habitation. The state government has already come forward
with a rehabilitation policy. Efforts will be made for relocating these villages to other
safer locations.
xiv) Promoting green and disaster-resilient construction technologies. Certified training
programmes will be organized for the engineers of the various engineering
departments for promoting green and disaster-resilient construction technologies.
xv) Assessment of urban vulnerability, particularly in the case of extreme precipitation
events. Major urban agglomerations of the state having a population of more than one
lakh each will be studied under this programme.
xvi) Vulnerability assessment of all industrial units in the state. The vulnerability of all the
industrial units will be assessed and this will help the individual agencies to undertake
appropriate measures for vulnerability reduction.
xvii) Simulation of extreme precipitation scenario in major river basins of the state and
planning for the same. Extreme precipitation/sudden breaches of landslide dams can
lead to devastating situations in the downstream areas. It is therefore important to
simulate various scenarios and accordingly plan for effectively managing these
contingencies.
xviii) Mapping of glacial lakes and planning for GLOF situation in the state. There are a
number of glacial lakes in the state and recession of glaciers poses a grave threat of
their breaching suddenly. It is therefore important to identify these lakes and assess
their devastation potential so as to plan for this contingency well in advance.
xix) Review of various techno-legal regimes. The techno-legal regime has an important
bearing in reducing the risk of disasters. Various techno-legal provisions will
therefore be reviewed and appropriate amendments to the same will be suggested.
xx) Promotion of risk transfer mechanisms. Risk transfer is increasingly being seen as an
important tool for reducing the burden of disasters upon public exchequer. Various
risk transfer instruments will therefore be developed and the same will be promoted
through various modes.
The following activities are planned for education and awareness regarding this important
issue.
i) School curriculum. Disaster management has already been included in the school
curriculum. Appropriate material will subsequently be developed for various climate
change–related issues and the same would be introduced in the school curriculum.

ii) Online education. Online self-education modules on various disaster management–

related issues are currently being developed. Similar modules will be developed on
climate change and adaptation-related issues and offered online.
iii) Online competitions. The department has developed an online quiz on disaster
management that is being promoted through Facebook. Some other products are
currently being developed. Similar products will be developed on climate change–
related issues and offered online.
iv) Development of information and education material. The department has developed
considerable amounts of information material in the vernacular and the same is being
promoted through Facebook. Similar products on climate change–related issues will
be developed and offered online.
v) School awareness programme. Awareness programmes are being organized regularly
by the department for school children. Climate change will be included in these
programmes and these will be made a regular feature in all the schools of the state.
vi) Awareness programme for officials. It is urgently necessary to sensitize the
government officials on this important issue. The department is regularly organizing
sensitization programmes for government officials at the state, district and
tehsil/block levels. Various key issues related to climate change will be included in
these training programmes.
vii) Training programme for vulnerability assessment and risk reduction. For better
appreciation of vulnerability and risk assessment reports as also for undertaking
independent assessment exercises and special training programmes will be organized
for the representatives of various sectors.
In order to connect science, practice and policy, the department is working in close
collaboration with various centres of excellence and universities including WIHG
(Dehradun); IIRS (Dehradun); the Central Soil and Water Conservation Research and
Training Institute (CSWCRI) (Dehradun); IIT (Roorkee); National Institute of Hydrology
(NIH) (Roorkee); Central Building Research Institute (CBRI) (Roorkee); and the Kumaon,
Garhwal, Pantnagar and Doon universities. Details of practical research being undertaken by
these institutions are regularly being made available to the relevant departments. A number of
other agencies in the state are active in various areas of disaster management and mitigation,
including training—these include Lal Bahadur Shastri National Academy of Administration
(LBSNAA), Advanced Training Institute and the Forest Research Institute. Linkages and
close co-ordination with these agencies will be established to avoid overlap of functions and
activities and to enhance impact.
A robust monitoring framework will be put into place and both financial and physical
monitoring of the various activities will be resorted to. Besides in-house monitoring,
independent third-party monitoring will be undertaken.
Towards documenting, sharing, learning and dialogue across the Indian Himalayan Region,
the department has a dedicated autonomous centre (DMMC), which has the mandate of
ensuring disaster resilience in the state. Besides producing a number of reports on
vulnerability and risk assessment, post-disaster needs assessment and others, DMMC have
produced a large volume of IEC material. Besides physical dissemination, these are being
made available through Facebook and the website of the centre. It is planned to develop
DMMC into a centre of excellence for all the Himalayan states, which share similar socio-
economic and hazard characteristics. This centre will provide value-added services to these

states and help with knowledge management in the field of disaster management and climate
change. This centre will also assist these states in capacity building in critical areas.
Development priorities of the country/state are often derailed by disasters and therefore it is
important to dovetail various risk reduction strategies with developmental planning.
Moreover, depending upon their resilience, communities are differently affected by disasters.
The most vulnerable sections include the poor, women, the elderly, children and differentially
abled persons. Poverty is often a direct function of the available gainful employment
opportunities. Bereft of the gains of development, hill communities in the state face the brunt
of forced migration. This results in women taking care of agricultural chores besides routine
household chores. Agriculture, which is the main economic activity of the region, is being
adversely affected by changing weather patterns. Bereft of farming hands, large tracts of
hitherto agriculture lands are being left barren. This is a serious concern as it threatens
livelihoods and the well-being and food security of the masses in the region. It therefore
becomes important to quantify this problem in discrete terms and solutions to the problems
have then to be devised accordingly. The following activities will therefore be undertaken by
the department:
i) Assessment of the socio-economic vulnerability of the masses in various remote
locations of the state, with particular emphasis upon gender, class, caste, ethnicity,
physical ability, community structure, existing decision-making processes and the
other local factors.
ii) In the absence of any authentic study, as on date both the magnitude of the problem
related to migration and its impact is poorly quantified. Data on population
movements (migration) across the region, primary and secondary data at the regional
level and data on the impact of migration on poverty alleviation are proposed to be
collected and compiled.
iii) Documentation of best practices for livelihood and adaptation strategies and
promotion of the same through various modes including policy interventions.
iv) A study on migration and its possible impacts (considering that there is significant
migration within the state).
v) Traditional knowledge is a precious national resource that can facilitate the process of
disaster prevention, preparedness and response in cost-effective, participatory and
sustainable ways. There is much to learn from indigenous, traditional and community-
based approaches to natural disaster preparedness. Indigenous people have been
confronted with changing environments for millennia and have developed a wide
array of coping strategies, and their traditional knowledge and practices provide an
important basis for facing the even greater challenges of climate change. Although
their strategies may not succeed completely as they will undoubtedly need support to
adapt to climate change, yet they have expertise to offer on coping through traditional
time-tested mechanisms. Hence a blend of approaches and methods from science and
technology and from traditional knowledge opens avenues towards better disaster
prevention, preparedness, response and mitigation. Globally, there is increasing
acknowledgement of the relevance of traditional knowledge as a valuable and under
used knowledge reservoir, which is a powerful asset in environmental conservation
and natural disaster management. Communities have been using traditional
knowledge since time immemorial to monitor climate and other natural systems and
establish early warning indicators for their own benefit and for future generations.
Community risk assessment and promotion of the community-based disaster

management (CBDM) approach, which directly involves vulnerable people in

planning and implementation of mitigation measures as the community is the best
judge of its own vulnerability, can make the best decisions regarding its own well-
being.
o Assess the risk with the help of the community.
o CBDM.
o Development of community-based risk reduction strategies (coping mechanism.
etc.).
o Training of community volunteers in search and rescue and first aid as
preparedness for emergency situation.
vi) Gender-based studies to identify the role of women as the first and most responsible
responders in disasters and train women leaders. The studies will also help understand
the impact of the increase in predominantly women-headed households in the
mountains.
vii) Gender mainstreaming and gender-sensitive approaches in regions affected by food
shortages and decreased agricultural production based on approaches and methods
developed by traditional knowledge.
viii) Training sessions on livelihood options including small-scale business, animal
husbandry and agriculture, with a focus on the adaptation and coping mechanism.
Possibilities will be explored for collaboration with the private and co-operate sectors. The
department is already working in close collaboration with the Tehri Hydro Development
Corporation, Oil and Natural Gas Commission and other industrial units in the state. Special
emphasis will be laid on collaboration in the following sectors:
i) Housing and infrastructure, health, education—Safe housing is the most important
aspect as far as disaster management and housing are concerned. Promotion of
earthquake-safe construction technology will be targeted through training of
engineers, architects and masons working in private housing projects.
ii) Advocate and convince the private sector in disaster prevention, reconstruction and
rehabilitation.
iii) Mobilize private sector resources for investment in various disaster prevention
measures.
iv) Explore the opportunities for risk reduction in the design and construction of new
systems and those available for risk reduction in the retrofitting of existing lifeline
structures such as hospitals, schools and other important buildings.
v) Study the social and economic consequences of critical infrastructure failure in
various disasters and use various approaches to estimate direct and indirect losses
from infrastructure service failure, with emphasis on the comparison of the expected
scale and distribution of losses related to infrastructure failure, along with the costs of
strengthening and other strategies for risk reduction.
vi) Many infrastructure systems are owned and managed by the private sector. Therefore,
opportunities will be explored for promoting standards of design, construction,
maintenance and operation according to routine practice.
Appropriate public policy interventions are very important for reducing socio-economic
vulnerabilities. Increased access to resources, increased employment opportunities, increasing

macro-economic stability and other conscious policies made to improve quality of life are
necessary. The following measures will be explored.
i) Mitigation/vulnerability reduction fund. Emergency funds that are usually given to
households after a disaster should be used to reduce risks. They can be used to
subsidize insurance in an area or encourage re-insurance. Governments can withdraw
this facility once the situation has improved and the insurance companies can manage
the risk exposure.
ii) Self-insurance. Households can take a conscious decision to share some risk of loss.
By agreeing to share losses, individuals and companies become conscious of the need
to implement mitigation measures.
iii) Group-based insurance programmes. A group-based insurance programme can
enlarge a risk pool and provide insurance at an affordable price. A large number of
policy holders (a) reduces the potential of adverse selection, in which claims are
higher than expected because only high-risk households purchase the insurance and
(b) increases the likelihood that the variance of actual claims will be closer to the
expected mean used in calculating premiums. Other advantages of group insurance
are that it is faster to get membership by insuring groups rather than individuals. It
also reduces the cost of administration and it provides appropriate mitigation
incentives to the community—people come together and initiate improvements in
their physical surroundings in order to qualify for the insurance.
iv) Micro credits. Microfinance and rural banks are important sources of credit for the
poor. However, these institutions may be overwhelmed with credit demands at the
time of a disaster.
v) Informal credit markets. These credits are repaid on the basis of a random schedule of
production. A free flow of information in this informal system helps in the process of
scheduling repayments, fixing interest rates and plays a direct role in insuring against
the risk. This system is effective at protecting households from risks but not at the
village level.
vi) Natural disaster insurance. Disaster insurance spreads the risk over a larger group,
provides better cost efficiency, discriminates between the needs of the different
insured people and encourages loss reduction measures as a condition of insurance. It
also monitors the activities of the insured.
vii) Funds for skills—transfer relevant to mountain areas. Migrants acquire new ideas,
skills, perceptions and technologies, which they carry back to their home country.
They stimulate the flow and exchange of views and ideologies, which often challenge
traditional structures. Such new human capital is a powerful factor in modernization
and social change.
viii) Social protection. Weather-indexed crop insurance, employment guarantee schemes,
cash transfers and pensions for elderly people will be studied and actions will be
taken accordingly.
Civil society has an important role to play in bringing forth awareness amongst the masses
and in propagating green technologies. The department is working in close collaboration with
various civil society organizations. Initiatives under the UAPCC include the following:
 Civil society organizations will be approached as bridges between the centre and the
people.

 Information and data of the civil societies will be used and further research will be
carried out through or with the help of these organizations.
 Advocacy programmes will be conducted through local NGOs.
 Knowledge sharing will be promoted.
International agencies will be approached for technical assistance for various activities,
ongoing as well as planned. They will also be approached for capacity building of people
working in various projects at the centre or associated with various activities and for
initiatives related to knowledge sharing.
The state is endowed with natural resources which form the life line of not only people living
here but also people living down the plains. In view of this, the state has to tread on the path
of development with adequate concern for the environment. In order to achieve sustainable
development, free of environmental disasters, the state will have to adopt the model of green
economic growth.
*****

9 Human Health
9.1 Overview
There is strong evidence that climate change affects human health. The effects can be direct,
such as through increased heat stress and loss of life in floods and storms, or indirect, through
changes in the range’s disease vectors, such as mosquitoes, water-borne pathogens and water
and air quality. The overall health effects of a changing climate are likely to be
overwhelmingly negative. Climate Change affects the fundamental requirements for health—
clean air, safe drinking water, sufficient food and secure shelter. Giving the complexity of
factors that influence human health, assessing health impacts related to climate change poses
a difficult challenge.
Public health depends on people having enough food and safe water, a decent home,
protection against disasters, a reasonable income and good social and community relations.
Climate change is projected to affect all these factors. Thus climate change will have a
negative and large health impact on many population groups, especially the poorest. These
include direct health impacts such as heatstroke and higher risks of mortality from the
impacts of a large-scale loss of livelihoods. The strategy to fight the impacts involves
strengthening the public health systems significantly. To make it a priority needs the right
political backing.

No detailed reports are currently available that document climate vulnerability and risk to the
health sector in Uttarakhand. However, a range of studies have shown that climate change is
bound to affect the basic requirements for maintaining health. It leads to extremes and violent
weather events and the resurgence of disease organisms and vectors. It affects the quantity
and quality of air and water. It also affects agriculture and the stability of the ecosystems on
which we depend.
9.2.1 Direct Impacts

Direct impacts of climate change on human health could include the following:
 Exposure to thermal extremes, leading to morbidity and mortality due to thermal
extremes, such as cardiovascular and respiratory diseases.
 Altered frequencies and/or intensities of other weather events, leading to injuries,
psychological stress and damage to public health infrastructure by floods and other
natural calamities.
9.2.2 Indirect Impacts

Indirect impacts of climate change on human health could include the following:
 Effects on range and activity of infective vectors and parasites, leading to changes in
geographic areas and incidences of vector-borne diseases, e.g. malaria, dengue fever and
several types of encephalitis.
 Altered local ecology of water-borne and food-borne infective agents because of higher
temperatures, leading to changed incidences of diarrhoea and other infectious diseases
such as cholera. Higher ambient temperatures foster the growth of pathogens that thrive
in or on food, e.g. Salmonella.
9. Human Health
 Altered food (especially crop) productivity, due to changes in climate, weather events
and associated pests and diseases, leading to malnutrition and hunger and consequent
impairment of child growth and development.
 High levels and biological impacts of air pollution, including pollen and spores, leading
to asthma and allergic disorders, other chronic respiratory disorders and deaths.
 Climate change affects water availability through increased evaporation, leading to less
availability of fresh water, in turn leading to lack of hygiene and thus an increase in the
incidence of water-borne diseases.
 Increasing traffic and exhaust as well as industrial emissions are raising concentrations
of SO2, NOx, O3, leading to health hazards.

 Climatic change leads to extremes and violent weather events.
 Climatic change causes a resurgence of disease organisms and vectors and a broadening
altitudinal distribution of vectors, especially mosquitoes.
 Climatic change affects the quantity of air, food and water and the stability of the
ecosystems on which we depend.
 The increase of chlorofluorocarbons in the atmosphere, leading to global warming, will
increase UV radiation in the atmosphere, affecting the immune systems and leading to
infectious diseases.
 Increasing traffic and exhaust as well as industrial emissions are raising concentrations
of SO2, NOx, O3 and suspended particulate matter, which are known to be damaging to
human health.
 The impact of climate change on water availability is likely to be one of the most
significant impacts for the health of populations
 Difficult hilly terrain.
 Lack of human resources.
 Poor road connectivity.
 Poor health awareness.
 Inadequate health facilities.
9.3.2 Priorities
 Strengthening laboratory/diagnostic facilities
 Monitoring drug resistance, insecticide resistance
 Integrated behaviour change communication activities
 Public–private partnership
 Sentinel surveillance for dengue and Japanese encephalitis
 Integrated vector management

9. Human Health
 Capacity building of medical and paramedical staff, including frontline workers.

9.4.1 State Vision and Commitment
The Medical Health and Family Welfare Department of Uttarakhand is committed to the
health and well-being of all citizens and visitors to the state. As such, the department will
take the necessary steps to gear up for the potential health impacts from climate change,
while continuing to contribute to the achievement of the National Health Targets Plan for
2012–2017.
9.4.2 Strategies
In line with the overarching principle of improving the scientific knowledge and evidence
base and understanding climate change and its impacts on human health, the Medical Health
and Family Welfare Department will begin building a strong evidence base including
collecting, compiling and analysing relevant data and information in terms of the perceptions
of affected people and communities.
the department will, as an immediate measure, review the State Health Policy to incorporate
climate change concerns to human well-being and health and to initiate response mechanisms
or preparedness for response mechanisms. Other initiatives will include the following:
 Undertaking measures to manage vector-borne and waterborne diseases.
 Better approaches to deal with heat wave conditions.
 Dealing with the physical and psychological impacts after extreme weather events.
 Addressing drought, malnutrition and food security issues.
 Addressing food safety issues arising due to increased ambient temperatures and extreme
events.
 Traditional knowledge related to human (including livestock) healthcare needs to be
studied, documented and appropriately promoted in the context of climate change
adaptation.
Towards building adaptive resilience and reducing vulnerability across communities and
sectors, the department will initiate mechanisms to build adaptive capacities both within the
department and, potentially, among the citizens by:
 Undertaking reviews of the state’s health infrastructure and potential climate change–
related vulnerabilities and risks (and where such infrastructure is found to be at high risk,
retrofitting to make these more climate resilient).
 Making it mandatory for construction of Green Buildings for all future government
hospitals and offices and examining options for retrofitting existing buildings to ‘green’
these.
The department will initiate a range of capacity building measures including the following:
 Creating awareness among people about health hazards from climatic change, covering
all areas such as rain water harvesting, energy efficiency, health hazards, water
conservation and protection from extreme climate conditions.

9. Human Health
 Information, education and communication efforts.

 Behavioural change communications interventions in relation to the impacts of climate
change.
 Training and sensitization sessions for department personnel.
 Capacity building of all the medical personnel of the district, the team of the Integrated
Disease Surveillance Programme, the Disaster Management Cell, auxiliary nurses and
midwives, anganwadi workers and members of ASHA and all the medical NGOs in the
district to identify the early signs of extreme climatic effects on the population and their
remedy.
 Exploring and promoting the scope for and piloting a tele-medicine services network in
the light of the fact that the state has a hilly and inhospitable terrain and there is a serious
scarcity of medical experts in the state.
 Developing and strengthening disaster management teams in every district hospital
specifically to respond to the effects of extreme climate changes and to increase co-
ordination between the health sector agencies in the state and the disaster management
department.
The department also recognizes the need to mount an extensive health surveillance and
analysis exercise integrated with monitoring of the climate and other environmental
conditions that facilitate the outbreak of diseases. It will work towards developing such a
framework. In addition, the department will initiate mechanisms to carry out the necessary
research and other activities necessary to integrate climate concerns into public health
emergency response strategies of the state. Where appropriate, the department will coordinate
research efforts with various universities and other academic centres for excellence and
collate lessons and pointers to inform policy and practice.
As part of the overarching strategy of documenting, sharing, learning and dialogue across the
IHR, the department will initiate dialogues with its counterpart departments in other states of
the region to exchange information, experiences and best practices, as well as examine the
possibility of inter-state exchanges and capacity building initiatives.
The department also recognizes that climate change can have especially disproportionate
adverse health impacts on the poor, women and children and can therefore also adversely
impact livelihoods. As such, it will begin planning investments in information and education
programmes, designing them with a gender perspective, including gender-disaggregated data,
etc. Traditional health care system is missing, which is a simplest and cheapest mode of
delivering health facilities to masses especially rural masses. Traditional knowledge related
to human and cattle healthcare needs to be given due place in this chapter and its
documentation and application should be one of the strategy for climate change adaptation.
The private sector already plays a significant role in the health sector of the state, in terms of
bringing in health care financing, management and service provision. A number of PPP
projects in the health sector have been conceptualized, developed and implemented over the
period 2008–2011. Additional planned measures include the following:
 Strengthening the existing 108 ambulance service, boat and air ambulance services,
cardiac ambulances, etc.
 Strengthening mobile health vans.
 Strengthening cardiac and nephrology units with a public-private partnership.

9. Human Health
The department, in close coordination with the PPP Cell of the Uttarakhand Government, will
begin exploring the possibilities of incorporating climate-related health concerns into such
projects and also the possibilities of private sector involvement in new initiatives to address
the emerging challenge of climate change and its impacts on human health.
*****

10 Urban Development
Urban areas in Uttarakhand consist of largely small to medium towns, with some having
major transitional/migratory populations and having geographically difficult and hilly terrain.
Uttarakhand has an area of 53,483 km², with an urban population of around 31 lakh. There
are 72 urban local bodies (ULBs) in the state, as well as nine cantonment boards.
Uttarakhand’s cities and towns were originally rural settlements, subsequently converted into
towns, initially due to the fact that these were stopping points and centres for pilgrims
visiting the major pilgrimage centres of the state during the ‘yatra season’. Eventually, owing
to the growth of commercial activities, these developed into small towns and these grew from
small towns to medium towns. Some of these grew to become the state’s larger cities.
Urbanization and urban expansion in the state have largely been unplanned processes,
resulting in the typical issues that these result in, including the lack of civic amenities in
proportion to the population density. Today, many urban areas in the state are heavily
impacted upon by the transient population, comprising mainly pilgrims and tourists.

Currently, no detailed climate vulnerability and risk assessments or community perceptions
for urban centres of Uttarakhand are available. However, it is known that climate change is
likely to negatively impact infrastructure and worsen access to basic urban services and
worsen the quality of life in cities.

Unplanned development, together with rapid urban growth and the inflow of tourists and
pilgrims, has made critical impacts on the urban environment of Uttarakhand. Most of the
towns in Uttarakhand have grown in an unplanned manner, causing immense pressures on the
urban infrastructure and services, resulting in degradation of the urban environment and of
natural resources. Population pressures on the cities not only cause an unavoidable burden on
the available infrastructure facilities but also hinder the social and economic development
process of the cities. On the other side of the coin, tourism is contributing much to the state’s
economy. Cities have now become the hubs of capitalization of the state as well. Thus, the
urban growth in Uttarakhand is impacting it both positively and negatively.
Major environmental concerns associated with such unplanned urban development are
depletion of forest area, loss of biodiversity, potential urban pollution in the form of air,
water shortages and water quality, noise pollution, issues of solid and liquid waste
management and landslides. Unplanned urban development, industrial activities and the
virtual absence of adequate and appropriate wastewater treatment facilities in the state
continue to result in untreated sewage entering drains and rivers, including the Ganga, from
the various townships. These rivers also act as major drainage outlets for the towns and are
often used as a convenient means of solid waste disposal. Lakes and water bodies, which are
also attractions for tourists, are polluted due to the uncontrolled discharge of wastewater and
disposal of solid wastes. There is a need to assess and examine the root cause of the problems
and identify the strength of the state by means of balanced systematic planning in consensus
with ULBs and citizens of the native towns to get rid of all these issues.
10. Urban Development

The cities of Dehradun, Haridwar and Nainital are covered under the Jawaharlal Nehru
National Urban Renewal Mission (JNNURM) and thus, as mission cities, get the benefit of a
range of urban development interventions, including the development of city sanitation plans.
In addition, the Asian Development Bank (ADP) is currently supporting the Uttarakhand
Urban Sector Development Investment Program (UUSDIP). The UUSDIP seeks to improve
infrastructure and operational sustainability of the water supply in five towns and sewerage
infrastructure in two towns; in addition, it seeks to ensure that people, especially vulnerable
households, will have increased access to better-quality and sustainable urban infrastructure
and services in 31 urban towns. SWM plans have been developed and approved for the three
JNNURM mission towns and SWM action plans for the remaining ULBs are to be prepared
under UUDSIP.
Other initiatives include the proposed Uttarakhand Plastic Usage and Disposal of Non-
biodegradable Waste Act-2012, the Nirmal Nagar Puraskar Yojna, implemented in the state
to encourage ULBs for sanitation works, under which ULBs are to be rewarded annually for
the best performances and development of detailed plans for Dehradun to be proposed under
JNNURM Phase II. The Uttarakhand Peyjal Nigam is involved in water supply projects, as
also developing sewerage systems in some of the larger cities/towns, such as Dehradun,
Nainital and Mussoorie. At the same time, out of 72 townships (ULBs), JNNURM is
addressing merely 3. Plans are to be prepared under UUDSIP for other ULBs.
Through the ambitious Sparsh Ganga programme, a thrust is being given to keeping the
River Ganga clean by not allowing untreatable urban waste into the Ganga as it flows through
townships such as Uttarkashi, Tehri Garhwal, Devprayag, Rishikesh and Haridwar. The
Sparsh Ganga Board has been constituted by the state government to monitor activities to
keep the Ganga clean. The state has also banned the manufacture and use of polythene of size
40 micron and below. The state is also considering a complete ban on the manufacture and
use of polythene on lines similar to Himachal Pradesh. This will definitely be expected to
have a positive impact in making the environment of the state sustainable.

The Urban Development Directorate (UDD) recognizes that cities have the potential to act as
centres of innovation and can advance clean energy systems, sustainable transportation and
waste management to reduce greenhouse gases as well as develop climate-resilient
infrastructure and as such, the directorate is committed to taking all necessary steps towards
this under the UAPCC.
10.5.2 Strategies
Towards improving the scientific knowledge and evidence base and understanding climate
change and its impacts, the UDD will take necessary steps towards collating available
data/information on impacts of climate change on cities and their systems, infrastructure and
people. It will begin the process of developing the necessary systems, databases and protocols
for collecting and collating the necessary evidence base on an ongoing basis.
the UDD will initiate the formation of a climate cell within the directorate and notify sectoral
focal points in all ULBs. It will take steps to improve our understanding of climate change

and its effects, to impart education and awareness and develop and strengthen partnership and
co-operation. It will also initiate processes for developing the necessary co-ordination
mechanisms, sectoral policy initiatives, institutional arrangements, etc. to ensure that urban
agglomerations and urban populations in the state build their capacity to be resilient to the
risks and impacts of climate change through implementing adaptation measures and
contributing to mitigation of greenhouse gas emissions.
Towards building adaptive resilience and contributing to reduction of greenhouse gas
emissions, in addition to strengthening urban infrastructure systems under the various
projects of the JNNURM and UUDSIP, the UDD will proactively seek to develop plans for
developing interventions aimed at improving traffic conditions, reducing journey times and
improving the safety of all users, particularly the most vulnerable (pedestrians, cyclists and
motorcyclists), through a combination of investments. These will generally focus on major
roads and include (i) road widening and strengthening to create greater road capacity, thus
relieving congestion and easing traffic flows; (ii) car parking restrictions and provision of
multi-storey car parks and bus and truck terminals, where possible, through PSP to improve
passenger convenience and increase road space; (iii) providing pedestrian subways and
footpaths to improve pedestrian movement and safety; (iv) improving traffic management
and (v) improving street lighting for improved traffic and pedestrian safety and security.
These initiatives towards ‘green transportation’ will be encouraged with the help of the
Transport Department both in the government as well as in the private sector.
The concept of ‘green buildings’ will be promoted in both the public and private sectors to
save energy and water and reduce/recycle waste. Instructions will be given to the
development authorities/Nagar Panchayats to enforce water and energy savings in the
housing sector. ‘Rain water harvesting’ will be promoted, especially in the housing sector.
The UDD also plans to promote energy efficiency and appropriate use of solar energy is
going to be promoted in street lighting. Adequate use of compact fluorescent lamps
(CFLs)/light emitting diodes (LEDs) will be encouraged to save energy. Solar water heating
will be encouraged through Uttarakhand Renewable Energy Development Agency
(UREDA).
Emphasis will be given to ‘greening’ the towns. Work has already begun in the state capital,
Dehradun under the caption ‘Green Dun, Clean Dun!’ The co-operation of the Forest
Department will be sought in the greening campaign. An appropriate awareness campaign
will be launched for a clean environment.
For improving storm and wastewater management, the UDD will, in co-ordination with other
relevant departments, examine the existing drainage and wastewater handling situation in all
the 72 cities and towns and develop appropriate plans for ensuring that (a) adequate storm
water drainage infrastructure is available and (b) all wastewater streams are appropriately
treated before they are discharged into water bodies and rivers in the state.
Provision of rainwater harvesting tanks in all ULB buildings and new constructions in
municipal limits will be taken up. Cleaning/conservation/beautification of water bodies
situated within the ULB limits, retrofitting of municipally owned and controlled buildings
and facilities with energy efficiency and renewable energy measures that significantly reduce
energy use, creating jobs and serving as local demonstration projects; establishing official or
informal energy building codes that reflect the state of the art in energy efficiency and
investing in district heating and cooling systems with higher densities that provide or
facilitate the provision of a full range of energy efficiency measures to the local community
will be other programmes to be developed under the UAPCC.

The UDD will develop and deploy a range of awareness and capacity-building programmes
for municipal officials for promoting appropriate measures towards climate resilience in their
respective ULBs, along with similar programmes for building awareness about climate
change and its impacts for urban populations. The UDD will also seek to converge such
efforts with other sectoral initiatives such as health, education, housing and water and foster
inter- and intra-departmental co-ordination.
Towards documenting, sharing, learning and dialogue across the Indian Himalayan Region,
the UDD will seek to learn from the experiences of other cities and towns in the IHR, as well
as document and share its own lessons and best practices as these begin to emerge.
Under a JNNURM submission, namely the Basic Services for the Urban Poor and Integrated
Housing and Slum Development Programme; approximately 7000 pucca dwelling units are
being constructed in place of thatched roof houses/mud houses/kaccha houses for the urban
poor in 3 mission towns and 19 non-mission towns. Additionally, under the Swaran Jayanti
Shahri Rozgar Yojna, the following schemes are being implemented for poverty alleviation:
 Urban self-employment programme.
 Skill training for employment promotion among urban poor.
 Urban women self-help programme (40 SHGs constituted in ULBs).
 Urban wage employment programme.
At the same time, the UDD will also take appropriate steps to identify and assess all slums
and ensure that all unauthorized encroachments are removed/dealt with appropriately.
The ever-increasing urban population has placed tremendous pressures on the budgetary
resources of states/ULBs, underscoring the necessity of private sector participation in urban
development. The unbundling of services and technological innovations has opened up areas
to private sector participation. As such, the UDD will proactively explore private sector
participation options in various fronts including (but not limited to) the following:
 Housing.
 Water supply augmentation and efficiency improvements.
 Door-to door collection of municipal and household solid waste, secondary storage,
development of transfer stations and transportation, treatment and processing, disposal,
including development of sanitary landfills and integrated municipal SWM systems
(with a combination of the above).
 Wastewater collection, handling, treatment and disposal, including storm water drainage,
sewerage systems including treatment plants, decentralized wastewater treatment units,
sewage gas-based power generation, etc.
 Beautification of parks.
 Communications and advocacy including awareness campaigns for clean city concepts.
 Hoarding policy (including operation and maintenance of street lights).
 Partnerships for green transportation.
With proper monitoring, PPP ensures innovation, efficiency and an improved level of
services, together with compliance to environment, health and safety regulations. PPP allows
involvement of users and other stakeholders and inculcates the habit of user charges through
service delivery. As such, the UDD will examine the possibility of involving the private
sector in relation to the proposed activities under the UAPCC.

11 Water Resources
Uttarakhand has two distinct hydro-geological regimes, viz. the Gangetic alluvial plain and
the Himalayan mountain belt. The former is covered with a vast expanse of alluvium and
unconsolidated sedimentary material of varying size fractions (ranging from boulders to clay)
and is a promising zone for groundwater development. The latter zone, being predominantly
hilly, offers much less potential for large-scale development of groundwater. Groundwater in
the hilly region occurs mostly in fissures/fractures and emerges as springs. The springs are
amenable to small-scale development of groundwater resources in the state.
Precipitation takes the form of rain, sleet and hail in the valley and lower reaches, while it
falls as snow in the higher reaches. Glaciers in the Himalayan region give rise to rivers such
as the Ganga, Yamuna and Kali. Rain-fed seasonal rivers drain the lower Himalayan and
Shivalik ranges. Glaciers melt naturally during the summer under stable climatic conditions
and are replenished by winter precipitation in the form of snow. The major glacier-fed
Himalayan rivers, along with glaciated catchments, have regional importance—the water
from the glacier melt sustains the stream flow in these rivers through the dry season. The
‘frozen water’ in the Himalaya is crucial for the people inhabiting the mountain areas as well
as those inhabiting the downstream regions.
The Yamuna and the Ganga—the two major rivers in the western Himalayan region—
directly impact the lives of a large population living in the northern part of India and even
beyond the national boundaries. In many higher arid and semi-arid areas, people are
dependent on the amount of ice melt and the timing of the water flow. The melt season is
often the warmest, driest time of the year, providing a large volume of runoff for irrigation.
However, snowfall is gradually decreasing and increased summer and winter temperatures
are causing glaciers to retreat. Basic information on the major glaciers of Uttarakhand is
provided in Table 18.
Table 18: Major glaciers in the Uttarakhand Himalaya
2 2
Ganga Basin No. of Glaciers Glacier covered Area (km ) Ice Volume (km )
Yamuna 52 144 12.20
Bhagirathi 238 755 67.02
Alaknanada 407 1,229 86.38
Total 697 2,128 165.6
36
Source: Raina and Srivastava, 2008
The main drainage systems of Uttarakhand have been grouped into six catchments, viz. the
Yamuna Catchment, Bhagirathi Catchment, Alaknanda Catchment, Mandakini Catchment,
Pindar Catchment and Kali Catchment. The LSD has divided Uttarakhand into 8 catchments,
which are divided into 26 watersheds, which are divided into 110 SWS and finally into 1,110
MWS. Uttarakhand also has 31 natural lakes, covering an area of about 300 ha. Till March
2010, 17,847 hand pumps had been installed in the state. The springs are amenable to small-
scale development of groundwater resources in the state. The yield of tube wells in the
Shivalik formation ranges from 50.4 m3/h to 79.2 m3/h; in Bhabhar formations the yield is up
to 332.4 m3/h. In the Tarai belt, the yield of tube wells ranges from 36 m3/h to 144 m3/h and
36
Himalayan Glaciers: A State-of-Art Review of Glacial Studies, Glacial Retreat and Climate Change, MoEF
11. Water Resources
in the Indo-Gangetic plain the yield varies from 90 m3/h to 198 m3/h. The groundwater data
for the state is given in (Table 19).
37
Table 19: Groundwater in Uttarakhand
Dynamic Groundwater Resources

Annual replenishable groundwater resource 2.17 BCM
Net annual ground water availability 2.07 BCM
Annual ground water draft 1.05 BCM
Stage of ground water development 51%
Groundwater Development and Management
Over-exploited NIL
Critical 1 block
Semi-critical 5 blocks
Ground water user maps 13 districts
Artificial recharge to ground water (AR) Feasible AR structures: 500 springs, 500 check
dams, 500 sub-surface dykes
AR schemes completed during IX Plan: 1
Groundwater Quality Problems
Contaminants Nitrate (>45 mg/l)
Districts affected (in part) Dehradun, Hardwar, Udham Singh Nagar
The total number of hand pumps installed (up to March 2010) was 17,847; in addition, there
are a number of unaccounted private tube wells for drinking, irrigation, commercial,
industrial and other use. There has been an 82% increase in the number of government
drinking water tube wells and a 59% increase in the number of hand pumps during the last
decade. Exploitation of deeper aquifers (up to 250 m) is being done in the last 5 years due to
the availability of advance drilling techniques. It is to be noted that the state has yet to enact
any groundwater legislation to control the development of this resource.

No in-depth climate vulnerability and risk analyses currently exist for the state. Nevertheless,
a range of studies have examined various aspects of the vulnerability of water resources to
climate change and its impacts. Climate change can affect the hydrological regime, changing
water flows, global and regional precipitation levels, evaporation and snow cover. Rising
temperatures can also cause rapid glacial melt, consequently impacting the fresh water supply
and quality. These changes will in turn impact the communities adversely as the pressures on
natural resources and environment will compound; water availability in the rivers will be
affected; crop yields could decrease, therefore jeopardizing food security and lead to health
concerns due to extreme events such as floods and droughts. While some regions will receive
excess precipitation, there might be a reduction in other regions (adversely affecting arid and
semi-arid areas); increased evaporation and changes in the runoff and available surface flow,
also causing changes in the groundwater recharge. The patterns of seasonal distribution of
rainfall can shift and these can cause significant problems, especially for hill agriculture.
Recent studies by scientists have tried to determine the impacts of de-glaciation on the water
resources of the Himalayan region through the development of a hydrological model that can
depict how local water discharges can respond to future climate scenarios. These studies have
come out with conceptual models that show increased water availability in some river basins
37
“Groundwater Profiles – Uttarakhand”, Central Ground Water Board, accessed 14 May 2014,
http://www.cgwb.gov.in/gw_profiles/Uttarakhand.html,

11. Water Resources
and decreased water supplies in other regions in the coming decades. The glacier-fed rivers of
Uttarakhand are an important resource for the Ganga basin, with many rivers contributing to
the irrigation potential of some of India’s most densely populated states such as UP, Bihar,
Delhi and Haryana. Uttarakhand is the source of water for most of northern India. Despite the
immense availability of water in the state, water is scarce for the local people, both for
drinking and domestic use and for irrigation.
The Gangotri glacier, in Uttarkashi District of Uttarakhand, has been receding at a rate of 20–
22 m annually, with grave implications for water availability downstream and hydropower
generation. Glacial melting can lead to the formation of GLOFs and heavy flows, initially
followed by dry spells. As discussed previously, the state has witnessed a long-term
decreasing trend of stream discharges, declines in the capacities of lakes, increases in surface
runoff on hillsides, increases in floodwater, decreases in base flow water in channels and
rivers and recurrent soil erosion and landslips.
Further, extreme precipitation events have geo-morphological significance in the Himalaya,
where they may cause widespread landslides. The response of hydrological systems, erosion
processes and sedimentation in this region could alter significantly due to climate change. An
increase in rainfall is likely to cause fresh floods, landslides and damage to the landmass.
Increases in the flooding, varying between 10% and over 30% of the existing magnitudes are
expected in all the regions. This has a very severe implication for the existing infrastructure,
such as dams, bridges and roads, for the areas and will require appropriate adaptation
measures to be taken up. In the three years from 2008 to 2010, Uttarakhand received less-
than-normal rainfall, which affected harvests and adversely affected the livelihoods of the
majority of the state’s population. Winter precipitation has become extremely erratic and
unpredictable.

Uttarakhand is a disaster-prone state. Landslides, forest fires, cloudbursts and flash floods are
seasonal in nature and strike very frequently. Frequent cloudbursts in hilly regions of the state
cause a great deal of damage to life and property in the hills. There are frequent droughts in
the state that affect the mainstays of the economy such as agriculture and each year many
districts face drought-like conditions that result in failure of the crops.
When drought-like conditions prevail, most of the remotely located springs in the hills start
drying up or the discharge is reduced to such a level that they are unable to satisfy the basic
needs of the residents. There is also a drastic reduction in the flow of the major rivers in the
state. In the Himalayan region, naulas (12 m deep wells, mostly lined to get water from
seepage), dharas (spout springs) and hand pumps (at a few places) are the main sources of
water for irrigation and household consumption because the rural water supply (if it is
available) is either irregular or unwholesome. Except the spout spring, which delivers water
at the ground surface naturally, these are artificial methods to extract water from aquifers. As
such, understanding the hydro-geology of such aquifers is critically important to the state,
especially in the hill districts.
The perennial or non-perennial nature of these water sources depends upon the aerial
coverage of the discharging aquifer. In turn, these aquifers are recharged by rain or by
snowmelt water, which infiltrates through the land surface and percolates to join the aquifers.
The natural rate of groundwater recharge is reckoned to be 31% of the total annual rainfall.
Therefore, the soil characteristics and land use play a major role in recharging sloped
aquifers. Deforestation, grazing and trampling by livestock, erosion of fertile top soil, forest
fires and development activities (e.g. road widening, mining and building construction) cause

11. Water Resources
a reduction in the infiltration rate and sponge action of the land and thus the failure of the
watershed, which results in an unchecked flow of water during the monsoon to cause a
sudden swelling of streams and rivers, so that there are floods in the foothills and even in the
plains and there are droughts in the villages located on the slopes of the mountains.
Of the 63 urban locations in the state, only a third have a near-adequate supply of water.
There are 15,165 villages in the state and nearly 20% of them have a varied range of
problems impeding the availability and provision of drinking water. At present, officially,
189 villages do not have any designated source and 1,108 villages are only partially covered.
The concerns over water resources in the state emerge at various levels:
 Significant variations in glacial melt volumes and a lack of information to estimate
reliably the quantum of water available.
 Lack of a water management policy that reflects the intimate relationship between water
resources and forests.
 Lack of groundwater legislation.
 Poor water supply systems in urban and rural areas with ever-changing systems of
management.
 The discharge of the water sources has shown a considerable depleting trend during the
last decade, due to which rural drinking water supply schemes under maintenance of
Uttarakhand Jal Sansthan have been badly affected.
 The natural rate of groundwater recharge is reckoned to be 31% of the total annual
rainfall. Therefore, the soil characteristics and land use play a major role in recharging
sloppy aquifers—deforestation, grazing and trampling by livestock, erosion of fertile top
soil, forest fires and development activities (e.g. road widening, mining and building
construction) cause a reduction in the infiltration rate and sponge action of the land and
thus failure of the watershed, which results in an unchecked flow of water during the
monsoon, causing a sudden swelling of streams and rivers, so that there are floods in the
foothills and even in the plains and there are droughts in the villager located on the
slopes of the mountains.

As has been mentioned in earlier sections of the UAPCC, The state has already identified
watersheds at macro, meso and micro levels and many are being treated/managed. The state
identified 8 catchments, 26 watersheds, 110 sub-watersheds and 1,110 micro watersheds
through its LSD. Out of the 1,110 micro watersheds, 584 are under treatment and 302 cannot
be treated because of locations being in snowy and highly precipitous areas.
Inclusion of rooftop rainwater harvesting in buildings by laws has been made compulsory in
the state.
11.5 Sectoral Responses

The UAPCC recognizes the critical importance of water resources to the state and the need to
safeguard these through a comprehensive multi-pronged response process. As such, it is
committed to taking the necessary steps to examine all related issues through a consultative
process.

11. Water Resources
11.5.2 Strategies
The UAPCC recognizes that the scientific knowledge and evidence base on the impacts of
climate change to the water sector is limited. As such, a comprehensive water database in the
public domain and assessment of the impact of climate change on water resources through
the various agencies responsible for different aspects of water resources management in the
state will be developed, updated and analysed on an ongoing basis. Strategies towards this
will include the following:
 Review of network of hydrological observation stations.
 Review of the network of automatic weather stations and automated rain gauge stations.
 Collection of necessary additional hydro-meteorological and hydrological data for proper
assessment of impacts of climate change in the Himalayan region, including other
improvements required in the hydrometric networks to appropriately address the issues
related to climate change. Such data will include the following:
o Hydrological and hydro-meteorological data for low-rainfall areas.
o Hydrological and hydro-meteorological data for areas above the permanent snowline,
glaciated areas and seasonal-snow areas in the Himalayan region.
 Improved network for collection of evaporation and rain gauge data using automated
sensors.
 Establishment/strengthening of groundwater monitoring and geo-hydrology networks.
 Conservation of naulas, dharas and other kinds of springs.
 Collection of data about river morphology for monitoring erosion and carrying capacity.
 Surface and groundwater quality data collection, etc.
Other initiatives will include adoption/development of modern technologies for measurement
of flows in hilly areas, developing inventories of wetlands, development of a water resources
information system and re-assessment of the basin-wise water situation, apart from projection
of the availability of water resources after the impacts of climate change, which will inter alia
include the likely changes in the characteristics of water availability in time and space. Other
necessary studies to improve our understanding of climate impacts to the sector will also be
carried out from time to time and robust data mechanisms will be established.
Currently, Uttarakhand does not have a state water policy. As such, it will be a priority
agenda for the state to develop an appropriate policy framework, with explicit cognisance of
climate concerns. The state will also take other necessary steps, including incentivizing water
harvesting and encouraging non-agricultural-type developments in which not much water is
required, incentivizing or encouraging leakage control programmes, developing
regulations/frameworks for in-house water withdrawals of industries, through royalties and
licenses, extending subsidies and incentives for recycling and recovery, revision of the water
tariff based on the cost recovery principle, promotion of water-efficient fixtures,
incentivization for recycling waste water, etc.
Steps will also be taken to foster integrated water resources development and management
planning and seeking convergence among the various water resources programmes and
organizations such as the WMD, Jal Sansthan, Jal Nigam, SWAJAL and Irrigation
Department through a consultative process.

11. Water Resources
It is expected that various measures will be carried out for building adaptive resilience and
reducing vulnerabilities in the sector. These will include the following:
 Promotion of citizen and state action for water conservation, augmentation and
preservation for efficient utilization of available resources.
 Catchment area treatment.
 Augmentation of storages over the surface as well as under the ground through active
participation of all stakeholders (a review of existing storage systems will be carried out
and where appropriate, location-specific augmentation of storage will be carried out for
lean-season use based on the results of vulnerability assessments, especially from the
standpoint of drought risk).
 Review of water resources projects, particularly multipurpose projects (MPPs) with
carry-over storages (in the light of changes in peak flows, precipitation pattern shifts and
sediment loads).
 Review of minor irrigation schemes including schemes for groundwater development.
 Mapping of all drinking water sources and identification of scarcity zones.
 Promotion of traditional system of water conservation, including expeditious
implementation of programmes for repair, renovation and restoration of such systems.
 Increasing the capacity of minor tanks.
 Conservation and preservation of wetlands.
 Demarcation of groundwater resources into different zones in the state and regulations
for exploitation in different zones.
 Examination of options for adopting a landscape approach to water resources
management from a sustainable eco-systems and biodiversity conservation standpoint.
 Empowerment and involvement of Panchayati Raj Institutions (PRIs), urban water
bodies and primary stake holders in the management of water facilities.
 Systematic approach for coping with floods, including mapping areas likely to
experience floods, establishing hydraulic and hydrological models and developing
comprehensive schemes for flood management.
Capacity development, education and awareness are high-priority agendas for the sector and
as such, initiatives will be taken up including (but not limited to) the following:
 Interactive sessions with policy makers for sensitization.
 Development and deployment of capacity building for professionals from various
departments/organizations associated with water resources development and
management including Panchayati Raj functionaries.
 Promotion of ‘do-it-yourself’ action by citizens through intensive social communication.
 Conducting mass awareness programmes including through school/college/university
curriculum development and deployment.
In view of the above, appropriate measures for mitigation of the impacts of climate change on
water resources, as also adaptive measures are to be undertaken by various state departments
and agencies. A water resources and climate change ‘secretariat’ will be explored for the
necessary convergence, co-ordination and monitoring mechanisms.

11. Water Resources
Documenting sectoral responses, learning what worked and what did not, dialogue and
sharing of data and information, etc. will be carried out as essential functions either by the
individual agencies involved or collectively by a nominated agency. Such lessons can be
valuable to other states, as will be learning from similar experiences in other states. As such,
such learning-sharing mechanisms will be developed and put into place.
The gender dimensions of water use and management are fairly well documented. It has long
been noted in the gender and environment literature, for example, that women and girls
generally assume primary responsibility for collecting water for drinking, cooking, washing,
hygiene and raising small livestock, while men use water for irrigation or livestock farming
and for industries. These distinct roles mean that women and men often have different needs
and priorities in terms of water use. Climate change may also lead to increasing frequencies
and intensities of floods and a deteriorating water quality. This is likely to have a particularly
harsh effect on women and girls because of their distinct roles in relation to water use and
their specific vulnerabilities in the context of disasters.
In the context of climate change, the imperative will be to ensure that these policies and
programmes draw on the existing body of knowledge on gender and water to inform
interventions and scale these up. To support the integration of gender knowledge into policy
and planning, it is proposed to train planners and raise their awareness of gender issues.
Toolkits available from women’s or gender networks will be used as a starting point and
gender networking between experts will be strengthened. Coping with water scarcity as an
important issue will be taken into account in adaptation planning and the equal participation
of women and men will be advocated in planning. Additionally, gender experts will be
consulted during the detailed planning process.
The private sector has considerable experience, expertise, technologies and innovation
capabilities, as has been demonstrated in many other states in terms of increasing private
sector involvement in the water sector, especially by way of PPPs and other projects. As
such, it is expected that the role of the private sector will be actively examined in the
Uttarakhand water resources context and, where appropriate, co-opted to bring in incremental
gains for the sector.
11.6 Linkages with NAPCC

The strategies and related actions outlined above are in synchronization with and
complementary to the NAPCC and its various national missions. In particular, these
complement the imperatives of the National Water Mission through the incorporation of
elements such as the collation and use of a comprehensive water database, assessment of the
impacts of climate change on water resources and promotion of citizen and state action for
water conservation, augmentation and preservation; focused attention to over-exploited areas;
and increasing water use efficiency and promotion of basin-level integrated water resources
management, among others.
*****

12 Tourism
Leisure, adventure and religious tourism play a prominent role in Uttarakhand’s economy,
with Corbett National Park and Tiger Reserve and the nearby hill stations of Nainital,
Mussoorie, Almora, Kausani, Bhimtal and Ranikhet being amongst the most frequented
destinations of India. Uttarakhand has many other tourist spots as well, where tourists come
from all over the world, such as Rishikesh, Hemkund Sahib, Nanakmatta, Auli, Chakrata,
Bageshwar, Bhimtal, Kausani, Lansdowne and many others.
The state also has numerous peaks, mountains and pristine high-altitude lakes of interest to
mountaineers, trekkers and outdoors enthusiasts. Other national wonders include the Valley
of Flowers, which along with Nanda Devi National Park and Biosphere Reserve forms a
UNESCO World Heritage Site. The state has always been a destination for mountaineering,
hiking and rock climbing in India. A recent development in adventure tourism in the region
has been white water rafting and other adventure sports. Ecotourism, agri-tourism, freshwater
angling and cultural and rural tourism have also found new grounds in many villages of the
state.
Uttarakhand is also home to some of the holiest Hindu shrines and for more than a thousand
years, pilgrims have been visiting the region. Gangotri and Yamnotri, the sources of the
Ganga and Yamuna, are located in the upper reaches of the state and together with Badrinath
and Kedarnath form the Char Dham, one of Hinduism’s most spiritual and auspicious
pilgrimage circuits. Haridwar, meaning ‘Gateway to God’, is also a prime Hindu destination.
Haridwar hosts the Kumbha Mela every 12 years, in which millions of pilgrims from all parts
of the India and the world take part. Rishikesh, near Haridwar, is known as the pre-eminent
yoga centre of India. The state is also known for the typical architecture of most of these
temples. The ancient temples at Jageshwar (a complex of 124 temples in a Deodar woodland)
are historically the most prominent for their distinct architectural features. Hemkund, nested
in the Himalaya, is a prime pilgrimage centre for the Sikhs. Tibetan Buddhism has also made
itself felt with the recent reconstruction of Mindroling Monastery and its Buddha stupa,
south-west of Dehradun.
Uttarakhand ranks eighth among the states of India in terms of tourist arrivals, which are
expected to grow exponentially (see Table 20). These growth rates, if achieved, will translate
into almost doubling of both domestic and foreign tourist visits by 2017.
38
Table 20: Tourism arrivals in Uttarakhand—current and projected (in million)
Year Domestic Foreign

2010 32.645 0.174
2011 37.378 0.202
2012 42.238 0.227
2013 47.729 0.254
2014 53.933 0.284
2015 60.945 0.318
2016 68.867 0.356
2017 77.820 0.399
38
‘Life ahead for Uttarakhand: Rebuilding Infrastructure & Reviving Economy’, PHD Chamber of Commerce
and Industry, 2013 (Statistics compiled from Uttarakhand Tourism Master Plan 2007-2022.
12. Tourism
The existing tourism infrastructure in terms of accommodation is managed by multiple

agencies, predominantly the Garhwal Mandal Vikas Nigam (GMVN) and the Kumaon
Mandal Vikas Nigam (KMVN), both state-owned enterprises that manage tourism in the
Garhwal and Kumaon regions of the state. ‘Uttarakhand at a Glance 2012–1339’ provides the
following details about the accommodation infrastructure (Table 21):
40
Table 21: Tourism infrastructure in Uttarakhand
Items Year/Period Number

Tourist places 2011–2012 264
Tourist rest 2011–2012 185
houses
Raien Basera 2011–2012 36
(night shelters)
Hotels and paying 2011–2012 3,676
guest houses
Dharamsala 2011–2012 864

As on date, no detailed climate vulnerability analyses and risk analyses exist for Uttarakhand.
Likewise, no record of community perceptions of impacts of climate change on tourism
appears to have been documented. However, analyses carried out elsewhere hold true in
general for Uttarakhand as well.
The tourism industry and destinations are clearly sensitive to climate variability and change.
The climate defines the length and quality of tourism seasons and plays a major role in
destination choice and tourist spending. In many destinations, tourism is closely linked with
the natural environment. The climate affects a wide range of the environmental resources that
are critical attractions for tourism, such as snow conditions, preservation of wildlife and
biodiversity and water levels and quality. The climate also has an important influence on the
environmental conditions that can deter tourists, including infectious diseases, wildfires,
insect- or water-borne disease and extreme events. As such, mountain destinations such as in
Uttarakhand are considered particularly sensitive to climate-induced environmental change,
as are nature-based tourism market segments. Considering the current and potential scope of
tourism, climate change poses a direct economic threat to not only the sector but also the
state.

The unplanned growth of places as centres of tourism has had a severe and negative impact
on the environment. The inflow of tourists places tremendous pressures on existing resources
and infrastructure—in 2010, for example, Uttarakhand received as many as 31.1 million
tourists—about 300% of the population of the state. A range of other issues beset the state’s
tourism sector:
 Many natural areas reflect man-made influences and virtually all urban environments are
of very poor quality in terms of overall appearance.
39
Uttarakhand at a Glance, 2012-13; http://uk.gov.in/files/Uttarakhand_at_a_glance_in_english_2012-13.pdf
40
Ibid

12. Tourism
 Pollution/waste management, health/safety and urban design/congestion are serious

threats and do little justice to the natural environment.
 There is almost no interpretation of the natural environment in general; and many
popular tourist spots such as Gangotri lack conservation management.
 Limited design quality in development of tourism facilities and lack of efficient public
transportation.
 Inadequate understanding and participation in tourism by communities and poor
environmental awareness among the population, domestic tourists, resort owners and
developers.
 Over-development at certain scenic or religious spots, coupled with inadequate
management planning, increases in traffic and pollution and continued poor maintenance
of roads.
12.3.2 Priorities
The Tourism Policy of the state focuses on placing Uttarakhand on the tourism map of the
world as one of the leading tourist destinations and making Uttarakhand synonymous with
tourism; developing the manifold tourism-related resources of the state in an eco-friendly
manner, with the active participation of the private sector and the local host communities; and
developing tourism as a major source of employment and income/revenue generation and as a
pivot of economic and social development in the state. Key priorities include conducting
carrying capacity studies, promoting more responsible and equitable tourism, distributing
income from tourism, including retention of tourism income in local areas of the state and
promoting low-key, community-based tourism.
12.4 Existing Initiatives

Some of the initiatives that the Tourism Department has been undertaking include the
following:
 Creation of multiple tourist-friendly locations to decongest existing tourist locations.
 Providing appropriate wayside amenities at all locations.
 Promoting adventure tourism (water sports, trekking, mountaineering and skiing) and
integrated and inclusive tourism.
 Providing better amenities to pilgrims and religious tourists.
 Engaging professional consulting companies and individuals for conceptualization,
design and development of tourism projects.
 Community involvement and capacity building.
 Solid waste and water management at all sites.
 Solar power usage in remote areas for tourism infrastructure.
The Forest Department is also promoting eco-tourism and responsible travel to natural areas
to conserve the environment and sustain the well-being of local people.

12. Tourism

As is articulated in the state’s tourism policy, Uttarakhand is committed to promoting tourism
in an eco-friendly manner, with the active participation of the private sector and the local host
communities and developing tourism as a major source of employment and income/revenue
generation and as a pivot of economic and social development in the state. It is also
committed to taking all possible measures to minimize the sector’s ‘footprint’ while building
adaptive resilience.
12.5.2 Strategies
change and its impacts, the Tourism Department will set into motion processes for tracking
and documenting impacts of climate change on the sector, its infrastructure and the linked
economic, social and environmental continuum to build an improved understanding and
evidence base. This will be carried out on an ongoing basis by the department and its partners
and other organizations such as the GMVN and KMVN. It is anticipated that as the
knowledge and experience base grows, increasing responsive and efficient measures can be
adopted for both adaptive resilience building and mitigation.
For improving governance mechanisms, institutional decision making and convergence, the
Tourism Department will develop a Climate Change Cell, tasked with overseeing climate
change–related issues and initiatives. It will, in addition, work with GMVN and KMVN to
establish similar cells, in addition to seeking partnerships with and encouraging associations
of tour operators and other private sector tourism service providers in the state to undertake
similar measures. At the same time, the department will also seek convergence opportunities
with linked departments (especially the Forest Department and its eco-tourism initiatives) for
shared/co-ordinated responses to climate change wherever possible.
To build adaptive resilience, several options will be explored, including stimulating product
and seasonal diversification; improving insurance cover in the face of extreme events and
natural disasters (e.g., avalanches); promoting industry partnerships; educating and raising
awareness among tourists about the impacts of global environmental change on the state;
improving water use and protecting watersheds; improving emergency preparedness and
warning and evacuation systems and collaborating more proactively with local communities
to showcase tourism itself as an adaptive resilience building option to other occupations.
For contributing to mitigation, options that will be examined and adopted appropriately
include in-depth assessment of the potential impacts of market-based instruments and levies
on the different components of the tourism industry (accommodation, tour operators, travel
agencies, etc.); encouraging partnerships between different transport and tourism
stakeholders with the objective of reducing emissions by optimizing the value chain;
promoting the use of public transport and energy conservation and efficiency in buildings and
tourist attractions; using alternative fuels (e.g., bio-diesel) and renewable energy sources
(e.g., wind, photovoltaic, solar, thermal, geothermal, biomass and waste) and supporting
initiatives related to recycling.
Awareness building will be taken up on a large scale in a phased manner for the public in
general and communities in tourism locations/destinations. Additionally, it is anticipated that
specific tailor-made awareness and capacity building programmes will be undertaken for
department personnel, personnel of GMVN and KMVN, staff from government tourism

12. Tourism
facilities, as well as staff from tour operator groups/associations, etc. for effectiveness. It is
also anticipated that such programmes will be repeated and that capacity and awareness
building will remain ongoing activities.
A robust monitoring and evaluation framework and protocol will be developed to support
programme implementation, in line with the overall monitoring structure.
As tourism destinations and tourism potential are similar in many states of the IHR, efforts
will be made to document and share experiences with the tourism departments of other states.
The department will also consider the idea of developing and hosting Himalayan Mountain
Tourism conclaves, with participation from other states and B2B sharing of learning as a part
of such conclaves.
Tourism is an excellent adaptation mechanism and an alternative livelihood option, with the
potential to stem the large-scale migration from villages, if managed effectively. As such,
considering the sheer scale of the tourism potential in the state, the sector can be a significant
factor in combating poverty as well as in enhancing livelihoods. The department also
recognizes that production and consumption of freshwater, food and fuel, land use and
transport are gender-specific responsibilities. Owing to their comparative lack of financial
resources and roles as providers of food, water and energy, women may be hit harder than
men by increasing food, water or energy prices. This will be considered in all activities of
tourism promotion and all opportunities to use tourism development to further gender equity
will be used, while any discrimination of women through the course of tourism development
will be avoided. Participatory strategies of tourism planning and development, including
gender-sensitive indicators, will be used actively to achieve sector goals and the involvement
of women’s organizations, co-operatives, consumer associations, tourism companies, media
and marketing experts will be sought.
June 2013 Disaster has been a great setback to the tourism industry in Uttarakhand. The state
incurred heavy loss in terms of human and livestock lives along with heavy damage to the
infrastructure. Rebuilding of infrastructure and future development for the sector will have to
be based on the experience learnt from this massive natural calamity.
The department sees significant roles for the private sector in implementing and supporting
implementation of the sector goals under the UAPCC. In addition to the already substantive
private sector presence in the sector, new partnerships, potentially in the form of PPPs, will
be sought to develop new climate-resilient and friendly green infrastructure and facilities,
while studying the possibility of revamping and retrofitting existing tourism facilities to meet
climate-resilient and energy-efficient standards, etc. The private sector will also be a potential
source of collaboration for the introduction of new tourism products, management solutions
and techniques and innovative technologies. Likewise, the departments also envisage similar
collaborations with the financial sector to leverage sector gains.
With their close links to communities and the grassroots, civil society and voluntary
organizations will be seen as critical partners in sector development and processes and will be
consulted/co-opted on an ongoing basis in all aspects of implementation under the UAPCC.
International agencies are likely to be significant partners in helping the state achieve its
tourism sector goals. The department is already partnering the ADB for tourism infrastructure
development/revamping and other similar collaborative partnerships are likely to emerge.
*****

13 Energy
The state power sector has an installed capacity of 2,455 MW, representing 1.4% of the total
installed capacity in the country. Eighty percent of the generation capacity is based on hydro-
power, while thermal power and renewal energy sources account for 13 and 6%, respectively.
The installed capacity of power production in the state is given in Table 22
41
Table 22: Installed capacity (in MW) in Uttarakhand (March 2011)
Sector Hydro Thermal Nuclear RES Total

Coal Gas Diesel Total (MNRE)
State 1,252 0 0 0 0 0 134 1,386
Private 400 0 0 0 0 0 12 412
Central 304 261 69 0 331 22 0 657
Total 1,956 261 69 0 331 22 146 2,455
The current status of the renewable energy sector in Uttarakhand is summarized in Table 23.
42
Table 23: Status of renewable energy sector in Uttarakhand
Sector Units
Solar
Village electrification 728 kW
Power generation (grid and off-grid) 5,200 kW
Standalone lighting systems 3.30 MW
Solar water heating systems 12.94 lakh LPD
Bio-energy
Co-generation power plant (grid and off-grid) 72.10 MW
Biomass gasifier (thermal) 1.80 MWth
3
Waste-to-energy biogas plant 50,500 m
3
Family-size biogas plants 6,382 m
Hydro-energy
Power generation from MHPs 4.01 MW
Improved watermills 1,131 Nos.
The power infrastructure in the state is spread between the Uttarakhand Jal Vidyut Nigam
(UJVN) on the generation front, the Power Transmission Corporation of Uttarakhand Limited
(PTCUL) on the transmission front and the Uttarakhand Power Corporation Limited (UPCL)
on the distribution front. The UREDA oversees renewable energy development. The
Electricity Act 2003, under reforms modalities, streamed the separation of the transmission
and trading functions with the creation of PTCUL on 1 June 2004. Since the inception of
PTCUL, the distribution business rests with UPCL, which is committed in its pursuit of
excellence to providing a 24 × 7 quality power supply to about 15,00,000 electricity
consumers. It takes all efforts towards attaining the highest consumer satisfaction level.
UREDA has been designated as the nodal agency for implementation of the Renewable
41
Source: Central Electricity Authority. Installed capacity also includes allocated shares in joint sector and central sector
utilities.
42
“Department of Renewable Energy - Govt. Of Uttarakhand, Last Updated on 24-03-2014, accessed 14 May 2014,
http://www.ureda.uk.gov.in/pages/display/128-achievement-of-re-programmes
13. Energy
Energy and Energy Conservation Programme in Uttarakhand. UREDA is also the state
agency for accreditation of renewable energy projects under the REC (renewable energy
certificate) framework established by the GoI. The UREDA has been nominated the
designated agency for the construction of DDG (decentralized distributed generation)
projects under the Rajiv Gandhi Grameen Vidyutikaran Yojana Programme.

Detailed climate vulnerability assessments for the power sector in Uttarakhand are currently
not available. However, it has been noted that a reduction in snow cover in the Himalayan
glacial systems, from where perennial rivers such as the Ganga, Yamuna and Kali originate,
will result in a decreased discharge in the rivers and hence lower generation, which will
ultimately widen the power supply demand deficit in Uttarakhand. Extreme weather events
are also likely to pose some threats to physical infrastructure assets.

The power supply position prevailing in the country is characterized by persistent power
shortages. The northern region in particular, which includes Uttarakhand, has a deficit of
7.7% against a requirement of 22,332 MU while against the peak demand of 36,684 MU, the
deficit is 9.6% and the situation is expected to worsen. It is quite clear that the northern
region, which is already experiencing a severe power deficit, is in the grip of an acute power
shortage in the 11th plan and beyond, even after accounting for benefits from the ongoing
projects and from other schemes cleared by the Central Electricity Authority. The anticipated
power supply position of Uttarakhand during 2011–2012 shows an energy deficit of 20.2%,
while the peak demand deficit has shot to 10.6%.
As power plants located in Uttarakhand are largely run-of-the-river-based hydro-power
plants, changes in the climate and increases in temperature across the Himalayan region will
have a direct impact on energy generation, with increases in energy consumption in
households/industries and increases in irrigation needs. A rise in the THI will lead to more
energy consumption in cities, thereby increasing the supply–demand deficit. During winters,
the problem is aggravated as the discharge in the rivers falls due to freezing, leading to
generation dropping to one-third in comparison with the summer months and increased
demands due to heating loads. Thus, the overall impact in Uttarakhand will be a supply–
demand deficit. The geographical conditions in the state, with many villages in remote and
far-flung areas, make access difficult. Further, there are frequent natural calamities such as
landslides and cloudbursts.
Priorities include electrification of villages and hamlets through micro hydro-projects,
upgrading watermills, harnessing the potential of solar energy in the state through the
Jawaharlal Nehru National Solar Mission, harnessing the potential of biogas and biomass
energy in industries and energy conservation under the National Mission on Enhanced
Energy Efficiency (NMEEE).
13.4 Existing Initiatives

UPCL, PTCUL, UJVN and UREDA have been carrying out a range of salient initiatives. For
example, at UJVN, diesel consumption on account of operation of DG sets has been reduced
to minuscule levels because of the use of solar photovoltaic (SPV) power plants in buildings.
UJVN has entered into a joint venture with GAIL (Gas Authority of India Limited) for
developing a gas-based power station with an installed capacity of around 850 MW. In the
field of enhanced energy efficiency, UJVN has taken another step by going for complete

13. Energy
modernization and upgrading of its major power plants for making them more energy
efficient. At present modernization and upgrading of UJVN Limited’s power plants are in
progress. Likewise, a range of other initiatives are being carried out by UJVN.
Similarly, UPCL, in order to promote use of renewable energy, is providing a rebate of ` 100
per month for each 100-litre installed capacity of solar water heaters. As a part of initiatives
under the Solar Mission, in order to reduce the peak hour demand, it proposes to install a
50,000 m2 area solar water heating system by 2015. The ‘Bachat Lamp Yojana’ is under
implementation by UPCL, under which four conventional light bulbs will be replaced by
CFLs at ` 15/- each in each household. Five lakh consumers will be covered under this
scheme and 60 MU energy per year is likely to be saved after the project is implemented.
UPCL is committed to completing its renewable purchase obligations as per the directives
issued by Hon’ble Uttarakhand Electricity Regulatory Commission (UERC). Several other
such initiatives are being undertaken by UPCL, notably its substantive efforts towards
demand-side management (DSM).
Likewise, UREDA has derived CDM benefits on 29 MHPs of 3.115 MW composite capacity
in a bundled approach. It has projects registered (as on 3 December 2010) with UNFCCC for
` 8,668/- CE per year, declared a Renewable Energy Policy in the state, undertaken
construction of about 40 MHPs and up-gradation of more than 800 traditional watermills as
well as installation of biogas and biomass power projects in the industries and institutions. As
part of the initiatives of the Solar Mission, the sector is taking up the installation of solar
energy projects for generation of up to 5 MW, which is likely to increase to 30 MW in the
next 25 years.
PTCUL too is undertaking several salient measures, including the use of new and efficient
transmission line technologies to minimize tree cutting, damage to land and agriculture, etc.,
through the Uttarakhand Integrated Transmission System (UITS). New technologies that are
used by PTCUL include the use of bundle conductors, reducing the width of the gallery
required for constructing transmission lines, which will considerably reducing tree cutting;
using gas-insulated switchgear technology, by virtue of which land requirement will be
reduced by one-third compared with conventional substations, ultimately reducing damage to
the land and requiring less tree cutting, the use of the uneven leg design technology during
tower design, reducing earth cutting, providing revetments on hillsides, etc.

The vision of the power sector is to strive for improved energy security for Uttarakhand
through multiple strategies for improving generation, transmission and distribution and
scaling up the use of renewable energy. UJVN will address erratic monsoon patterns through
MPPs and smaller hydropower schemes and support other means of power generation, as
well as improve energy efficiency. UPCL is committed to improving energy efficiency
through fostering DSM. The Renewable Energy Programme in Uttarakhand has been
expanding rapidly. This programme of UREDA covers a wide range of energy sources,
products and technologies. The sustained efforts of UREDA have resulted in the creation of
widespread awareness of the benefits of renewable sources of energy among the various
government and private organizations and the public and it is hoped that additional scaling up
will take place under the UAPCC. Likewise, PTCUL too is committed to harnessing state-of-
the-art technologies and constantly striving to reduce the environmental footprint of its
operations.

13. Energy
13.5.2 Strategies
The Uttarakhand energy sector agencies will continue to create awareness and are committed
to going in for state-of-the-art technologies for improving the scientific knowledge regarding
direct and indirect parameters of environmental impact. Key scientific knowledge base
improvements that will be taken up include collection of hydrological data on the major
rivers of Uttarakhand and their associated tributaries and regular petrographic analysis of the
major rivers of Uttarakhand for knowing the state of erosion and analysing its causes, apart
from regular monitoring of the isoceraunic conditions of the region. The above data will be
analysed on a regular basis and a study of impacts on the efficiency of the system will be
carried out. Towards this end, UJVN is planning to set up automatic weather stations for
measuring meteorological data and gauging stations for river discharge measurements, in
consultation with IIT (Roorkee). Apart from that, UJVN is also pursuing other agencies, viz.
the Central Water Commission, Irrigation Department, etc., for obtaining historical discharge
data. A data bank library is also being planned for establishing a permanent evidence base. A
special cell comprising engineers from UJVN and professionals from IIT and CWC will be
entrusted with analysis of the data collected in the data bank library and will keep a
continuous vigil on the issues related to climate change and its impacts. Similar initiatives
will also be planned and undertaken by UPCL, PTCUL and UREDA.
Each energy agency will be tasked with evolving specific objectives spanning the remaining
years of the 11th Plan and period of the 12th Plan (2012/13 to 2016/17). Comprehensive
documents detailing the objectives, strategies, plan of action, timelines and monitoring and
evaluation criteria are being developed by UJVN and other agencies and will be finalized in
accordance with the adopted SAPCC. The agencies will periodically review the progress of
these and the annual performance, if so desired, will be presented to the concerned state
agency through the Energy Department.
Building public awareness will be vital in supporting implementation of the SAPCC. This
will be achieved through state portals, media engagement, civil society involvement,
curricula reform and recognition/awards and detailed plans for these will be developed by
UJVNL, UPCL, PTCUL and UREDA.
At the level of the state government, several agencies will need to enlarge and redefine their
goals and areas of operation. For instance, the State Electricity Regulatory Commissions will
need to concern themselves with regulatory decisions that ensure higher energy efficiency,
greater use of renewable energy and other low-carbon activities that will ensure energy
security, reduced local pollution and increased access to energy in areas where distributed
and decentralized forms of energy production will be economically superior to conventional
methods. The state government may also employ fiscal instruments to promote appropriate
options and measures. Efforts will be undertaken to ensure that such co-ordination takes
place. Not only the energy sector agencies but all other state departments and even the private
developers will need to create capacity for regulatory measures, particularly for ensuring
energy efficiency in new buildings as well as a programme of retrofits.
Public awareness about climate change will be spearheaded and driven by the agencies at all
levels, with an emphasis on schools and colleges.
A number of MPPs are being planned to meet future needs of the population for not only
Uttarakhand but also adjoining states such as Haryana, UP, Delhi and Rajasthan. The dams in
the MPPs store excess water during the monsoon period, thus facilitating flood control and
utilize the same in a controlled manner during the rest of the year, thus contributing to
conservation of water, which may be used for drinking and irrigation purposes besides

13. Energy
generation of electricity. The reservoirs of these MPPs also enhance the level of the water
table in the geographical region, which in turn increases the green belt in the area The
existing powerhouses are being taken up for renovation, modernization and upgradation to
increase their energy efficiency. At the same time, the state will take all measures to ensure
that the minimum environmental flow in the rivers will be strictly prescribed and adhered to.
To meet the power deficit in the state, gas-based power stations are being planned by UJVN
in partnership with GAIL, which will contribute to green energy.
While UJVN Limited and UREDA are already promoting the use of solar power, especially
in offices and for lighting in open areas, a significant additional thrust will be given to
promoting/fostering solar energy usage, setting up of new solar energy projects and
expansion of existing initiatives. Significant emphasis will be given to developing additional
measures for DSM, especially under UPCL.
The following DSM measures will be immediately emphasized:
 Promoting the use of energy-efficient pumps and motors in the state.
 Promoting energy-efficient lighting, including CFLs and LEDs.
 Investing in building consumer awareness about energy-efficient equipment and energy
conservation measures.
The state will also proactively seek to increase incorporation of policies and actions that are
in sync with the relevant national missions under the NAPCC such as the Solar Mission and
the Mission for Enhanced Energy Efficiency, as well as to promote elements such as the
‘green building concept’, in line with the National Mission for Sustainable Habitats. Energy
efficiency improvements and adoption of improved technologies at all levels will be
proactively promoted. Setting up mini/micro hydro-projects, upgrading traditional watermills,
installation of off-grid/grid-based solar power/thermal power projects under the Jawaharlal
Nehru National Solar Mission and installation of waste-to-energy, biogas and biomass
projects in industries will also be given additional emphasis.
The energy sector agencies will also examine the option of setting up a joint climate change
cell and will also increase efforts to boost CDM projects. The energy sector agencies will
also identify and carry out a number of sector studies and take up periodical capacity building
and training of their staff/personnel. Plans have also been made to organize
workshop/training programmes for capacity building of the community/energy committees
involved in the construction, operation and maintenance of RE projects, apart from ongoing
efforts to sensitize end users and communities in general. Additional emphasis will be placed
on climate change and its impacts in future efforts in this direction.
Each energy sector organization will develop rigorous monitoring protocols for
implementation of initiatives under the UAPCC. A state-level committee to take a cumulative
review and provide future directions for the power sector is also being mooted. The
committee, besides monitoring, will issue guidelines with respect to water harvesting, green
building concepts, etc. and will issue green practices certificates to various projects through
regular check mechanisms.
The unprecedented natural disaster in the state during June 2013 has raised a new issue of the
role of big hydro projects in contributing to natural calamities. This is being debated a lot in
the country and the matter has reached the apex court. The issue needs to be carefully studied
and has to be appropriately addressed, based on scientific evidence.
Several studies clearly show gender differences in energy production, energy use, access to
energy and the participation of women in energy-related planning and decision making.

13. Energy
Especially in rural areas of developing countries, a lack of energy services is evident. A lack
of access to energy mainly affects women in their role as household managers because they
are usually responsible for providing energy for the household. Without access to convenient,
affordable fuels for cooking and heating as well as efficient cooking devices, women have to
spend large amounts of time and physical energy obtaining traditional fuels (such as wood,
charcoal, dung and agricultural waste) to heat water and cook meals. Furthermore, energy is
often a precondition for income-generating activities.
Energy poverty is also a growing problem, affecting poor households in particular. The share
of female-headed (single mothers or elderly women) poor households is notably high. Indoor
air pollution, a result of extensive use of fuel wood and other biomass or household energy, is
a major problem affecting the health of women. The level of participation of women in
energy planning and decision making is extremely low. Therefore, the state will develop a
separate equity focused strategy to address rural energy security including substitution efforts
for reducing fuel wood consumption. Such a strategy will involve incorporating gender
analysis at each step of policy making and project planning and implementation and will help
identify gender-related impacts, develop the right questions for further research and data
collection and make gender a standard consideration for planners and decision makers.
*****

14 Roads
Uttarakhand has a total road length of 41,041 km. The road density in the state stands at
767.4 km per 1,000 km2 and 406 km per lakh population. The state has 2,042 km of National
Highways (NH) and 1,576 km of State Highways (as on 31 March, 2010). PPPs in the
pipeline include four-laning of the Haridwar–Dehradun section of NH-58 and NH-72 on a
build–operate–transfer (BOT) - annuity basis and the 80 km long Muzaffarnagar–Haridwar
section of NH-58 on a BOT - toll basis. The total project cost is estimated at ` 478 crore and
` 754 crore, respectively.

Currently, no detailed climate vulnerability and risk assessments are available for the roads
sector. It is expected that such an assessment will be carried out as part of the larger initiative
for the state under the UAPCC.

Points/factors influencing the alignment and stability of roads in the Himalayan region are
topography, lithological characters, geological structures, joints, faults, weathering and
groundwater conditions. Some geological problems arise after road construction such as frost
action as well as erosion problems. There are a large number of ecological problems
associated with road construction in hilly areas. Some of these are summarized in the
following.
Deforestation: The association between deforestation and slope instability has been a subject
of considerable research. That deforestation brings about erosion and soil movement is
generally accepted, but opinions differ as to its impact. Deforestation leads to loss of the
mechanical strength imparted by the rock system. The reinforcing power of roots is also
demonstrated by the results of in situ block shear tests, which show that the shear strength
increases with increase in root density. At higher altitudes, the top green layer is very thin
and takes hundreds of years to develop. A large number of trees along the roadsides fall down
due to road construction—improper road construction results in soil erosion, which may lead
to uprooting of large trees and destruction of lower plants. This leads to serious ecological
imbalances, affecting adversely the runoff factors, temperature gradient, surface radiation,
etc. Owing to loss of vegetation, the velocity of the runoff also increases and that in turn
results in soil erosion and hence of soil fertility.
Disturbance of geological strata: Operations such as blasting, excavation and chipping of
mountain slopes to the desired accessibility are involved during road construction in hill
areas. These operations often create geological disturbances in the mountains and set into
motion dynamic forces causing the movements of slip zones, cracks, fissures and weak
planes.
Hill face disturbance: Natural inclinations of hill faces are disturbed by road-cutting
operations and downhill movement of landslide material and disposal of excavated mass
from road construction degrades and defaces natural landscapes. The growth of vegetation is
also affected by the loss of topsoil, which causes ecological imbalances.
Drainage pattern interruption: The velocity of runoff downhill increases to a very large
extent due to construction of bridges and culverts on the road as well as due to cutting for
14. Roads
establishing proper communication systems. This leads to erosion of banks and is a threat to
the existence of trees and vegetation on the hill slopes. Sometimes lakes are formed by
accumulation of debris from the excavated material and landslides. Such lakes that are
formed divert the flow of water, causing significant destruction. In this way, natural drainage
patterns are disturbed by road construction, which sometimes results in flash floods.
Water resources disturbance: Natural water resources get disturbed due to blasting during
road construction activities. Moreover, improper disposal of fuel and lubricants used in the
process contaminates surface water and groundwater.
Siltation problem: A large quantity of excavated material disposed on the downward slopes is
carried by rivers and gets accumulated in dams and reservoirs, reducing their life span. For
example, the siltation rate of the Bhakhra Dam is very high due to large-scale road
construction in the Sutlej catchment. Proper ‘muck’ disposal is very important aspect of road
construction that is neglected quite often.
Impact on flora and fauna: Wildlife gets disturbed due to blasting, hauling of machinery, the
sound of road rollers and the noise of vehicles moving uphill. Destruction of key habitats
such as resting sites, hollow trees, feeding and breeding grounds occurs due to road
construction. Some of the flora and fauna get destroyed outright due to intrusion into forests
for road construction.
Pollution: Tremendous pollution is created due to accumulation of debris below slopes.
Moreover, heating of bitumen in hot mix plants produces a large number of air pollutants
such as oxides of sulphur, nitrogen and carbon. Long-chain aliphatic hydrocarbons and
aromatic compounds are other by-products of this heating process and they have carcinogenic
(cancer producing) properties. Special precautions must be taken for protecting labourers
working under such conditions on road construction sites. The temperature in the vicinity
gets increased and the atmospheric humidity is lowered due to the movement of machinery
and vehicles, altering the physiological processes of the plants and thereby affecting their
growth pattern. The alterations in the surrounding conditions interfere with micro-organism
living in the soil.
Destruction of medicinal wealth: In the hill areas, some species possess various medicinal
properties. Hundreds of plants have ethno-botanical importance. There are about 150 species
of aromatic plants which are found in the state used in different kinds of cosmetics and
having different medicinal properties. But due to improper planning in road construction and
processes involved in it, the natural wealth worth crores of rupees gets destroyed.

The Lok Nirman Vibhag (LNV) is aware of the implications of climate change and its
impacts and as such it is committed to taking the necessary steps to improve its operations
through multiple measures to minimize, wherever possible, the environmental footprint of the
roads sector.
14.4.2 Strategies
In order to maintain a balance between the road construction activities and the environment,
protective measures will be taken, including environment impact assessment (EIA),
geological investigations, carrying out studies on the state of the wildlife, avoidance of
unstable and fissureal zones, minimizing disturbance to natural streams and gradients, using

14. Roads
appropriate work methods, minimizing blasting operations, half tunnelling, provision of

suitable drainage systems, restoration of natural springs and waterways and the use of cold
emulsions. Other proposals under consideration include rebuilding of the environment
through plantation and compensatory afforestation etc.
The following mitigation measures will be adopted:
 Appropriate road construction materials and designs will be adopted to ensure increased
climate resilience.
 After road construction, a breast wall will be constructed along loose strata or where
necessary to protect hillside slopes and thus reduce the occurrence of landslides.
 Elevated expressways on pillars instead of cutting of hills slopes will be promoted. This
will not only reduce distance and disasters but will also save fuel, thus contributing to
reduction in CO2 emissions. Construction of flyovers over the forest canopy will help
maintain corridors and the integrity of the ecosystem. Road construction should not
involve blasting of rocks; instead better technologies of drilling and cutting need to be
adopted.
 Environmental awareness programmes will be organized for local communities so that
quarrying in roadside hill slopes and grazing cattle on unstable areas will be controlled.
 Maintenance of the slope protection measures and drainage works.
 Soil conservation activities such as community forestry will be promoted in the rights-of-
way and vulnerable areas beyond the road alignment.
 Minor landslides and mass wasting will be cleared immediately and the slope restored
with appropriate technology (bio-engineering).
 Proper disposal of muck will be ensured.
 Check walls will be constructed in a stepped manner along water course on hillsides to
reduce the velocity of storm water, reduce erosion of soil and increase slope stability.
 Carrying out capacity development, education and awareness-raising activities amongst
the local population will be made a part of the monitoring framework of the government.
 To minimize the impact, it is proposed to close the side drains, especially near towns and
maintain them regularly to avoid blockage and stagnation of water.
 Roadside drain water will not be discharged into farmlands or environmentally sensitive
locations.
 Regular cleaning of roadside channels will be done to avoid any blockage of water.
 Maintenance of smooth discharges across culverts and cross-drainages by cleaning and
maintaining them regularly so that water logging does not occur on adjacent lands.
 Drains will be provided along roads and the required cross drain work, such as
construction and maintenance of scuppers and culverts, will be carried out.
 Noise, air and water pollution: All construction vehicles and equipment will be properly
tuned and maintained in good operational condition without any leakage.
 Before repairing or reconstructing culverts canals will be cleared upstream and
downstream to avoid stagnation of water during construction.

14. Roads
 Exposed areas will be re-vegetated using rapidly growing grass species or covered with
suitable coverings during rainy days.
 Road safety: The required delineators, safety signs, road bumps, etc. will be used as
required along the road.
 Road safety awareness programmes will be conducted, including the propagation of
educative hand-out material in the local language.
 A road safety audit system will be adopted.
 The concept of Green Roads will be promoted in the state.
 Wherever feasible, tunnelling and ropeways would be promoted in lieu of roads.
 Green Buildings that are energy and resource saving will be promoted.
GREEN ROADS
The concept called "Green Road" has emerged in hill road construction practices and has evolved from the
lesson learnt in the past and decade long experiences in hill road constructions and maintenance. This is an
environment-friendly and labour-based construction technique which utilizes mass balancing approach. It is a
low cost solution which focuses on the use of locally available materials and techniques in a sustainable way by
maintaining the existing landscapes. Appropriate soil bioengineering techniques are applied to stabilize the
roadside slopes and to reduce soil erosion.43
The Green Road concept aims to:
 Develop rural road and trail networks that reduce transportation costs.
 Use a participatory approach with local authorities and stakeholder communities from the preparation
phase onwards, to promote a sense of local road ownership for its operation and maintenance. The
beneficiaries make the decisions on the selection of the project, its alignment, labour management,
group formation, and resource distribution and utilisation.
 Use environment-friendly road construction and maintenance techniques that protect the natural
environment, its agricultural potential, and its natural resources against excessive erosion.
 Use locally available resources in terms of labour, material and finances.
 Generate short-term, off-farm employment opportunities especially for local people by using manual
labour intensive road construction and maintenance techniques.
Other green technologies used in road construction should also be propagated to ensure that the surrounding
ecology and environment are not affected. Several technologies exist and practised by the Central Road
Research Institute (CRRI), New Delhi such as Cold Mix Technology (Cationic Bitumen Emulsion based), slurry
seal44 and plastic roads45 (using recycled plastic) may be encouraged. Other indigenous techniques such as The
Heat and Cool Method46 (to replace blasting) may also be encouraged to minimise the deep fractures and
internal fissures caused in the rocks by blasting.
43
Acharya et al (2013), “Green Road: an ecological road construction method for the preservation of mountain
environment and landscape in Nepal”
44
Central Road Research Institute, New Delhi Further information on the benefits of Cold Mix Technology can be found on
http://pmgsy.nic.in/cationic.pdf .
45
Civil Engineering Department (CED) of Bokaro Steel Plant and has developed a technique for using discarded plastic
material in roads. Further information can be found on http://pmgsy.nic.in/WM_RR.pdf .
46
This method has been developed by Rural Community Infrastructure Works (RICW) Programme, Nepal to offset the
fractures caused deep in the rocks (which lead to landslides) by blasting. A large fire is built under the rock face to heat the
rock. When the workers pour cold water on the hot rock, it usually cracks, and is easier for the workers to manually break
apart.

14. Roads
GREEN BUILDINGS
Green Building (also known as green construction or sustainable building) refers to a structure and using
process that is environmentally responsible and resource-efficient throughout a building's life-cycle: from siting
to design, construction, operation, maintenance, renovation and demolition.
Although new technologies are constantly being developed to complement current practices in creating greener
structures, the common objective is that green buildings are designed to reduce the overall impact of the built
environment on human health and the natural environment by:
 Efficiently using energy, water and other resources
 Protecting occupant health and improving employee productivity
 Reducing waste, pollution and environmental degradation47
A report by the Indian Green Building Council found that in 6 green buildings, due to substantial reductions in
operational cost, the total cost of ownership of green buildings is invariably lesser than conventional buildings 48.
In India, guidelines have been put in place to ensure that energy efficient buildings are propagated. Several
policy and regulatory mechanisms to address the urban challenges, implemented through national plans and
programmes have been devised. The Ministries and agencies at the Centre have designed frameworks such as
the Environmental Clearance to ensure efficiency in resource use for large projects (i.e. more than 20,000 sq. m
built up area), the Energy Conservation Building Code (ECBC) applicable to air conditioned commercial
buildings with connected load more than 100 kW and the Solar Buildings Programme for Energy Efficient
Buildings and for implementation by the designated state agencies and municipal bodies.
To aid in the rating of buildings and in raising awareness and popularizing green design, GRIHA (Green Rating
for Integrated Habitat Assessment), is the National Rating System of India. It has been conceived by TERI and
developed jointly with the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy, Government of India. It is a green building
'design evaluation system', and is suitable for all kinds of buildings in different climatic zones of the country.
GRIHA certified buildings are provided with various incentives by the GoI. 49 The benefits of following the
GRIHA rating system are: up to 30% reduction in energy consumption; limited waste generation due to
recycling; less consumption of water; reduced pollution load & liability
This tool, by its qualitative and quantitative assessment criteria, is able to ‘rate’ a building on the degree of its
'greenness'. It is a rating tool that has been tailor made for India and helps people assesses the performance of
their building against certain nationally acceptable benchmarks. It evaluates the environmental performance of a
building holistically over its entire life cycle, thereby providing a definitive standard for what constitutes a
‘green building’.
Road construction in mountainous areas can result in deterioration of livelihoods of the rural
people living in an agricultural subsistence economy. Use of land to provide the road
formation width, the construction of side drains, retaining walls and breast walls, the
degradation of cultivated land due to side casting and the effects of spoil spillage on
downside land areas are all factors directly affecting the livelihoods of the people. Project
affected families are the victims of road construction while many of their neighbours are the
project beneficiaries. Many of the road construction programmes of the past have had a
positive impact on poverty, but the benefits have been unevenly distributed. The poorest have
benefited least and have sometimes been worse off after road construction.
In addition to the loss of land, the effects of mass wasting and sedimentation triggered by
road construction has contributed to the degradation of the quality of land, resulting in a
decrease in productivity, especially in sections with greater cross slopes and longitudinal
gradients. All these factors can seriously affect the livelihoods of local people. Excessive use
47
Environmental Protection Agency, http://www.epa.gov/greenbuilding/pubs/about.htm
48
Indian Green Building Council, Frequently Asked Questions http://igbc.in/site/igbc/faq.jsp
49
GRIHA Incentives, http://www.grihaindia.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=109

14. Roads
of explosives during construction has triggered a high rate of mass wasting and
sedimentation, especially in the geologically unstable locations found so often in hilly areas.
By mobilizing local labour groups rather than using contractors will help ensure the use of
environmentally sound practices in road construction. Also, since the labourers belong to the
local communities and are from families directly affected by projects, they feel a sense of
ownership, always trying to minimize the bad effects of road construction by optimizing the
vegetation clearance area and side-casting activities and by building low, dry stone walls for
spoil management control to the extent possible.
PPPs with private construction firms will be sought for implementing technology in
construction of Green Roads and Green Buildings that follow the philosophy of minimum
disruption to existing vegetative cover. Presently the cost of construction of a road in the hills
is about ` 40 lakh/km; if the harm caused to the environment has to be mitigated, the cost will
go up. The role of the financial sector and institutions becomes extremely important in such a
case. So, financial institutions such as NABARD, ADB and World Bank could be important
in supporting such initiatives. Given the meagre resources of the state, at least the additional
expenses incurred in ‘green technology’ should be made available to the state by the GoI.
*****

15 Industries
In recent years, Uttarakhand has emerged as one of the most attractive industrial destinations
in India. The state has a favourable investment climate including the following:
 Capital investment subsidy of 15% with a maximum of ` 30 lakh for the establishment of
new industrial units and substantial expansion of new industrial units, up to 31 March
2013.
 Interest incentive of 3% with a maximum of `2 lakh per annum per unit to new SSIs.
 Income Tax exemption of 100% for the first 5 years and 30% for the next for companies
and 25% for others.
 Literacy rate of 79.6%, indicative of abundant availability of quality human resources.
 The total hydro-power potential in the state is 25,000 MW, out of which only 3,135 MW
has been harnessed so far.
 Huge potential for tourism in the form of pilgrimage tourism, nature and eco-tourism
(with three well-known national parks), adventure tourism (the Himalaya and adventure
sports), etc.
 Excellent industrial infrastructure in the state—two industrial estates, one growth centre,
one pharma city and one information technology park.
Key industries of Uttarakhand include auto and auto-components, agro and food-processing,
paper, machinery and equipment, pharmaceuticals, consumer goods, tourism and hydro-
power.
According to the Annual Survey of Industries 2008/09, Uttarakhand contributes 2.5% to the
industrial output of the country, with a share of 2.1% and 2.2% of fixed and invested capital,
respectively, generating a share of 7.3% in the total profits in India. The state is home to over
1,900 industrial units. The number of SSIs in the state increased by 5% in 2009-10 and Khadi
Udyog / Gramodyog units increased by 66% during the same period. The total number of
employees in both the industries also witnessed a significant increase. This increase in scale
of SSIs in Uttarakhand can be attributed to the industrial policy of 2003, which also provides
scope for PPPs.

Currently, no climate vulnerability, risk assessment or community perception studies are
available for the industries sector and there is an urgent need to initiate these.

Uttarakhand had very few industries in 2000, when it was carved out of Uttar Pradesh as the
27th state of India. Only 2,114 acres of land was available in industrial areas/estates. After
the sanction of a concessional industrial package by the GoI in 2003, the state has witnessed
rapid industrialization. The aim was to provide a comprehensive framework to enable a
facilitating, investor-friendly environment for ensuring rapid and sustainable industrial
development in the state and through this to generate additional employment opportunities
15. Industries
and to bring out a significant increase in the production and eventually widen the resource-
based state.
Even after this promotional package was introduced, the investor who visited the state with
an intention to invest in the early days was not very optimistic. The available industrial
infrastructural facilities were not up to the mark and it seemed a Herculean task to develop
the kind of industrial infrastructure the industrialists were looking for before making any
investment decision. Therefore, threats to the sector’s profitability and viability, such as
climate change, may have significant consequences for development.
By the end of 2004, some prominent industrial houses were approached and convinced to
invest in Uttarakhand. They were assured that all necessary clearances and facilities will be
provided and that an investment-friendly climate will be the top priority for the state
government. As a result, some of the auto giants such as Tata Motors, Bajaj and Ashok
Leyland, along with their vendors and ancillaries, have developed this area as a vibrant auto
cluster. Besides these, Nestlé, Britannia, Dabur and Parle have also established their units in
the state.
The priority was to promote and encourage private sector participation in the development of
industrial infrastructure. Forty-five industrial areas have been developed in the state with the
participation of the private sector. Over 12,400 acres of land in industrial areas has been
developed within a span of 4–5 years. Extension of the promotional package by the GoI for
some more time will sustain the rate of industrial growth. The state government is strongly
pursuing the matter with the GoI to have the package continued so that this newly created
Himalayan state will maintain its industrial and economic growth. However, significant
challenges exist, including the current lack of information on the environmental footprint of
industries and industrial development activity in the state.

The present approach of the state government is governed by the special integrated industrial
development policy 2008. The main objective is to promote non-polluting industries for the
remote and hilly area for sustainable economic development and the policy also looks at
providing single-window facilitation in the state to expedite project clearances and to provide
an investor-friendly climate. It also seeks to provide and facilitate expeditious land
availability for setting up industrial ventures and infrastructure projects.
The policy aims to provide assured, good quality, uninterrupted and affordable power for
industries and to simplify and rationalize labour laws and procedures in line with current
requirements while ensuring that workers get their due share in the economic prosperity of
the state. It will also assist SSIs, cottage, khadi and village industries, handicrafts and the silk
and handloom sectors in modernization and technological upgrading and provide necessary
common facilities and backward and forward linkages, including product design and
marketing support so as to make them globally competitive and remunerative.
The State Infrastructure and Industrial Development Corporation of Uttarakhand Limited
(SIDCUL), a government of Uttarakhand enterprise, was incorporated as a limited company
in the year 2002 to promote industrial development in the state. It provides financial
assistance to promote industries and develop industrial infrastructure in Uttarakhand directly
or through special-purpose vehicles, joint ventures, assisted companies, etc. Most of its major
industrial infrastructure has been developed in the plains, with a limited extent in the hills. Its
major projects include the Integrated Industrial Estate at Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited in
Haridwar, the Integrated Industrial Estate at Pantnagar, an IT park in Dehradun, Pharma City

15. Industries
in Selaqui (Dehradun), the Growth Centre at Pauri and the Integrated Industrial Estate at
Sitarganj. SIDCUL enables industrial projects to be set up in a short time. The corporation
administers all promotional schemes of the government for industries and uses the single-
window system.
The Department of Industries is pursuing a range of adaptive practices to respond to current
and potential disruptions related to climate change. These practices are intended to protect the
value of existing or potential environmental assets. These best practices are aimed at:
 creating value through technological innovation and collaborative initiatives that address
the changing needs of companies and communities affected by climate change, including
value protection—a few leading companies have taken significant measures to adapt
internal management structures in ways that facilitate proactive adaptive and integrated
management of climate change impact;
 identifying risk to include climate change—leading companies are modifying their risk-
identification and mitigation exercises to incorporate the effects of climate change;
 designing comprehensive water management measures—companies are identifying and
developing access to new water sources to ensure a sustained adequate supply, increasing
the efficiency of water use through conservation practices, developing processing
technologies that reduce consumption and seeking advanced opportunities for reuse and
recycling;
 Value solutions: These practices offer examples of how companies are creating solutions
that contribute to the ability to pursue new revenue-generating opportunities and to
collaborate with other stakeholders to meet both corporate and community needs in the
context of climate change. Technical innovation to provide integrated solutions for
climate change—many companies are developing ranges of solutions to help
stakeholders and communities address changing climactic conditions.
 Many industries have shifted to alternate sources of energy such as CNG and hydrogen.
Major initiatives have been taken up to ensure material transfer from suppliers in
returnable pallets, thus ensuring a reduction in the use of plastic and wood for packing
and contributing to the environment.
 Investment in renewable energy technologies and alternative fuels—many companies are
investing in better ways to manage energy supplies, costs and financial risks due to
regulation. They are also taking advantage of new revenue streams from carbon credits.
 Waste recycling programmes—companies are exploring ways of profiting from
emissions and other waste while addressing supply shortfalls.

The Industries Department is committed to helping Uttarakhand move towards being a low-
carbon/carbon-neutral state and will take all necessary measures in the industries sector to
achieve this.
15.5.2 Strategies
change and its impacts, the department will commission cluster-wise studies to estimate the

15. Industries
carbon footprint of the three major industrial clusters in the state (viz., Haridwar, Pantnagar
and Selaqui). This will include a baseline study, as well as periodic studies.
In line with the overarching state objectives of improving governance mechanisms,
institutional decision making and convergence, the Industries Department, together with
SIDCUL and in partnership with various industries associations, will initiate the following:
 Carry out a review of the current industrial policy and strengthen it with reference to
climate change, including explicit incorporation of climate concerns and the institutional
and governance framework for climate change initiatives vis-à-vis industry are enshrined
in a proposed new industrial policy.
 Constitute a state-level task force, comprising representatives of the state government
and industry and technical experts to drive mitigating measures for industry and set up
task forces at the cluster level at Haridwar, Pantnagar and Selaqui. The role of both the
levels of task forces will be to conduct a baseline study, conduct ongoing studies, set
targets for reducing the carbon footprint and develop a plan for achieving the same. The
task force will also oversee the implementation of the plans and having representation of
all relevant stakeholders will ensure the buy-in of all and help in working out practical
solutions and therefore better implementation and compliance. Each task force could be
supported by a budget allocated from within the industry and the SIDCUL budget.
 Incentivize on the lines of the subsidies available for patenting and ISO; fiscal incentives
to be made available to companies, especially MSMEs, going in for the following:
 Environmental certifications relating to climate change [e.g., ISO 14064, ISO 50001]
 Green Building certifications (following the Indian Green Building Council (IGBC)
guidelines)
 Installation of equipment that helps in reducing the carbon footprint (energy
efficiency, renewable energy sources, fuel switching, etc.).
 Create a website for the state dealing with climate change–related policy, initiatives,
actions and results.
Climate change does impact the industry. For example, incessant rains disrupted production
schedules in 2011. Food processing companies will get impacted by changes in agricultural
produce. Therefore, it is important to conduct detailed vulnerability and risk studies to
understand the vulnerabilities of industry in the state to the various aspects/impacts of climate
change. The department will commission a state-level study, preferably cluster-wise, on the
vulnerability of industries in Uttarakhand to climate change. The study will also make
recommendations on what specific measures can be taken to reduce these vulnerabilities.
On the basis of the baseline study, the ongoing studies (once every 2 years) and the state
industry policy, a roadmap for reducing the carbon footprint and an action plan will be
prepared. The action plan will lay down specific, time-bound targets in terms of reduction of
GHG emissions and improvements in energy efficiencies, set targets for energy efficiency
and energy use (including renewable energy) and also set targets for waste management—
become low waste generation and maximum waste recycling/reuse state. The task forces will
be responsible for working out the plan and implementing the same. The department will, in
collaboration with various industries associations and other appropriate agencies, explore the
interest levels in financial institutions (banks, etc.), multilateral and bilateral agencies,
development co-operation organizations and donor agencies in promoting a low-carbon
development for the state. The department will, in addition, develop Green Building

15. Industries
guidelines and implement a code for Green Buildings for the state, applicable to buildings
above a certain threshold size.
The department will, in partnership with various industries, associations and/or other
specialist agencies, take up various programmes for capacity building of industry—especially
MSMEs—and government through training programmes, study missions, best practice
sharing sessions and recognition—state-level awards for energy efficiency, conservation and
practices that lead to reduction in the carbon footprint.
The department proposes to partner both CII and UCOST to scale up the existing UCOST-
CII Annual Environment Summit with a day dedicated to deliberations on industry and
climate change. More such activities will be proactively planned and implemented on an
annual basis.
Rigorous methodologies and protocols will be developed for monitoring activities to be
undertaken by the Industries Department and its partners under the UAPCC. The cluster-level
task forces will be the monitoring bodies. Terms of reference will be developed for this. At
the state level, the state-level task force will guide and oversee the cluster-level task forces.
Periodic external (third-party) reviews and evaluations will also be planned and undertaken.
Towards documenting, sharing, learning and dialogue across the Indian Himalayan states, the
department proposes to institute a biennial conference with participation from all Himalayan
states on industries in the IHR in collaboration with various industries, associations and other
potential strategic partners. In addition, the department will institute an annual summit-cum-
exhibition to provide a platform for all stakeholders to come together and discuss various
aspects of climate change for industry in the state, learn about the latest developments,
showcase good practices and share experiences. The department will also initiate a process of
documenting, collating and sharing/disseminating best practices widely in the state and
across the IHR.
*****

16 Transport
The Uttarakhand Transport Department was constituted in 1945 under the provisions of
Section 133 A of the Motor Vehicles Act 1939. It was headed by the Transport
Commissioner, UP, when Uttarakhand was a part of UP, before 9 November 2000, i.e. the
date of reorganization of UP. As Uttarakhand state came into existence, the Transport
Department of Uttarakhand, headed by the Transport Commissioner, Uttarakhand was
formed.
The other main constituent of the Transport system is the State Road Transport Corporation,
which has also been re-organized in Uttarakhand as ‘Uttarakhand Transport Corporation’
(UTC). UTC began to work on 31 October 2003 and is providing services on nationalized
routes as well as on inter-state routes. Presently, 1,000 (approximately) buses are being plied
by UTC on 35 nationalized routes, along with many other non-nationalized routes. Around
3,000 buses are being plied by private transport operators on non-nationalized routes, along
with a few inter-state routes of Uttarakhand and UP.
Buses plying on the major hill routes of Uttarakhand have a 166-inch wheel base with an
overhang not more than 50%. Buses plying on plains routes have a wheel base greater than
166 inches, a greater seating capacity and an overhang up to 60%.
Statistics of on-road vehicles in the state are given in Table 24.
50
Table 24: On-road vehicles in Uttarakhand (2010-11)
Vehicle category Number of vehicles

Two-wheelers 8,58,997
Cars/jeeps 1,70,548
Buses 9,673
Trucks 19,034
Four-wheelers/delivery vans 22,560
Taxis/maxis 21,402
Autos/tempos 14,265
Tractors 54,479
Trailers 3,905
Others 1,846
Total 11,76,709
Data related to annual vehicle registration show that the total number of vehicles has been
growing steadily (Table 25).
51
Table 25: Vehicles registered annually in Uttarakhand
Year
Vehicle type
2000/01 2001/02 2002/03 2003/04 2004/05 2005/06 2006/07 2007/08 2008/09 2010/11
Two-wheeler 27,396 32,306 40,587 44,467 54,042 58,090 67,974 67,850 65,391 1,09,363
Car/jeep 4,274 4,539 5,430 7,956 9,163 10,323 12,031 16,471 16,385 29,367
Bus 266 259 195 361 670 1,096 387 544 348 650
Truck 818 570 917 1,215 1,042 3,426 1,411 1,146 850 1,669
50
“Statistical Data”, State Transport Department Government Of Uttarakhand, Last Updated on 06-05-2014, accessed 14
May 2014
51
Ibid
16. Transport
Year
Vehicle type
2000/01 2001/02 2002/03 2003/04 2004/05 2005/06 2006/07 2007/08 2008/09 2010/11
Four-wheeler
Truck/delivery 482 533 701 1270 1,401 3,436 1,524 2,866 3,066 3,881
van
Taxi/maxi 1,530 1,721 1,165 899 1,038 2,953 1,824 2,405 2,486 3,427
Auto/tempo 901 797 529 577 291 1,271 949 1,512 2,220 2,527
Tractor 1,692 1,332 1,318 1,418 1,686 2,168 3,417 2,994 2,372 3,348
Trailer 61 44 117 190 295 529 902 581 215 189
Others 230 46 601 175 462 103 635 536 118 245
Total 37,650 42,144 51,560 58,533 70,090 83,395 91,054 96,905 93,451 1,54,666
During the last two decades, the number of registered vehicles has been greater than 13 lakh.
An overwhelming majority (around 90%) of these are used for personal transport.

No climate vulnerability and risk assessments have been carried out for the transport sector
yet. However, there are frequent media reports on the state of traffic congestion and vehicular
pollution, which is on the rise.

The rapid growth in the number of vehicles in the state has been accompanied by
concomitant problems, including congestion and traffic snarls, a lack of adequate parking
space, high accident rates, a rise in environmental vehicular pollution and inadequacy of road
space for efficient public transportation. The Transport Department has to not only cater to
the public transportation needs of its 1 crore+ population but also to that of the enormous
floating population in the state, partly owing to the movements of tourists and pilgrims.

The Transport Department is committed to augmenting and improving the quality of the
public transportation in the state as well as to make it commuter and environment friendly by
providing efficient, safe, environment friendly and affordable multi-modal transport system
in order to discourage the use of personal vehicles. This objective will also be complemented
through the use of non-motorized transport solutions through appropriate transport and traffic
engineering, with effective enforcement of traffic regulations. Other complementary
measures will include increasing training facilities in order to reduce the number of accidents
and reduce vehicular pollution.
16.4.2 Strategies
Keeping the above vision and commitment in mind, initiatives will include the following:
1. Control of vehicular pollution with the following objectives: (a) To control pollution
caused by motorized vehicles plying in the state; (b) to create awareness amongst the
motoring public in particular and the public at large on the effects of vehicular pollution;
(c) to provide pollution-checking facilities at petrol pumps and workshops; (d) to enforce
the standards of various pollutants according to the relevant rules including the Motor
Vehicles Act and (e) to facilitate enforcement of environmental pollution control in the
state.

16. Transport
Various activities will be taken up to pursue these objectives, including mass awareness
campaigns through various media, computerization and Internet facilities at pollution
checking centres, better enforcement through new technologies including remote sensing
to detect particulates and NOx emissions, setting up a Planning and Monitoring Cell to
collect and compile transport statistics and analyse these for policy formulation,
publication of relevant reports, etc.
2. Direct rail routes and alternate transportation: Direct rail route from Kalsi to Tanakpur
is required to save distance by unnecessarily routing through Moradabad and Rampur.
This will reduce distance, traffic, time, fuel and reduce CO2 emissions. Daily services
between Tanakpur and Kalsi needs to be started. Helicopter and small flights to different
regions of the state can considerably reduce hill journey and disastrous traffic. Feasibility
studies of setting up Ropeways and Gondola’s to promote safe transportation and
augment also needs to be looked into.
3. Public transportation system: UTC will need to phase out its older vehicles and replace
them with Bharat Stage 3–compliant vehicles; in addition, it is proposed to purchase 800
new buses to meet the increased demand for efficient public transportation.
4. Driver training for safety and fuel efficiency: The objective of this initiative will be to
impart training in driving skills to potential drivers and to upgrade the skills of existing
drivers on scientific lines by employing modern equipment and highly trained instructors.
While private driving schools exist in the state, the quality of the training imparted is
poor. Similarly, the facilities for skill testing available with the licensing authorities are
also inadequate. Three new premier motor training facilities have been set up by the
department with state-of-the-art facilities in a PPP mode at Pauri and Almora. All heavy
vehicle driving licence holders will necessarily have to undergo refresher training at these
institutes before getting their licenses renewed. There is also a need to upgrade the
curriculum on an ongoing basis.
5. Alternative fuels: The Transport Department will also proactively consider the promotion
and use of alternative fuels such as CNG and bio-diesel in the state for not only the public
transportation system but also private vehicles.
*****

Part C: Action Plan and Budget
Action Plan and Budgets
Agriculture
Expenditure in 5
Major thrust areas Activities Sub-activities Present status Expected outcome
years (` in lakhs )
Promotion of Sustainable Increase area under Identification of area and - 2500.00 Adaptation
Agriculture organic farming providing of timely inputs;
Promoting making of organic
manure
Area expansion under Identification of area and - 991.75 Adaptation
local crops providing timely inputs
Soil and Water Area expansion under Creation of additional - 2500.00 Adaptation
Conservation life-saving irrigation irrigation facilities and water
through water harvesting structures
harvesting
programmes
Capacity Building and Strengthening of agri- Organising of workshops and - 500.00 Enhancing Knowledge Base
Research extension with seminars and strengthening
coordination of NGOs Krishi Vikas Kendra’s
for development of (KVKs), promoting local
commodity-based trainers by ToT programmes
clusters
Research Projects Developing climate resistant - 1500.00 Enhancing Knowledge base
cultivas
Assessing potential of local
cultivas; preservation and
storage of genetic materials
Total 7,991.75

Forests and Biodiversity

Expenditure in 5
years (` in lakhs)
Increasing the existing area Management Advance soil work, raising of There is almost 270 Some of these areas may be
2
under forests and trees and intervention in scrub plants, plantation and km of scrub-forests in 331.54 suitably improved with regards
2
improving the quality and forests (1 km /year) maintenance and associated Uttarakhand. The to conservation of biodiversity.
density of degraded forests site-specific activities majority of these areas
may not be suitable for
management
intervention.
Plantation of climate- Advance soil work, raising of The total area of open 55,256.31 This will enhance the carbon
resilient species also plants, plantation and forests in Uttarakhand sink.
2
beneficial to local maintenance and associated is 5,568 km . In 5
communities in open site-specific activities years, a little less than
forests according to the 25% of these areas
principles of three-tier may be better stocked.
2
forests (250 km /year)
Assisted natural Silvicultural operations, The area of moderately 7,183.32 Assisted natural regeneration
regeneration in protection and associated dense forests is 14,165 is a promising silvicultural tool
2
moderately dense activities km . Five percent of to enhance carbon sink.
2
forests (100 km /year) this area may be taken
up under assisted
natural regeneration in
5 years.
Enhancing natural Providing livelihood Plantation of harar, behra, There are significant 110.51 This will help in adaptation to
resources and livelihood options to local amla, chura, tejpat, timru, areas of community Climate Change.
options of the vulnerable communities bamboos, etc. in community lands that are not
sections lands available for cultivation.
The communities may
be encouraged to grow
useful species in these
areas.
Rangeland Mapping of all important There are rangelands 442.05 This will help in planning for
management rangelands using RS-GIS in forests as well as rangeland management
followed by ground truthing community lands.
Conservation of bugyals Bugyals are threatened 1,381.41 These ecosystems are good at
through local and nomadic ecosystems and need carbon sequestration.
communities and related to be managed better
institutions (2500 ha per with the help of local
annum) communities.
Alternate livelihood options New avenues for 828.84 This will lead to better

Expenditure in 5
years (` in lakhs)
for communities such as alternate livelihood adaptation.
NTFP collection, community- options are to be
based eco-tourism, biomass devised.
bricquetting, decentralized
nursery establishment,
cultivation of medicinal herbs
(including yarsagambu, etc.)
Improvements in the variety The idea is to lessen 110.51 Conservation of the carbon
of cattle the biotic pressure on sink.
natural resources.
Protection and management This will lead to 55.26 Conservation of the carbon
initiatives towards regulated scientific management sink.
grazing of rangelands.
Agro-forestry/farm Mapping of all land areas This will help assess 276.28 Enhancement of carbon sink.
forestry with a potential of agro- the extent of areas
forestry using RS-GIS suitable for agro-
forestry.
R&D for varieties of different Agro-forestry has the 55.26 Enhancement of carbon sink.
species for best commercial potential to contribute
use and climate change to climate change
concerns mitigation efforts.
Establishment of quality Agro-forestry systems 110.51 Adaptation.
planting material production allow vulnerable
centres smallholder farmers to
cope with climate
change better.
Training programs and To facilitate 55.26 Adaptation.
extension activities stakeholders’
participation
Soil and water conservation Close watch on Minimizing human Glaciers are threatened 55.26 Adaptation.
glaciers interference in the ecology of systems and must be
glaciers preserved for the water
security of the
subcontinent.
Research Vulnerable areas to be The areas of water 55.26 Adaptation.
identified with the help of deficiency must be
experts identified in order to
preserve the life
support systems.
Research Strategic and scientific The state is having 27.63 Adaptation.

Expenditure in 5
years (` in lakhs)
planning to be done for road many proposals for
cutting that results in minimal surface infrastructure
soil and water resources loss development.
Maintenance of soil Large-scale rainwater Rainwater-harvesting 1,657.69 Adaptation.
moisture regime harvesting structure to be structures are efficient
constructed to reduce the in conserving water.
water stress in moisture-
deficient areas
Vegetative approach to Soil and moisture The objective is to 1105.13 Adaptation.
soil and moisture conservation regime to be enhance the water
conservation enhanced by introduction of security of the local
three-tier forest plantations communities.
Rejuvenation of traditional As above 552.56 Adaptation.
chals, khals and tals with
emphasis on indigenous
traditional knowledge
Biodiversity conservation Documentation of Establishment of Biodiversity This will enable local 50.00 Adaptation.
biodiversity Management Committees communities
enumerate and monitor
the local biodiversity.
Making Biodiversity As above 500.00 Adaptation.
Registers
Habitat management Management of invasive This will improve the 8,288.45 Adaptation.
species (lantana, parthenium, habitat as well as
eupatorium, etc.) and lessen man-animal
replacement with suitable conflicts
species (bamboo, grass etc.)
(We assume that we ought to
take up 15,000 ha per year.)
Creation of water As above 1,105.13 Conservation of biodiversity
holes/anicuts
Maintenance of existing As above 110.51 Conservation of biodiversity
water holes/anicuts
Conservation and Wetlands are important 243.13
maintenance of wetlands ecosystems with many
co-benefits
Linking of protected Establishing a task force to Genetic in-breeding in 27.63 Conservation of biodiversity
areas to prevent identify/prioritize corridors isolated islands may
habitat fragmentation lead to extinction of
some species of

Expenditure in 5
years (` in lakhs)
wildlife. The
phenomenon will be
accelerated in the face
of changes in
vegetation types as a
result of climate
change.
Involve all stakeholders to To facilitate the above 27.63 Conservation of biodiversity

regulate change of land use
Maintaining cover through As above 276.28 Conservation of biodiversity
agro-forestry, preventing crop
raiding in corridors through
fencing
Ex situ conservation of Maintenance and This is a no-regret 138.14 Conservation of biodiversity
species development of existing policy.
zoos, rescue centres for
wildlife and botanical gardens
Maintenance and This is a no-regret 27.63 Conservation of biodiversity
development of biodiversity policy.
centres and biodiversity
hotspots
Minimize man-animal Rapid response in cases of This is to ensure that 276.28 Conservation of biodiversity
conflicts crop raiding and chance man-animal conflicts
encounters of humans with are not accentuated.
animals, including ex gratia
payments
Rehabilitation of rescued This is an important 82.88 Conservation of biodiversity
wildlife operation towards
conservation of wildlife.
Fire Management Management of fuel Clearing and maintenance of This is an important 690.70 Conservation of sink
load fire-lines silvicultural operation to
minimize the possible
damage due to forest
fire.
Controlled and cool burning This is an important 165.77 Conservation of sink
silvicultural operation to
control the fuel load.
Providing alternate energy Reducing the 552.56 Conservation of sink
sources to local communities independence of local

Expenditure in 5
years (` in lakhs)
communities on forest
base resources
Fire control Quick-response teams for fire Strengthening fire 663.08 Conservation of sink
fighting control and mitigative
measures
Daily monitoring of fire threat To encourage the use 55.26 Conservation of sink
with the help of satellite of modern forest fire
imagery and information tools and technologies
technology in combating fire
hazards
Minimising Human Animal Reducing monkeys Monkey Sterilisation, Not much infrastructure 1000.00 Reduction in Man Animal
Conflict and wild boars menace Fencing, Rescue Centres is available at present Conflict and emigration
Research and capacity Monitoring and Evaluation of total carbon Partner institutions may 10.00
building evaluation of carbon stock and annual increment be involved Enhancing knowledge base
stock in Uttarakhand
Monitoring the forest carbon Already initiated in 10.00
flux collaboration with IIRS Enhancing knowledge base
Conservation of Population dynamics and Partner institutions may 10.00
biodiversity movement of wildlife be involved. Enhancing knowledge base
Silviculture Development of climate- Partner institutions may 10.00
friendly silvicultural be involved. Enhancing knowledge base
techniques
Fire management Management of forest fires Partner institutions may 10.00
be involved. Enhancing knowledge base
Capacity building of different Partner institutions may 10.00
stakeholders be involved. Enhancing knowledge base
Short-term research Impacts and adaptation Adapt and develop dynamic 5 years 10.00
projects to climate change in vegetation models relevant to Enhancing knowledge base
forests and other tropical and sub-tropical
natural ecosystems forest types, plantations as
well as other natural
ecosystems such as
wetlands and grasslands
Initiate focused short-term 5 years 10.00
field ecological and Enhancing knowledge base
physiological studies in
selected forest type sites to
generate parameters for

Expenditure in 5
years (` in lakhs)
various plant functional types
required for dynamic
vegetation models
Initiate studies to assess the 5 years 10.00
likely impacts of climate Enhancing knowledge base
change on natural
ecosystems and identify
vulnerable and sensitive
ecosystems such as
montane grasslands,
plantation systems and
bugyals
Develop adaptation 5 years 10.00

framework relevant to forest Enhancing knowledge base
and grassland ecosystems
and develop adaptation
strategies, practices and
management systems
Plan and implement pilot 5 years 10.00
adaptation projects to Enhancing knowledge base
demonstrate the
effectiveness of adaptation
practices
Socio-economic Assess the vulnerability of 5 years 10.00
adaptation among forest-dependent Enhancing knowledge base
forest-dependent communities to climate
people to climate impacts
change
Develop programmes to 5 years 10.00
enhance adaptive capacity of Enhancing knowledge base
forest-dependent
communities
Policy research to Assessment of implications 5 years 10.00
assist policy of REDD+, forest Enhancing knowledge base
conservation and sustainable
management of forests for
India
Development of 5 years 10.00
methodological Enhancing knowledge base
understanding of carbon

Expenditure in 5
years (` in lakhs)
stock changes under
REDD+, forest conservation
and sustainable management
activities
Carbon inventory and Developing models for 5 years 10.00 Enhancing knowledge base
mitigation studies assessing carbon
sequestration and mitigation
potential of different forestry
and plantation activities
Developing rates of changes 5 years 10.00 Enhancing knowledge base
in carbon pools under
different forest and plantation
systems to assist
development of CDM
projects, based on cross-
sectional studies
Developing emission factors 5 years 10.00 Enhancing knowledge base
for GHG inventories in land
use sectors, forests,
grasslands, wetlands, etc.
Assessment of the Assessment of the mitigation 5 years 10.00 Enhancing knowledge base
ecological and potential of different bio-
economic potential of energy technologies
bio-fuels and other
species for climate
mitigation and energy
security
Assessing the environmental 5 years 10.00 Enhancing knowledge base
impact of plantation of
different bio-fuels and others
crops
Estimating the land 5 years 10.00 Enhancing knowledge base
availability for biomass
feedstock (woody biomass
and oil seeds) production for
energy
Competition for land for 5 years 10.00 Enhancing knowledge base
carbon sequestration vs. Bio-
energy for fossil fuel
substitution
Assessment of impacts of 5 years 10.00 Enhancing knowledge base

Expenditure in 5
years (` in lakhs)
climate change on
sustainable biomass
feedstock production for
energy
Research, facility and Mapping of terrestrial  Inventorization of floral 5 years 1000.00 Comprehensive data
survey floral and faunal and faunal species in availability
species wetlands, meadows and
moraines
 Herbarium
 Mapping of aquatic floral 5 years 1000.00 Changes in species
and faunal species composition in various forest
including fishes in the types will be known
water body
Facility development and Establishment of  Comprehensive 5 years 1000.00 Species samples will be
management herbarium and herbarium in traditional available.
museum for faunal format as well as in
specimens and digitized form will be
digitization of samples available.
 Museum with faunal
samples will be
available.
Survey and restoration work Desiltation of the  5 years 1000.00 Adaptation
waterbody to restore
the original depth
Soil conservation work, Watershed  5 years 1500.00 Soil Conservation and

moisture management development improvement
Nursery establishment and In situ conservation of  Nursery establishment 5 years 1000.00 Promoting indigenous species
plantation of species (if indigenous and original  Plantation of indigenous
required) floral species in the species
wetlands, alpine
meadows and
moraines
Nursery establishment Ex situ conservation of 5 years 2000.00 Promotion of indigenous

Subsidy to farmers the floral species of species
Extension economic importance
and agro-forestry and

Expenditure in 5
years (` in lakhs)
farm forestry
Research Soil mapping in  Establishment of soil 5 years 2000.00 Productivity enhancement and
wetlands testing lab with micro soil improvement
nutrient testing facilities
 Mobile soil and water
testing lab
Documentation, travel and Evaluation and 5 years 1000.00 Enhancing knowledge base
scientific standardization standardization of
traditional knowledge
(TK)
Research Establishment of centre 5 years 1500.00 Enhancing knowledge base
for analysing impact of
climate change on
wetlands, meadows
and moraines
Total 97,101.65

Animal Husbandry and Livestock

Expenditure Institution
Possibility of
Intervention Intervention type Activities required Duration in 5 years responsible Expected outcome
convergence
(`. In Lakhs)
 Setting up of State, Divisional Better and effective
CPMU at state & District Units of project implementation,
Setting up of level the Department of monitoring and
project Institutional  Setting up of Animal evaluation
Up to 20 years 340.35 Husbandry Easier documentation,
management strengthening DPMUs
unit  Setting up of learning, sharing and
district project dialogue
management units
Human resource Training and capacity Providing training to all Up to 20 years 1307.50 Rural Department of Capacity enhancement
development building stake holders Development Animal of all stakeholders
Department Husbandry,
Universities and ULDB, USWDB,
NGOs State and Central
Research
Institutes
Disease Institutional  Strengthening of Up to 20 years 3388.83  Institutional
surveillance, strengthening Institutions strengthening
forecasting and Improving diagnostic  Mobile veterinary  Decrease in the
mitigation Backup and diagnostic incidence of infertility
Direct services Integrated Department of and improving
Watershed Animal livestock health
 Organising intensive Development Husbandry,  Decrease in
livestock health and Department ULDB, USWDB morbidity and
infertility treatment State & Central mortality and
Research incidence of
 Strengthening of Institutes diseases
cold chain  Increase in
management productivity
system for vaccines
Fodder Direct field action  Establishing Up to 20 years 3650.55 Department of Department of  Mitigating the deficit
development Farmers’ silvipasture on van Forests, Animal of dry and green
demonstrations panchayat lands Department of Husbandry, fodder
 Pilot Project on Agriculture - ULDB, USWDB  Better utilization of
silage production RKVY State & Central existing fodder and
 Compact feed block Research prevention of
manufacturing Institutes wastage

Expenditure Institution
Possibility of
Intervention Intervention type Activities required Duration in 5 years responsible Expected outcome
convergence
(`. In Lakhs)
plants
 Construction of
concrete mangers
for stall feeding in
hills
 Chaffing of fodder
Other initiatives Direct field action  Providing shelter to Up to 20 years 10587.50  Protection of
transhumance shepherds and their
livestock rearers in Department of flocks during
reserve forest Forests migration
areas
 Construction of Up to 20 years Dep’t. Of Non-  Reducing the use of
community owned Conventional wood for fuel
biogas units of 85 Energy Department of
3
m Animal
 Setting up of Goat Up to 20 years NABARD Husbandry,  Enhancing
Units Department of ULDB, USWDB livelihoods and
Agriculture - State & Central employment
RKVY Research generation
Institutes
 Setting up of Gau Up to 20 years Department of  Preventing damage
Sadans in Van Forests to crops from stray
Panchayat cattle
 Income generation
 Reducing the use of
wood for fuel
 Promotion of organic
agriculture
 Backyard poultry Up to 20 years Department of  Enhancing
development Agriculture – livelihoods by
RKVY, Rural creating avenues for
 Establishment Development income generation
backyard poultry Department  Improving the food
units and parent basket of the rural
stock resource-poor
 Construction of
shed for parent
stock
Total 19,247.73

Disaster Management
Total cost
Possibility of
Interventions Intervention type Activities Duration (`. in Expected outcome
convergence
lakhs)
Vulnerability to climate Documentation and Assessment of: 3 years 100.00 Forest, environment Database of ITK People’s
change and community research  Impact of natural disasters upon and agriculture perception and their coping
perceptions masses, particularly women mechanism (If any) Impact
 People’s perception of climate of CC on livelihood and
change and documentation of their resources, Coping
adaptation strategy through mechanism for future
primary data collection in various adaptation strategy
regions of the state
 Changes being introduced in the
geo-environment due to climate
change through primary data
collection in various regions of the
state
 Study of the impact on natural
resources and livelihoods of
people due to changing weather
patterns and extreme weather
events
 Documentation of best practices in
traditional coping methods,
possible interventions to meet
present demand and promotion of
the same
 Documentation of the ITK of the
masses
Improving scientific Research 1. Study of recent changes in climate 5 5,000.00 In collaboration with Data on changes in various
knowledge and parameters IISc (Bangalore) and climate-related parameters
evidence base and 1. Exploring the use of 2. Monitoring of various climate PRL (Ahmedabad)
understanding climate speleothems (deposits parameters
change and its impacts in limestone caves) in 3. Study on mass balance of In collaboration Monitoring the changes in

reconstructing changes Gangotri Glacier with WIHG various climate parameters

in various climate- (Dehradun)
related parameters
2. A series of automatic
weather stations will be
installed at critical
locations in the high
reaches of the state
Land use/land cover Research Land use/land cover change studies 2 50.00 Forest and Land use/land change
change studies for various towns of the state using agriculture scenario
high-resolution satellite imagery
(IKONOS and WV 2)
CBDM Training and capacity  Community-based risk assessment 5 2,000.00 For community-level Promotion of safe
building  Preparation of disaster training: construction technologies
management plan PRIs More trained persons
 Training of community members on
search and rescue
Training and capacity Training and capacity Training of: 5 1,000.00

building building  Departmental officials in
vulnerability assessment
 Departmental officials in the use of
GIS and RS tools for effective
resource management
 Engineers in retrofitting of existing
structures and safer construction
practices
 Masons in safer construction
practices
 Formal first responders in search
and rescue and first aid
 State government officers in post-
disaster needs assessment (PDNA)
 Media personnel in reporting
disaster-related issues
 Government officials in preparation
of disaster management plans
 Government officials in post-
disaster response and utilization of
ICS (IRS) principles

Mock drills Capacity building Mock drills and table top exercises 5 100.00 District administration
involving nodal officers of various
government departments
Awareness generation Awareness Knowledge sharing regarding disaster 5 500.00 Nagar Palika -
management through various media Parishads, PRIs
such as:
 Print material
 Electronic modes
 Folk theatre
 Films
 Tele-serials
 Video and audio spots
 Meetings and workshops
 Competitions, both face to face
and online
 Development of IEC material
School safety  Training of schoolteachers in 5 500.00 Department of Safety of vulnerable

vulnerability assessment and school Education and sections and lifeline
disaster management plan national and state building
preparation schemes such as
 Vulnerability assessments: SSA
structural and non-structural
 Training and mock drills
 Competitions
 School curriculum
 Online education and competitions
 Awareness programme for officials
Hospital preparedness  Training of doctors in mass casualty 5 2,000.00 Department of Health Safety of vulnerable
and safety management and hospital disaster and national and sections and lifeline
management plan preparation state schemes such building
 Vulnerability assessments: as NRHM
structural and non-structural
Review of various  Review of various techno-legal 2 50.00 Department of Town

techno-legal regimes provisions and Country
 Suggestions for appropriate Planning, MDDA,
amendments Nagar Nigams/Palika

Emergency  Emergency Operation Upgrading centres and training 5 25.00

preparedness Centres (EOCs) personnel
 SMS alert system
Action plans at various Preparation and updating  State and district plans 5 500.00 Appropriate plans in case of
levels of plans  Tehsil- and block-level plans extreme weather
 Nyaya Panchayat and village plans events/GLOF events
 Preparation of DM plan for all major
reservoirs in the state
 Mapping of glacial lakes and
planning for GLOF
 Simulation of extreme precipitation
scenario in major river basins of the
state and planning for the same
Vulnerability and risk Research  Vulnerability assessment of lifeline 5 20,000.00 Respective sectors
assessment structure and demonstrative
retrofitting
 Relocation of critical infrastructure
 Relocation of a few threatened
habitations
 Assessment of urban vulnerability,
particularly in the case of extreme
precipitation events
 Vulnerability assessment of all
industrial units in the state
 Landslide and environmental risk
assessment
Socioeconomic Research  Assessment of the socio-economic 5 500.00 Nagar Palika Resilience building
vulnerability vulnerability of masses in various Parishads of the
assessment remote locations of the state towns
 Gender-based studies to identify
the role of women as first
responders to disasters and their
training
 Training sessions on livelihood
options including small-scale
businesses, animal husbandry and
agriculture, with focus on adaptation
and coping mechanism

Integration of DRR in Knowledge sharing and Construction under SSA, IAY, RAY 5 2,000.00 Safe buildings
development plans suggestions etc. Better road cutting to have
Road construction under PMGSY minimum impact on slopes
Work under MNREGA for reducing instability
Disaster management-
related work such as
construction of retaining
walls
Contribution to Promotion of greener  Promotion of disaster-safe 5 2,000.00 Forest and All collective actions will
reduction of construction practices construction practices, retrofitting, environment result in reduced toll of
greenhouse gas vulnerability assessment, changes disasters and hence
emissions in techno-legal regime reduced reconstruction.
This will contribute to
reducing greenhouse
gases.
Promotion of risk Various risk transfer instruments will 5 500.00 Important tool for reducing
transfer mechanisms be developed and promoted through the burden of disasters
various modes upon public exchequer
Networking and  Work in close collaboration with 5 100.00 The masses to be provided
collaborations various centres of excellence and with technical knowledge in
universities that include WIHG the vernacular and in an
(Dehradun), IIRS (Dehradun), easily decipherable manner
CSWCRTI (Dehradun), IIT
(Roorkee), NIH (Roorkee), CBRI
(Roorkee) and Kumaon, Garhwal
and Pantnagar universities.
 Documenting, sharing, learning
and dialogue across the Indian
Himalayan Region
Uttarakhand Council of  Studies and Research in Climate 5 200.00 Emergence of new and
Science and Change innovative adaptive
Technology (UCOST) techniques
AND Uttarakhand
Space and Application
Centre (USAC)
Total 37,125.00

Human Health
Total cost
Intervention Duration Possibility of Implementing Expected
Interventions Activities implication
type (years) convergence department/agency outcomes
(`. in lakhs)
Awareness of the people about Strategic 1. IEC efforts 5 800.00 Health Department
health hazards from climatic knowledge
change, covering all areas such 2. BCC interventions media, broadcasting,
as rainwater harvesting, energy Education Department,
efficiency, water conservation 3. Training sessions and PRIs and other CBOs
and protection from extreme sensitization for personnel of
climate the department
Integration and strengthening of Capacity Capacity building of all 5 1000.00 Health Department
Integrated Disease Surveillance building CMS/CMO/medical specialists and media, broadcasting,
Project (IDSP), National Vector EMOS of the district, the team of Education Department,
Disease Control Program IDSP, the Disaster Management PRIs and other CBOs
(NVDCP), non-communicable Cell, ANM, AWW, ASHA and all
diseases, National Program of the MNGOs in the district to
Health Care for Elderly (NPHC) identify the early signs of extreme
and Disaster Management Cell climatic effects on the population Poor and
as a response to extreme and their remedy vulnerable
climate effects population
Developing and strengthening being targeted
disaster management team in through
every district hospital, CHC and 1. State Illness
PHC specifically to respond to the Fund
effects of extreme climate changes 2. RSBY
Multipurpose health workers for 3. No user
National Vector Disease Control charges
Program (NVDCP)—500 nos.
Capacity building of hospital by

providing necessary equipment
and human resources and capacity
building of medical and
paramedical staff
Bio-medical management and Himalayan Proper segregation, collection 5 500.00 Pollution Health Department,
SWM ecosystem storage, transportation, treatment Control Board, Pollution Control Board

Total cost
Intervention Duration Possibility of Implementing Expected
Interventions Activities implication
type (years) convergence department/agency outcomes
(`. in lakhs)
and disposal Municipal Board
Equipment—plasma pyrolyzer
Building retrofitting of CFLS and Enhanced To be made compulsory in all 3 100.00

LEDs energy government hospitals and offices
efficiency
Construction of Green Buildings Sustainable To be made compulsory in all 5 7200.00 Planning,

(hospitals and offices) habitat government hospitals and offices finance, forest
and Jul
Increase the green cover of all the Sansthan
Health Department premises
Solar water in government Solar Mission To be made compulsory in all 5 800.00 Planning, Selected agencies
hospitals and offices government hospitals and offices finance and Jul
Sansthan
Total 10,400.00
Urban Development
Total cost Possibility Implementing
Intervention Duration Expected
S.No. Interventions Activities implications (`. in of department/
types (years) outcome
lakhs) convergence agency
1 Comprehensive SWM programme Facility and • SWM DPR approved 5 24000.00 GoI missions ULB Implementation
in all ULBs service by the GoI for three (approximately 8 such as of MSW Rules
mission towns. SWM crores for each JnNURM and 2000, clean
action plan for rest. Nagar Palika ADB-funded and green city,
Sixty ULBs to be Parishad) schemes carbon credits
prepared under ADB
scheme. Twenty- 15000.00
eight ULBs will be (approximately 5
funded under ADB. crores for each
• Nirmal Nagar Nagar Panchayat)
Puraskar Yojna
implemented in the
state to encourage
ULBs for SWM work.


ULBs to be rewarded
annually for best
performance.
2 Extending producer responsibility Uttarakhand Plastic 5 Plastic Waste UDD Clean and
for waste—Plastics should come Usage & Disposal of (Management green city
under the purview of eco-system Non-biodegradable & Handling)
service fees or eco-cess Rule 2011
Waste Act 2013 will
be prepared
3 Policy intervention against Research & Uttarakhand Plastic 5 Plastic Waste UDD Environmental
companies using non-recyclable development Usage & Disposal of (Management sanitation
material in packing Non-biodegradable & Handling)
Waste Act 2013 will Rule 2011
be prepared.
4 Banning burning of municipal solid Implementation 2 Plastic Waste ULB Reduction of

waste including plastics and leaf of Plastic (Management toxic gases in
litter Waste & Handling) atmosphere
(Management Rule 2011
& Handling)
Rule 2011
5 Provision of rainwater harvesting Reforms Mandatory under 2 UDD Conservation

tanks in all ULB buildings and new building by-laws of all of natural
constructions in municipal limits development resources
authorities.
Directions to be given
to ULBs to adopt the
same
6 Cleaning/conservation/beautification Research and Data to be collected 2 ULB Clean and

of water bodies situated within ULB extension from ULBs green city
limits
7 Promoting use of LED street lights Partnership 5 PPP UDD, ULB, Energy saving,
by adopting ESCO model to ensure with ESCO ESCO CO2 reduction
savings in electricity and companies in atmosphere
maintenance and to reduce CO2


emissions
8 Promoting use of CFLs in all ULB Development Directions given to 5 ULB Save
buildings ULBs conventional
energy
9 Promotion of eco-friendly Enhanced 5 GoI missions ULB, UREDA Reduce noise
generators Energy such as pollution and
Efficiency National air pollution
Mission Mission for
Enhanced
Energy
Efficiency
10 Development and extension of Dovetailing 5 GoI missions ULB, Forest Carbon
green patches in urban wastelands Green India such as Department sequestration
with the support of the Forest National
Department Mission for a
‘Green India’
11 Installation of paper shredders in all Dovetailing 5 15.70 (@ GoI missions UDD Reducing
ULBs to ensure recycling of used Green India approximately such as afforestation
paper for re-use `25,000 for 63 National
ULBs) Shredder up Mission for a
to 10 gallon ‘Green India’
capacity and ISI
marked
12 Herbal gardens in each district with Dovetailing 5 GoI missions UDD, HRDI Promotion and
the support of the Herbal Research Green India such as production of
Development Institute National herbal
Mission for a medicine
‘Green India’
13 Promotion of Green Buildings by Dovetailing 5 GoI missions UDD, Conservation
giving concessions on Property Tax Green India such as Development of natural
National Authority resources
Mission for a
‘Green India’
14 Promoting installation of solar lights Dovetailing 5 GoI missions ULB, UREDA Save
in all ULB buildings Solar Mission such as conventional
National energy
Solar Mission
15 Promoting solar street lightning in Dovetailing 5 GoI missions ULB, UREDA Save
urban limits Solar Mission such as conventional


National energy
Solar Mission
16 Promoting installation of solar Dovetailing 5 GoI missions ULB, UREDA Save
geysers in all ULB guest houses Solar Mission such as conventional
National energy
Solar Mission
17 Ensuring proper drainage system in Dovetailing 5 GoI missions ULB, Elimination of
all ULBs Water Mission such as Department of water logging.
National Water Supply control of road
Water damage
Mission
18 Ensuring modernization of slaughter Development 5 22 DPR for Nagar PPP ULB Prohibit
houses Nigam Dehradun environmental
submitted to the pollution.
GoI for 2000.00 (` Hygienic meat
500 lakhs each for supply
ULBs having
populations over 1
lakh, namely
Haldwani,Rudrapur,
Kashipur and
Roorkee)
19 Ensuring regulation of dairies within Development 5 ULB Clean and
municipal limits. green city
20 Promoting camps and other IEC Documentation, 5 450.00 (10 lakh for GoI missions UDD, ULB Awareness for
activities to disseminate knowledge travel and each Nagar Palika such as future
among urban people on climate scientific Parishad and 5 National
change exposure visits lakh for each Nagar Mission on
Panchayat) Strategic
Knowledge
for Climate
Change
Total 41,465.70

Water Resources (Irrigation Department)

Total cost of
Duration Expected
S.No. Activity Sub-activities implementation (` in Identified agency
(years) outcome
lakhs)
1 Collection of Installation of automatic rain gauges, automatic weather 2 200.00 Irrigation Availability of
comprehensive data forecasting stations, etc. at important locations in the Department data for further
and analysis state studies
Identifying important gadhera/streams and installing 2 200.00 Irrigation Availability of
equipment to measure velocity, discharge, sediment Department data for further
concentration, etc. in the state studies
Collection of data from above and compilation in Continuous 100.00 annually Irrigation Availability of
exchange formats process Department data for further
studies
2 Development of Development of suitable models to analyse the collected 3 100.00 Outsourcing To arrive at some
software data and validation of models (research conclusions
organizations)
Development of suitable models to carry out vulnerability 3 100.00 Outsourcing Help combat
assessment of impact of climate change on water sector (research impact of climate
and other fields and validation of models organizations) change
3 Capacity building To attend training courses/seminars/conferences on Continuous 20.00 annually Help combat
capacity building in India process impact of climate
change
To attend specialized training Continuous 50.00 annually Help combat
courses/seminars/conferences on climate change in process impact of climate
water sector in India and abroad change
To organize In-house training Continuous 50.00 annually Help combat
courses/seminars/conferences within department process impact of climate
change
4 Awareness campaign Organizing events to create awareness among Continuous 20.00 annually Irrigation Help combat
engineers/employees of the department process Department and impact of climate
other agencies change
Organizing events to create awareness among Continuous 20.00 annually Irrigation Help combat
farmers/people process Department impact of climate
change
Total 860.00

Water Resources (Uttarakhand Jal Sansthan)

Total cost
Duration Possibility of Implementing
S.No. Interventions Activities implication Expected outcome
(years) convergence department/agency
(` in lakhs)
1. Metering of urban water Metering of urban water — Uttarakhand Jal Reduction in wastage of
connections connections 5 8428.00 Sansthan water, water audit.
Increase in revenue.
2. To monitor the water quality Augmentation of state water 5 537.00 — Uttarakhand Jal Close monitoring of the
quality testing lab at Dehradun to Sansthan impact of climate change
test the parameters as per BIS on the quality of water
standards, including running cost source
Total 8965.00
Tourism
Total cost
Intervention Duration Possibility of Implementing
type (years) convergence department/agency
(` in lakhs)
1. Research on existing Research Interaction, 1 100.00 — Credible research and Baseline findings to
policy/mechanism adopted by interviews, consultancy agency build upon
GMVN and KMVN for questionnaire
minimizing environmental surveys, site
impacts of their entire visits,
spectrum of tourism activities documentation
and operations and corrective
measures required thereof
2. Research on existing Research Interaction, 1 300.00 — Credible research and Baseline findings to
measures/mechanisms interviews, consultancy agency build upon
adopted by private sector questionnaire
service providers for surveys, site
minimizing environmental visits,
impacts of their entire documentation
spectrum of tourism activities
and operations and corrective
measures required thereof
3. Workshops on climate Research Presentations, 3 500.00 With relevant UTDB with active Dialogue, information
change issues their impacts interaction, central and state support of relevant sharing, coordination,
on tourism perspective for discussions, departments central/state convergence
state tourism bodies—UTDB, government. agency,

Total cost
(` in lakhs)
GMVN, KMVN and private documentation leading
sector tourism service university/academic
providers (state, national and institution/international
international experiences to development
be shared) agencies
4. Awareness campaign on Awareness Electronic and 2 200.00 With forest and UTDB with help of Mass awareness on
environment-friendly tourism print media environment consultant and climate change issues
for tourism service providers, campaign departments credible media
tourists and host population agency
5. Framing and adopting Guidelines Workshops, 5 200.00 — UTDB with help of Guidelines and
sustainable tourism presentations, international framework for the
development guidelines for interaction, development sector as a whole to
the state with the active discussions, agency/consultant move forward
participation of the private documentation
sector and the host
population
6. Establishment of Sustainable Institutional, Institutional set 3 100.00 — UTDB Proper institutional
Tourism Development Unit governance, up setup for day-to-day
(STDU)/Cell at UTDB to monitoring working and co-
address all sustainable Staff deployment ordination and for
tourism development issues serving as a nodal
and serve as a nodal point for centre
framing and implementation
of sustainable tourism
development policy and
measures
7. Mitigation Measures 5 500.00 With relevant UTDB,GMVN, KMVN
Research, central and state and private sector Reducing greenhouse
Reducing energy use Research awareness, departments and tourism service gas emissions
Awareness, education, private sector providers
Improving energy efficiency education, interaction,
motivation discussions,
Increasing use of renewable workshops,
energy presentations,
incentives
Adoption of new technology
8. Capacity development, Capacity Capacity 3 200.00 With central UTDB, GMVN, KMVN Capacity
education & awareness development, development, schemes on and tourism industry development,

Total cost
(` in lakhs)
programmes will be education and education and capacity associations with education and
organized for UTDB, GMVN, awareness awareness development, active support from awareness
KMVN, tourism industry programmes at education and related central/state
associations, private sector various sites for awareness for government body
tourism service providers, target groups tourism sector
tourists and host population
with proper identification of
individual needs of the target
group.
9. Development of monitoring Governance, Workshops, 3 50.00 With relevant UTDB Effective monitoring
framework monitoring interaction, central and state with regular feedback
discussions, departments
documentation
10. Participation in regional- and Dialogue, Presentations, 5 200.00 With private STDU/UTDB Dialogue, information
national-level seminars, information interaction, sector sharing, coordination,
meets and conferences sharing documentation convergence
organized by state tourism
departments and private
sector for sharing information
on environment-friendly
initiatives and practices
adopted
11. Organizing seminars and Dialogue, Event 5 300.00 With private UTDB with active Dialogue, information
conferences occasionally to information organization, sector support from private sharing, co-ordination,
provide a platform for sharing sharing presentations, sector convergence
knowledge and experiences interaction,
documentation
12. Relevant sectoral documents, Documentation, Institutional set 5 50.00 — UTDB Resource base with
reports and presentations to sharing, up effective
be collected and maintained learning documentation for
properly at UTDB head office Staff deployment future reference
for future reference
13. Awareness and training Livelihood, Awareness 5 200.00 With UTDB with active Support for livelihood
programmes on ‘Small Scale employment and training entrepreneurship support of training and employment
Tourism Enterprise generation programmes development institutions generation
Development’ at various
schemes
sites for
department of

Total cost
(` in lakhs)
target groups industries,
employment &
training etc.
14. Incentives, awards, Motivation, Guideline 5 200.00 — Will act as motivation

recognition for private tourism recognition, framing, UTDB & ensure larger
service providers adopting awards, certification, participation
best environment-friendly incentives selection by jury
practices
15. Loans through financial Awareness, 5 1000.00 With UTDB with active
institutions, on attractive workshops, departments of support from financial Will act as motivation
terms and conditions, to Motivation, meets, forest, institutions and ensure greater
tourism service providers for loans, subsidy interaction, environment, participation
developing mechanism and discussions, etc.
adopting new technologies for facilitation,
minimizing the causes for documentation
climate change
Total 4,100.00

Energy (UPCL)
S.No. NAPCC code Sector Sub-sector Department/ Present Present Target Target Target Target Target Strategy Assisting
st nd rd th th
board/corpo annual Annual 1 Year 2 Year 3 Year 4 Year 5 Year department
ration targets Achievement (`. In (`. In (`. In (`. In (`. In s
against lakhs) lakhs) lakhs) lakhs) lakhs)
Climate
Change
Mitigation
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14
1. Enhanced energy Energy Building retro UPCL — — 60.00 80.00 80.00 120.00 60.00 Covering Operations
efficiency fitment of 33/11 KV all 33/11 Wing
S/s using CFLs and KV S/s in
LEDs, illumination phased
of switch yards and manner
substation colonies within 5
using CFLS and years.
LEDs
2. Strategic Energy Specialized training UPCL — — 6.00 7.50 7.50 4.50 4.50 By Human
knowledge for programmes/semin imparting Resource
climate change ars training to Wing
personnel
and
consumers
Sub-Total 66.00 87.50 87.50 124.50 64.50

Total 430.00
Note: Government of Uttarakhand will provide finance

Energy (UJVN)
S. NAPCC Sector Sub Sector Dept./ Presen Presen Target Target Target Target Target Strat Assisting
st nd rd th th
No. Code Board/ t t 1 Year 2 Year 3 Year 4 Year 5 Year egy Department
Corporatio Annual Annual (`. In (`. In (`. In (`. In (`. In s
n Target Achiev lakhs) lakhs) lakhs) lakhs) lakhs)
ement
against
CCM
1 Solar RE 1. Solar power plants at spare land - - - Planning
Mission near various HEP's
2. Solar power plants at spare land - - - 5760 8640
near various HEP's under rooftop
policy
3. Solar roof top plant at office - 7.5 7.5 45 90
buildings for captive use.
4. Installation of solar water heater at - - 0.5 3.5 6
government guest house
2 Enhanced RE 1. Replacement of conventional - - 12.5 100 137.5 Operations
Energy street light by energy efficient (T- and
Efficiency 5/LED) lights. Maintenance
2. Replacement of conventional - - 1.25 10 13.75
street light by energy efficient (T-
5/LED lights in office buildings
3. Energy Audit of power houses - - 5 50 45
while RMU to be done.
3 Strategic RE 1. Organising seminars & training on - - Human
Knowledge water harvesting-green building Resource
for Climate concept & energy conservation
Change 2. Organising various short term in - - 1 4 5
house T & D and awareness
programmes.
4 Himalayan RE 1. Plantation in the open area near - - 0.5 2 2.5 Operations
Ecosystem power house and colonies and
Maintenance
2. Plantation in the open are near - - - 0.5 0.5 A&S
Ujjwal offices
Sub-Total 0 7.50 28.25 5975.00 8940.25
Total 14,951.00

Energy (UREDA)
S.No. NAPCC Sect Sub-sector Department/B Present Present Target Target Target Target Target Strateg Assisting
st nd rd th th
code or oard/Corpora Annual annual 1 2 3 4 5 y departments
tion Targets achievement Year Year Year Year Year
against CCM (`. In (`. In (`. In (`. In (`. In
lakhs) lakhs) lakhs) lakhs) lakhs)
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14
1 Sustainabl RE Energy All — — 3 3 6 9 9 As per Urban and
e habitat conservation, government propos Energy
building departments al Development
construction
Construction of
MHPs
2 Solar RE 1. Solar water All — — 10 20 20 30 20 As per Energy
Mission heaters in government propos Department
government departments al
buildings
2. Solar power
plants in all
government
buildings
3. Solar power
plants by private
developers
3 Enhanced RE 1. Building Retro All — — 3 2 2.5 2 As per Energy
energy fitment for CFLs government propos Department
efficiency and LEDs departments al
2. Energy audit
of 100
government
buildings
3.
Implementation
of PAT
Sub-Total 16.00 25.00 28.50 41.00 29.00
Total 139.50

Notes: The eight National Missions as per the Prime Minister’s National Action Plan on Climate Change are the Solar Mission; Enhanced Energy Efficiency,
Sustainable Habitat, including public transport; Water Mission; Himalayan Ecosystem; Green India; Sustainable Agriculture; and Strategic Knowledge for
Climate Change.
Energy (PTCUL)
Present
Prese annual
Target Target Target Target Target
nt achievem st nd rd th th
S. Department/ 1 2 3 4 5 Assisting
NAPCC Sect Annu ent
No Sub-sector board/corpo Year Year Year Year Year Strategy department
code or al against
. ration (`. In (`. In (`. In (`. In (`. In s
Targe climate
lakhs) lakhs) lakhs) lakhs) lakhs)
ts change
mitigation
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14
1 Sustaina Ener Construction of new PTCUL — — 50 50 35 35 To be made Civil
ble gy Green Buildings and compulsory in all
habitat retrofitting old buildings department
buildings
2 Enhance Ener Building retro fitment PTCUL — — 60 60 To be made Operation
d energy gy using CFLs and LEDs, compulsory in all and
efficiency illumination of department maintenance
switchyards and buildings, switch
substation colonies yards and
using CFLS and LEDs. substation colonies
Strategic
By imparting
knowled
Ener Specialized training specialized training Human
4 ge for PTCUL — — 9 9 6 2 2
gy programmes/seminars and nominating the Resource
climate
interested persons.
change
Sub-Total 119.00 119.00 41.00 37.00 2.00
Total 318.00
* As per the provisions of the Projects
Scheme.
Notes:-
(1) PTCUL is the 100% state-owned transmission utility responsible for the transmission of electrical energy across Uttarakhand and evacuation of power from various hydro-
generating units up to the pooling points within Uttarakhand.
(2) Finance will be provided by the GoUK.

Roads
Total cost
(` in lakhs)
1. Construction of new Research,  Hill side cutting — PWD Creation of Additional
road facility and  Construction of breast wall 5 3,60,000 Infrastructure
service  Safe disposal of debris
 Construction of drains,
scuppers and check walls
2. Improvement and re- R&D  Metalling and pointing 3 1,35,000 — PWD Improvement of Additional
construction of road  Widening of roads Infrastructure
network  Improvement of drainage
system
3. Maintenance of Development  Patch work 4 68,000 — PWD Maintenance of existing

existing road  Repair of drains and walls infrastructure
network
4. Remedial measure R&D  Geological study 5 50,000 — PWD Environmental
of chronic slip zones  Remedial measure improvement
5. Planting and Ecological  Planting trees 5 10,000 — PWD Environmental

maintenance development  Fencing trees improvement
 Maintenance of trees
Total 6,23,000.00

Industries
S.No. Interventions Intervention Activities Duration Total cost Possibility of Implementing Expected
type (years) implication convergence department/agency outcome
(` in lakhs)
1. Awareness Holding seminars and workshops 3 60.00 With industrial Directorate of
programme (capacity for MSMEs associations namely Industries/SIDCUL
building of industries, CII, PHD Chamber
especially MSMEs) of Commerce,
KGCCI, AIU
2. Baseline study Detailed study of the impact of 2 100.00 — Directorate of
industrial activities on climate Industries/SIDCUL
change (covering all industrial
clusters and areas)
3. Incentives for green  Environmental certification 5 300.00
practices subsidy relating to climate
change (ISO 14064, ISO 5001,
etc.)
 Green Building certification 5 500.00

(following IBC guidelines)
 Installation of 5 1000.00
equipment/technologies that help
reducing carbon footprints (e.g.
energy efficiency, renewable
energy sources, fuel switching)
4. Recognition for good  Energy efficiency (by holding 5 years 100.00

environmental state-level seminars)
practices  Energy conservation
 Certificate for best practices and
sharing them among industries
5. Strengthening the 1000.00
common treatment
plants and solid-
based disposal in
industrial areas
6. Knowledge sharing Large industries to play anchor role 5 200.00
in propagating green practices in
MSME’s

S.No. Interventions Intervention Activities Duration Total cost Possibility of Implementing Expected
type (years) implication convergence department/agency outcome
(` in lakhs)
7. Establishment of  Centre to be established either in 5 1000.00
Centre of Excellence PPP mode or through industry
for Research chambers like CII, PHDCCI etc.
Development &  The centre to document all the
Extension research and prepare action plan
and guide the industries in the
Himalayan States
Total 4,260.00
Transport
Total cost
S.No. Interventions Activities implication (` in Expected outcome
lakhs)
1. Check on Awareness and  Creation of public 5 200.00 — Transport
vehicular enforcement awareness Department
pollution  Computerization and 5 360.00
Internet facility at
pollution checking
centres
 Use of remote
sensing technology
2. Establishment of Awareness and  Procurement of 5 200.00 — Transport
specially enforcement vehicles Department
designated  Deployment of
pollution- officials
checking squads  Procurement of
testing equipment
3. Strengthening Facility and  Procurement of new 5 12000.00 — Transport
public service buses for UTC Department/UTC
transportation
4. Implementation Awareness, Procurement of 30 new 5 60.00 — Transport
of BS standards enforcement pollution-checking Department
and service equipment
5. Approval of Approval  Amendment has 0 0 — Transport Enhancement of
pollution testing been done in UK MV Department/Private vehicular emission

Total cost
S.No. Interventions Activities implication (` in Expected outcome
lakhs)
centres Rules 2011 testing centres quality
6. Use of Awareness,  Establishment of 0 0 Civil Supply

alternative fuels enforcement LPG filling stations
and service
 Establishment of 0 0 Civil Supply
CNG filling stations
 Motivation of public 0 0 Transport
for battery-operated Department
vehicles
7. Planning and Planning  Study 1 60.00 Transport
monitoring cell Department
Total 12,880.00

Summary of Financial Outlay for Identified Sectors in UAPCC
S.No. Sector `. in lakhs

1. Agriculture 7,991.75
2. Forests and Biodiversity 97,101.65
3. Animal Husbandry and Livestock 19,274.73
4. Disaster Management 37,125.00
5. Human Health 10,400.00
6. Urban Development 41,465.70
7. Water Resources 9,825.00
8. Tourism 4,100.00
9. Energy 15,838.50
10. Roads 6,23,000.00
11. Industries 4,260.00
12. Transport 12,880.00
Total 8,83,262.33

Annexures
Annexure 1—Brief Notes on Proceedings of
Stakeholder Consultation Workshops
Summary of Proceedings of the Workshop on Consultations for the Uttarakhand
Action Plan for Climate Change, 26–27 March 2012, Doon University, Dehradun
Background
India has pursued a strong domestic agenda to counter climate change and has come up with
a National Action Plan on Climate Change (NAPCC). While the central government remains
the key actor in shaping the climate change policy and creating the necessary institutional
mechanisms for its implementation, the involvement of state governments is crucial in
addressing climate change. UNDP, through collaboration with the Ministry of Environment
and Forests, aims at building and strengthening the capacities at the national and state/UT
levels to address climate change issues. One of the major activities to be undertaken as part of
this collaboration is facilitating the preparation of the State Action Plans and Strategies for
addressing Climate Change (SAPCCs).
As part of this process, Uttarakhand is in the process of preparing a Climate Change Action
Plan. An advance draft version of the Climate Change Action Plan for Lakshadweep was
prepared last year after initial consultations at the state level. In order to improve the
technical content of the draft action plan and to incorporate relevant additional information,
the state is undertaking a series of activities including high-level orientation meetings, one-
on-meetings of the SAPCC Consultant with a range of key Sectoral Line Departments and
other agencies and consultative processes with scientific/academic research institutions, civil
society and grassroots communities.
Uttarakhand, formerly Uttarakhand, is a scenic but poor mountainous state in north-western
India, formed on 9 November 2000 after separation from Uttar Pradesh. Almost half of
Uttarakhand’s population lives below the poverty line, the majority in hill areas, where they
depend on agriculture for their livelihoods. As agriculture is highly weather dependent,
communities in the state are strongly affected by climate-related variability and change. The
vulnerability of Uttarakhand’s rural population to climate and socio-economic change stems
from a number of factors, especially dependence on ecosystem services and high levels of
persistent poverty, marginalization and social inequality.
The workshop
The workshop of 26–27 March 2012 was part of the stakeholder consultation process for
developing the Uttarakhand SAPCC. Day 1 – 26 March – was dedicated to seeking
voices/inputs from grassroots communities from across the Garhwal region of the state. A
similar consultation for the Kumaon region was also held on 13 April 2012 at Kosi Katarmal,
near Almora and jointly hosted by the G.B Pant Institute for Himalayan Environment and
Development and the Uttarakhand Forest Department) on their perceptions of climate change
and its impacts.
Likewise, Day 2 – (27 March and 14 April) – was dedicated to dialogue with scientific and
academic institutions as well as civil society, with a view to soliciting inputs on (a) climate
change and its impacts, (b) mechanisms for connecting science (both basic and applied) and
civil society to practice and policy in the SAPCC for Uttarakhand.
Participants
Annexure 1
Day 1 of the workshop saw attendance from around 60 participants, predominantly farmers
and grassroots community representatives from the Garhwal region of the state. Similarly,
Day 2 was attended by a smaller number of participants, primarily because these were drawn
from scientific/research institutions and NGOs from the Garhwal region. A list of participants
at the meeting is attached to this summary of proceedings. The schedule of the workshop is
also appended.
Summary of Day 1
Day 1 was exclusively devoted to a sharing of perceptions, experiences and apprehensions on
climate change by farmers, elected public representatives, Pradhans and Pramukhs from the
Garhwal region. Around 35 persons from the region shared their inputs and these covered
diverse topics such as perceptions of change with respect to temperature, rain and snowfall
patterns; snowfall; perennial water sources; changes in agricultural crop patterns and yields;
insects, pests and various diseases; livestock and fodder availability issues; crop depredation
by wildlife; migration; etc. Some selected experiences narrated are given below:
 ‘Water scarcity is being experienced even after the rainy season. Climate change is
taking place and community forests should be involved in measures for adaptation’. —
Manveer Singh Rawat, Karanprayag
 ‘Hydro-power projects are causing severe impacts—blasting on land surface is
impacting on water resources; dust and stone particles are polluting the air, crops are
destroyed by this as the dust layers are impacting adversely apple and other crops. Last
year apple flowers appeared in December and yields have come down; it is matter of
great concern. Large-scale tree felling is also causing climate change, trees have fallen
and roads after Chamoli are shade-less, huge impact of climate change is visible’. —
Sangram Singh Rawat, Raini, Chamoli
 ‘Earlier, mosquitoes could not be seen above Joshimath. Today, they are there in higher
elevations as well. Very high winds this year, with extreme cold in winter. Rajma
production has dropped significantly; apple and potato crop yields and size has also
reduced’ —Kedar Singh Rana, Joshimath
 ‘There is increasing incidence of forest fires, leading to a lot of air pollution. Vegetable
production has dropped to the extent that growers who used to supply the market are now
buying from the market’ —Rajendra Singh Thapliyal, Tehri Garhwal
 ‘These days, sal forests, which used to shed their leaves, are not shedding at all. Many of
the traditional crops such as masoor dal and other pulses are reducing dramatically.
There is significant weed growth as well these days. Fodder and fuel have become
critical—if people are expected to protect forests, then provide alternative
sources/arrangements for fodder and fuel’ —Gulfam Ali, Dehradun District
The participants also observed that rainfall has reduced/become erratic (the overall rainfall
was thought to have declined, but at the same time, there were more periods of high-intensity
rainfall), especially the non-seasonal rains that used to occur regularly, severely impacting
rain-fed agriculture. Snowfall in the higher reaches, which used to be moderate to heavy, was
reported to have declined both in terms of the length of the season but also in terms of
intensity. This is reported to have increased pest attacks. Participants also observed that the
availability of fodder was on the decline and crop depredation by wildlife was on the
increase. Many participants reported early flowering of rhododendron trees.

Annexure 1
Summary of Day 2
Day 2, which was dedicated to dialogue with scientific and research institutions/universities
and civil society, began with a videographic compilation of voices from the field, put
together by ICIMOD during their study on perceptions of climate change in the Himalaya.
This was followed by a short presentation by WWF-India, featuring the key points that
emerged from their consultations on the SAPCC from 2011, centred on the development of a
set of recommendations, with focus on high-altitude regions, which can be built into the
SAPCC of Uttarakhand. The recommendations included the following:
• Inter-linking of carbon forestry and the livelihoods of the local communities with
available mechanisms such as REDD+.
• Identifying state-level experts for carbon trading—this would reduce the transaction cost.
• Formulating timber production policies for higher altitudes.
• Poly-house culture to assist farming in small land holdings.
• Assisting migration of species by developing corridors.
• Addressing land degradation.
• Developing fodder.
• Adopting a river-basin approach rather than a sectoral approach.
• Establishing standards of environmental and ecological flows in rivers as well as
monitoring them.
• Collecting information on distribution and discharge of springs in various regions of
Uttarakhand.
• Tuning hydro-power development policy/guidelines to be climate-smart.
• Keeping tourism/recreation and religious needs in mind when planning for water resource
management.
• Improving database for groundwater resources.
• Developing the right energy mix for the power sector, looking at de-centralized energy
possibilities.
• More focused interventions for domestic energy requirements (smokeless chulhas, water
gharats, etc.).
• Focussing on phase-wise implementation of efficient transport systems.
• Lack of extensive data for modelling and predictions: Setting up more automatic weather
stations to capture local variations in weather patterns.
• Sharing of data for research and modelling across institutions.
• Developing a common platform to share and access ongoing research on climate change
across institutions in the state.
• Identifying weak links in execution at the stakeholder level.
• Developing understanding of climate change issues, impacts and responses at the various
decision-making and implementing levels.
• Clarifying roles and responsibilities of different institutions for successful implementation
of the SAPCC.

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These presentations set the tone for the discussion sessions for the day.
The first discussion session centred on the need for co-ordinated share and access of the
ongoing research on climate change across institutions in the state and mechanisms for a
common clearinghouse of data and information on climate change and its impacts on
Uttarakhand from across the multitude of research centres/institutions/universities that carry
out discrete research projects on the topic from time to time. Various ideas were shared on
this front. The general consensus was that collaborative mechanisms between such research
centres/universities were normally difficult and will need (i) a corpus fund to sustain such
dialogue and sharing and (ii) have a formal institutional mechanism to facilitate the process.
The UCOST, the state level counterpart of the Department of Science and Technology, GoI,
offered to play the role of aggregating research information and data on climate change,
given their already existing extensive outreach across research
centres/institutions/universities.
The second session focussed on the role of civil society. It was widely acknowledged that
civil society organizations, especially NGOs, had a significant role to play in the
implementation of the SAPCC. Such roles could include awareness building among
communities and government functionaries, knowledge sharing and networking, community
resilience building, fostering and documenting community perceptions and autonomous
adaptation, capacity building, especially of communities and field level functionaries, etc.,
apart from supporting a range of programme initiatives to build adaptive resilience in
communities. It was also acknowledged that civil society could play both complementary (to
government efforts) and at the same time a watchdog role, both of which are important.
Discussions on whether it was possible to create a coalition of civil society agencies to have a
co-ordinated approach to the climate change–related initiatives in the state showed that such a
coalition may be difficult to put together for multiple reasons; significant sensitization will be
required across the board and a strong rationale for such a coalition will need to be built.
Summary of Proceedings of Second Regional Consultation Workshop on State Action

Plan for Climate Change, Uttarakhand, Organized by Uttarakhand Forest Department
and GBPIHED, Almora (13–14 April 2012)
Minutes of Day 1
Mr Jai Raj, APCCF

 Climate change is a matter of concern all over the world.
 Need to convert challenges of climate change into opportunities.
 Eight missions have been identified by the GoI under the national action plan on
climate change.
 State action plan on climate change (SAPCC) for Uttarakhand is being prepared in
consultation with various departments, agencies, scientific organizations, NGOs,
stakeholders and farmers.
 In this connection, the second regional consultation workshop for the Kumaon region
of the state is being organized at GBPIHED, Almora.
Dr L M S Palni
 Change is the law of nature; impacts of climate change have been realized more in the
recent past.
 There is a need to get benefits from the scenarios arising due to the changing climate.

Annexure 1
 Regional-level changes play a dominant role in climate change.

 The Himalaya are being given more attention in relation to climate change impacts.
 For state-level policy making, the opinions/perceptions of local peoples and
stakeholders of various sectors are very important.
Dr R S Toliya
 At the national and state levels, various policies are being made to assess the impacts
of climate change on various sectors and identify their coping mechanism.
 Stakeholders are being consulted for their opinion, which will help make policies for
state-level planning.
Dr P K Agarawal
 Seasonal changes are more prominent and affecting the crop production in hilly
regions.
 The farming system needs to be improved to combat against climate change impacts.
 Food security has increased using high-yielding varieties (HYV) of crop and
livestock.
Mr Himanshu Durgapal (Nainital)
 Changes/shifts in weather patterns have adversely affected the crop production.
Mr Anoop Singh (Ramgarh Block)
Major issues affecting livelihood options are as follows:
 Forest fires.
 Deforestation.
 Losses due to wild animals.
Mr Mohan Singh (Betalghat Block)
Issues/indications of CC are as follows:
 Apple production has been replaced by mango farming in the region.
 Increasing area of pine forests.
Mr Dayal (Betalghat Block)
 Apple production has reduced.
 Crop yield has decreased.
 Loss of biodiversity due to forest fires.
Mr Bhuwan (Betalghat Block)
 Timing/duration of rainfall has changed, which is affecting the crop yield.
 Landslides due to natural factors and anthropogenic activities are causing losses in
crop production and biodiversity.
 More chemicals/fertilizers are being used in horticultural crops and other crops.
 Availability of less water is affecting livelihood options and resulting in increasing
attacks of insects and diseases on crops.

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Mr Jeevan (Dhauladevi Block)

 Man-made activities (such as deforestation) are causing climate change.
 Increase in human population is resulting in over-utilization of natural resources.
Mr Bhanu Joshi (Bhikiyasen Block)
Issues/indications of CC are as follows:
 Crop pattern has changed due to changes in climate.
 Soil moisture loss due to more intense use of fertilizers rather than bio-compost.
 Drying up of springs and reduction in water flows in streams and rivers.
 Increase in water demand.
 Climate change is forcing migration.
 Decrease in crop yield.
 Irregular rainfall.
 Shift in flowering period of various horticulture crops.
Suggestions:
 Proper information regarding crop production and cultivation needs to be provided.
 Drip irrigation, water harvesting need to be adopted.
 Regional weather forecast needs to be provided to farmers.
 Salary cost needs to be replaced by implementation cost.
 Cluster approach needs to be adopted.
Ms Champa Joshi (Hawalbagh Block)

Ms Radha Sati (Dwarahat Block)

 Less fodder available for feeding animals.
 Decrease in livestock production.
Suggestions:
 Timely availability of seeds and other available techniques need to be assured.
 Technical/scientific information should be provided to farmers.
Mr R D Sati (Dwarahat Block)

 Mango production has decreased over the years.
 Quantity of the rainfall is almost the same; the duration and timings have changed.
 Decrease in livestock production.
Suggestions:

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 Community participation with support and motivation from various departments of

state government is required.
Ms Meena Devi (Dwarahat Block)

 Losses due to wild animals and availability of less water for daily use and irrigation.
Mr Ganesh (Gangolihat)
 Water crises.
 Less productivity.
Suggestions:
 Region-specific developmental policies should be made.
Mr Himmat Ram (Gangolihat)

 Fragmentation of land and increase in human population.
 Reduction in crop yield.
 Livestock production has decreased.
Suggestions:
 Timely supply of seeds and fertilizers.
 More use of bio-compost.
 Water harvesting needs to be adopted.
 Promotion of livestock production.
Mr Naveen (Gangolihat)
 Anthropogenic activities such as deforestation and cutting of trees are causing climate
change.
 Fruit production has decreased.
 Loss in crop yield due to wild animals.
Mr V S Mehta (Gangolihat)
 Less irrigation facilities.
 Reduction in crop production.
Mr D S Pandey (Devaria, U S Nagar)


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 Increase in diseases in crops due to industrial waste.

 Water pollution due to contaminated water from the industries in the region.
 Productivity of the soil has decreased.
 Reduction in crop yield.
 Changes in timing/duration of various crops due to industrialization of the region.
Mr R B S Bhakuni (Takula Block)
 Potato production has decreased due to availability of less water.
 Water level has gone down.
 Drying up of springs and reduction in discharge.
 Changes in land use patterns.
Mr M P Singh (Garur)
 Reduction in discharges in streams and water flows in springs.
 Deforestation and other anthropogenic activities.
Mr R P Joshi (Garur)
 Irregular pattern of rainfall.
 Crop loss due to monkeys and other wild animals.
 Deforestation for fuel and fodder.
 Non-availability of fodder for livestock.
 Reduction in milk and other livestock produce.
Mr P S Mehra (Pati Block, Champawat)

 Availability of less water.
 Deforestation.
Summary of Day 2
The proceedings of Day 2 were along the lines of those of the Doon University Workshop
and as such they are not repeated.
Summary of Proceedings of the Civil Society Consultations Workshop on State

Action Plan for Climate Change, Uttarakhand (1 October 2012)
A number of civil society organizations organized a state consultation on the recently
released revised draft of the Uttarakhand Action Plan on Climate Change (June 2012). More
than 70 participants representing research institutes, academic institutions, experts,
practitioners, farmers’ and women’s organizations, forest and indigenous populations,
government departments, agriculture universities, water and forest research institutes and

Annexure 1
civil society participated in the consultation. The organizers included Beyond Copenhagen,
CECOEDECON, PAIRVI, BJVJ, SADED, UDI, G.B. Pant Agriculture and Technical
University, H.M. Bahuguna Garhwal University, PSI, Inter Agency Group, CASA Mountain,
Insaaf Uttarakhand, Citizen Global Forum, HAARC, HESCO and others.
Mr. Suresh Satpathy, from CASA Mountain, welcomed the guests. Mr. Soumya Dutta, laying
the global context of climate change and its impact on India and on Uttarakhand, said that
there has been no development in the international negotiations on climate change and the
developed countries, which have been primarily responsible for bringing about this crisis, are
holding the entire world to ransom by not taking prompt, appropriate and ambitious actions.
He emphasized that the national and sub-national policies are becoming increasingly
important in view of the stalemate at the global level. He added that while developed
countries must take quick actions to reduce the impact of climate crisis on the developing and
least-developed countries, countries such as India and other developing countries must also
address the impacts on poor people, especially forest dwellers, fisherfolk, farmers and
women, who bore the brunt of impacts. Ms. Vanita Suneja, from Oxfam India, said that they
have been working with partners in monitoring national and state action plans, which have till
now showed very little promise. She emphasized that it is extremely important that states
such as Uttarakhand, which are extremely vulnerable, adopt appropriate policies to support
people in adapting to climate change impacts. She added that women have been impacted in
multiple ways and that Oxfam also stresses that policy response must recognize the multiple
vulnerabilities of women to climate change and its impacts.
Mr Ajay Jha, from Pairvi, shared the development in state action plans and the group’s
experience in engaging with SAPCCs of various states. He said that till now 20 states have
reportedly submitted their drafts to the MOEF, five of which (MP, Rajasthan, Sikkim,
Tripura, Arunachal) have been approved by the National Steering Committee and five of
which (Andhra, Assam, Orissa, West Bengal, Meghalaya) have been considered by the expert
committee. He added that the processes in all the states have been entirely consultant driven,
with very little participation of the people. He explained that Beyond Copenhagen has tried to
democratize these state plans by organizing discussions on the draft plans and engaging with
policy makers to open both the process and content for more discussion and bring an
appropriate focus on adaptation and sectors such as agriculture, water, forests and energy. He
explained that consultations have been organized in states such as Bihar, Rajasthan, Madhya
Pradesh, Manipur, Uttarakhand where more groups are engaging with these policies. He
stressed that SAPCCs have such a broad sweep that unless there is monitoring by people,
these plans may alter, or rather, intensify, the GDP-obsessed growth pattern in all the states.
He added that most of the states have till now approached action plans mainly as documents
rather than well-devised polices and there are hardly any roadmaps for financing, dovetailing
with existing resources and policies, incorporating the major concerns of the affected
populations in the states. Mr. Virendra Painuly (Retired Professor, IIT Roorkee) said that the
biggest problem with the plan is that it promotes the same structure, institutions and policies,
which have brought us to the crisis. He said that there is very little focus on adaptation and
the plan does not acknowledge the contribution made by various social and environmental
movements that have taken place in the state and are considered landmark movements not
only in the country but also globally. He added that in view of the different agro-climatic
zones in the states, strategies should be proposed based on the requirements of these separate
agro-climatic zones (hills and plains). He also added that more people should be consulted
and their views incorporated in the plan. Mrs Sushila Balooni, chairperson of the state
commission for women, said that the agriculture and livelihood are being severely affected
and therefore women are at the centre of adverse impacts. She added that policies must be

Annexure 1
women centric, with special provisions to support women in agriculture and their adaptation
efforts. She said that she would speak to the chief minister to emphasize that the plan must
acknowledge the crisis faced by women and must have a gender-specific approach in climate
policy.
Mr Anand Sharma, Director of the Meteorology Department, said that with or without
climate change, there are certain things that need to be taken into consideration. He explained
that agricultural land is decreasing, irrigation is also being affected, livelihoods are under
severe stress in the states and, in view of these problems, the state needs to take expeditious
steps to ensure that a large majority of the population does not continue to suffer. The chief
guest of the inaugural session and the chair, Mr. Anil Prakash Joshi (HESCO), said that the
crisis could not be dealt with until and unless we change the blind pursuit of a growth in the
GDP. He added that the GDP has failed to reflect the crisis that this pattern of growth has
created. He also suggested that the gross ecological product (GEP) could be a better
indicator, incorporating ecological concerns and achievements. He added that until and unless
we create a convergence in economic and ecological growth patterns, the crisis cannot be
dealt with.
In the second session, participants shared their concerns on the UAPCC. A number of
organizations and individuals, including Prof. Sanjay Jain (NIH), Prof. Mohan Panwar (H.M.
Bahuguna University), Suresh Bhai, Raghu Tiwary (Insaaf Uttarakhand), Bihari Ji (farmer),
Dev Bahuguna (farmer), Rahul Jugran (Disaster Management and Mitigation Cell), Atul
Sharma, Mr Sanjay Singh Chauhan (ECO Development Society), PSI, HAARC, Dr Dhyani
(Insaaf Uttarakhand) and representatives from Gene Campaign participated. Concerns were
raised with respect to following issues:
 Loss of floral and faunal biodiversity
 Soil and water conservation
 Drying up of traditional water bodies
 In situ and ex situ conservation of traditional seeds and coarse grains
 Livestock
 Adaptation
 Transport and communication
 Hydel power projects and their impact on biodiversity, communities and displacement
 Lack of irrigation facilities in the hills
 Organic farming
 State’s potential in horticulture and lack of facilities for promotion
 Lack of support to organic and sustainable agriculture (despite Uttarakhand being
declared an organic state).
The third session focused on recommendations for improving the UAPCC and was chaired
by Mr Jai Raj, Additional Principal Conservator of Forests and Nodal Officer, SAPCC. Mr
Ajay K Jha and Mr Soumya Dutta shared the main gaps and recommendations on behalf of
the participants. Mr Jai Raj, the Nodal Officer, SAPCC explained the process adopted in
formulating the plan, major objectives and proposed strategies. He said that efforts have been
made to organize consultations to include a variety of stakeholders. He added that it is
difficult to satisfy everyone and have all sorts of comments incorporated in the plan. He

Annexure 1
added that the plan is a living document and is still open for comments. Therefore, he invited
participants to provide their comments in a structured manner within a week to enable the
department to consider and incorporate their recommendations. He also agreed to a number
of suggestions provided by the floor and assured that these will be considered. The
participants and organizers thanked him for his openness and willingness to consider the
recommendations in a positive manner. The vote of thanks was delivered by Mr T S
Bhandari, from UDI.
The major recommendations from the consultation are as follows:
1. Overall structure, approach and vision
1.1 The plan needs to be translated into Hindi, so that it can be accessed and understood by the
majority of the population.
1.2 More consultations need to be organized to reflect the concerns of the majority of the
population.
1.3 There is no vulnerability assessment and the district-wise vulnerability needs to be conducted
and actions proposed accordingly. The current vulnerability assessment is based on the 4 × 4
assessment and Max Plank Institute’s assessment; these two differ substantially in their
approaches and suggestions—the plan needs to recognize the differences between these
assessments.
1.4 Increased focus on adaptation needs to be brought in, especially in agriculture.
1.5 The plan needs to acknowledge the significant contributions made by social and environmental
campaigns such as Chipko and others.
1.6 The proposed institutional mechanism is very weak and will be unable to take prompt action.
The longer the chain of government institutions, the slower will be the response. The chain
needs to be shortened.
1.7 There is no roadmap for financing strategies, dovetailing with existing resources, plans and
policies. There are no resources allocated for monitoring, review and assessment, which will
result in poor implementation and review.
2. Agriculture, water and livestock
2.1 The strategies and actions in agriculture continue with the same pattern of agriculture, which
has been responsible for bringing agriculture to the current state and for poor growth in
agriculture.
2.2 The focus on agriculture must be on adaptation. More efforts are needed in the form of strong
soil and water conservation efforts, soil testing and analysis, risk and insurance coverage and
strategies according to agro-climatic zones.
2.3 The state has a large number of women in agriculture and the policies must support increased
access for women to land, farm inputs, credit and risk coverage, information and capacity
building and post-harvest facilities.
2.4 The agriculture sector also perceives an increased use of biotechnology and GMOs as the
solution to climate change impacts and increasing productivity and introducing pest resistance.
The experience of GMOs in India does not support that conviction.
2.5 Excessive use of chemical pesticides and fertilizers has resulted in contamination of land and
water. It has also resulted in many birds getting extinct. Policy encouraging the use of
unbalanced inputs in NPK must be reversed.
2.6 There are a number of best practices in agricultural adaptation and agro-ecological mixed
farming, such as ‘barahnaja’, which need to be acknowledged and shared and promoted.

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2.7 The development of drought-, flood- and pest-resistant varieties must take into consideration
the fact that there a number of varieties and seeds already available, which should be used and
popularized. Increasing their production should be supported by the state.
2.8 The lab-to-farm approach should be applied to agricultural research and it must also include
feedback from below.
2.9 Agriculture extension and demonstration of appropriate technology and research outcomes on
developing climate-hardy varieties must be strengthened and investment must be increased.
2.10 A number of rivulets and water sources have dried up (approximately 1,000 in the state and
more than 80 in Rudraprayag alone) and water is getting contaminated due to excessive use of
chemical fertilizers and pesticides. The agricultural policy must correct the imbalance in the use
of NPK with policy support.
2.11 The focus on foreign breeds in livestock breeding must be reversed, as exotic varieties are less
adaptable to climate change impacts. The local varieties of cows, goats and buffaloes adapt to
climate change more easily. Breeding programmes must promote local varieties.
2.12 There is a need to introduce weather index-based insurance for crops and mortality index-based
livestock insurance.
2.13 In the proposed estimates of the budget for implementation, agriculture receives only 0.8% of
the budget that needs to be increased.
3. Energy, transport and roads
3.1 The energy mission only focuses on electricity, while the use of electricity only forms 16% of
the energy use. The mission on energy must place an adequate focus on viable, cost-effective
and green sources of energy.
3.2 The mission on energy must include equity consideration and must ensure increased access to
energy to resource-poor, rural areas and difficult terrain.
3.3 Biomass forms the sole source of energy for the majority of the population (up to 70%);
therefore, appropriate efforts should be made to develop biomass, its judicious use and
increased access to people.
3.4 Many of the energy requirements, viz. drying of crops, heating, etc., can be facilitated using
solar thermal means.
3.5 The mission proposes an increased use of LPG, CNG, etc.; however, the state does not have
easy access to sources of CNG and LPG. Bringing LPG and CNG sources from far-off places
will contribute to more emission and make access to energy more vulnerable.
3.6 Increased emphasis must be placed on strengthening and greening the public transport system
rather than making attempts to prioritize conversion of private vehicles to using green fuels.
3.7 Both the roads and transport sectors focus only on motorized transport. There is no
consideration for promoting non-motorized means of transport.
4. Forests and biodiversity
4.1 The forest mission must focus on increasing both the cover and quality of the forests, reverse
monoculture and increased participation of Van Panchayats and forest dwelling and forest-
dependent populations in forest management.
4.2 It must also increase the access of forest-dependent populations to NTFPs in accordance with
the Forest Rights Act.
4.3 The Forest Rights Act and the JFM proposed by GIM work at cross-purposes as far as the
rights of forest-dwelling populations are concerned. They must be harmonized, keeping the
objectives of the Forest Rights Act and the significant contributions of forest-dwelling
populations and indigenous populations in consideration.

Annexure 1
4.4 The plan is strongly focused on REDD+ and Green India Mission and seeks to earn carbon
credits. However, the national and global experience in REDD projects amply manifest a lack
of significant benefits to communities, a loss of control of forest-dependent communities and
destruction of natural forests and their displacement by monocultures. The state must review its
plan regarding the involvement of REDD+, GIM and other efforts aimed at commercializing
forests.
5. Disaster management
5.1 The role of people in disaster management needs to be acknowledged. The experience suggests
that people and communities play a major role in natural disasters. The plan must have a role
for communities and people in disaster management.
5.2 A district-level disaster response team must be developed for harm reduction.
*****

Annexure 2—Brief Notes on Findings of the
WWF-India and ICIMOD-IFAD Studies
WWF-India study—Facing the facts: Ganga Basin's vulnerability to
climate change
The districts of Almora and Garhwal in Uttarakhand appear to be the least vulnerable despite
their high exposure to climate variability and vulnerability. These districts hold some of the
most diverse ecosystems of the Indian Himalaya, which are quite sensitive to climate
variability. The districts of Rudraprayag and Champawat emerge as moderately vulnerable
due to their high sensitivity and their low adaptive capacity. Uttarkashi District and Udham
Singh Nagar District have a very high vulnerability index values. This is primarily due to the
high exposure index. In the case of Udham Singh Nagar district, the dependence on irrigation
(surface water and groundwater) is very high and this has resulted in high sensitivity values.
On the other hand, the lack of infrastructure development and high biomass dependency,
along with high exposure, have resulted in low adaptive capacity values for Uttarkashi
district, making it highly vulnerable.
ICIMOD-IFAD Study
Introduction
Uttarakhand, formerly Uttaranchal, is a scenic but poor mountainous state in north-western
India, formed on 9 November 2000 after separation from UP. Almost half of Uttarakhand’s
population lives below the poverty line; the majority in hill areas, where they depend on
agriculture for their livelihoods. As agriculture is highly weather dependent, communities in
the state are strongly affected by climate-related variability and change. The vulnerability of
Uttarakhand’s rural population to climate and socio-economic change stems from a number
of factors, especially their dependence on ecosystem services, high levels of persistent
poverty, marginalization and social inequality. In the 3 years from 2008 to 2010, Uttarakhand
received less-than-normal rainfall, which affected harvests and adversely affected the
livelihoods of the majority of the state’s population.
Study area
Focus group discussions and interviews were carried out in June–July 2010 in four villages
situated at different altitudes and of varying accessibility in each of two districts—Almora
and Tehri Garhwal. The people in these districts still follow a predominantly traditional
lifestyle mainly dependent on agriculture, animal husbandry and seasonal processing of forest
products and they are guardians of a vast body of local knowledge. Besides climate
variability and change, they are exposed to rapid socio-economic changes that have an impact
on their livelihoods, including increasing rates of male out-migration and the associated
feminization of agriculture.
Analysis of data from the India National Sample Survey 2003 showed that poverty in
Uttarakhand was much higher than the average of the Indian Himalayan region. Close to half
of both rural and urban households in Uttarakhand were below the poverty line of $1 per day
as compared with 17% in the remainder of the rural Indian Himalayan region; half of the
household heads were uneducated and 34% of the household members were illiterate. Close
to 85% of the population was involved in agriculture.
Annexure 2
The residents of the two districts classified themselves into four categories of economic status
using their own criteria: Category 1, extremely poor; Category 2, poor; Category 3,
marginally poor; and Category 4, other. The numbers interviewed in each wealth category are
shown in Table 3. The sources of income identified by the different wealth groups are
summarized in Table 4. Of the poorest families, 86% of households in Almora and 94% in
Tehri Garhwal were dependent on a combination of agriculture and labour as their main
source of income, but the corresponding values in the wealthiest households were only 40%
and 31%. The better-off households thus appear to be comparatively less vulnerable as they
depend on more diversified sources of income such as businesses, salaries and remittances.
Information on perceptions of change was obtained from detailed interviews and larger focus
group discussions. Regardless of the socio-economic status of the households, water was seen
as the most important resource required in agriculture. Given that arable land, especially
irrigated land, is a scarce resource in mountains, it is not surprising that in a society
characterized by caste and class differentiation, the proportion of poor households with
access to irrigated land was extremely low. Farmers without irrigated land depend solely on
annual rains. In the past, some communities had adapted their agricultural activities to make
use of the small amounts of rainfall falling in the non-monsoon months, but according to the
communities, this phenomenon has now ceased almost completely. The winter precipitation
is crucial for re-charging groundwater. Some springs had dried up completely, affecting the
availability of water for people, livestock and irrigation. The overall rainfall was thought to
have declined, but at the same time, there were more periods of high-intensity rainfall, which
can lead to floods, landslides and soil erosion. This high-intensity rainfall is also associated
with high surface runoff and limited infiltration of water to underground aquifers. The major
observations are summarized in Table 5 and discussed in the following.
The winter precipitation has become extremely erratic and unpredictable. Some communities
reported that there were no winter rains and that it now rained in March–April, when the
winter crop is ready for harvest, causing the cereals to rot. Villages at high altitudes used to
have moderate to heavy snowfall in December–March, with up to 1 m (several feet) of snow
that would lie for a long time. Currently, it only snows for 1–2 months and with low
intensity. It has not snowed in Almora for 3–4 years. Medium-altitude villages that were
accustomed to moderate to low snowfall now receive very little, if any. Snowmelt used to be
an important source of water for agriculture as it extends the availability of water from
precipitation for long after the precipitation event.
The dry season has become longer, in line with the lack of precipitation. In 2006-07 and
2008-09, there was almost no winter rain and farmers in Uttarakhand experienced drought-
like conditions. This could explain the strong perception of the communities that dry spells
that usually lasted less than 2 months had now extended to more than 7 (Tehri) or 8 (Almora)
months. Farmers also attributed an increase in the incidence of forest fires to the prolonged
dry spells; fires are degrading the forests near villages and preventing natural regeneration by
damaging the germination and growth of seedlings.
There was a significant perception that the temperature had increased with warmer summers
and milder winters. People in all the communities studied felt that the warm season had been
prolonged by several months and observed an overall increase in the intensity and frequency
of hot days.
Impacts of change on livelihoods and community well-being
The communities ranked prolonged dry spells and increasing temperatures as having the most
significant negative impact on their livelihoods. Increased attacks by insects and pests, forest

Annexure 2
fires and landslides were identified as the major weather-induced hazards. Widespread crop
damage caused by wild animals (wild boars, monkeys, porcupines and other herbivores) was
also attributed to forest degradation, partly associated with changes in the climate. Positive
impacts associated with changes in weather patterns included a decline in the duration and
intensity of frost, reduced damage by hailstorms and, in some communities, an overall
decrease in the frequency and intensity of storms.
Agriculture is dependent on a proper combination of weather and associated factors and is
thus highly vulnerable to climate change—any slight change can have a severe impact on the
yield of staple and cash crops. Close to 85% of the population of Uttarakhand is directly or
indirectly dependent on agriculture for subsistence and income; a reduction in harvests
greatly impacts the food security and the ultimate source of income of these households.
Anything affects a harvest
A lack of sufficient water immediately decreases the agricultural harvest. Similarly, the
timing of rainfall is important—a delay in the monsoon forces farmers to delay the sowing of
rice, especially on rain-fed fields and the yield declines considerably. Conversely, incidences
of intense rainfall erode the nutritious topsoil, causing landslides that destroy farmland, block
roads and thus interrupt access to markets and lead to loss of life and property. Changes in
precipitation can also affect the incidence of pests. Farmers reported a significant increase in
kurmula (white grub) over the past 5–7 years, which damaged major cash crops such as
potatoes, other tubers, kidney beans, pulses and vegetables and reduced cash income. A lack
of snow was thought to be the cause because heavy snowfall kills the eggs; warmer
temperatures might also be conducive to the growth of this pest. As harvests fail,
communities are becoming dependent on external markets. Previously, households could rely
on two types of cereals to fulfil their basic needs for at least 11 months of the year, but now
some respondents said that they only had enough food to last for 2–3 months of the year.
However, this should not only be attributed to climate change. Among other reasons, high
rates of male out-migration and the associated reduction in the workforce had led to
widespread phenomenon of land growing fallow.
A new phenomenon observed in Uttarakhand is the double flowering of apple and Malta
orange trees, leading to two harvests in a year. This adversely affected the fruit quality; fruits
were smaller and less tasty (and not fit for sale). ‘Over the past few years the climate has
changed drastically. There is very little snowfall and the weather has become quite warm and
it seems that this is affecting the flowering pattern of apple and Malta trees here’, reasoned a
villager. Horticulturalists are concerned that the double fruiting could result in crop losses
and impair the overall health of the orchard as it prevents the trees from recuperating between
crops and makes them weaker.
Women work more
Nearly two-thirds of the respondents (61%) thought that an increase in male migration rates
was leading to increased feminization of agriculture, which was increasing women’s
workloads. Around 80% believed that they have to travel longer distances to fetch fodder—
the burden of fetching fuel and fodder falls solely on women. Similarly, drinking water has to
be carried from the nearest springs (some of which are drying up), or someone has to wait in
a queue for 2–3 h (or more) at the tap, another responsibility adding to the workload.
Measures to counter the impacts of climate change—for example, repeat sowing in the event
of crop failures; spreading traditional and chemical fertilizers and pesticides; and walking
longer distances to fetch water and fodder—are all activities implemented by women and
adding to their regular workload. The limited number of oxen available for ploughing in the

Annexure 2
villages (and the inability to afford to rent these animals) is compelling women to use shovels
to plough their fields. However, land is increasingly left uncultivated as a result of both high
levels of out-migration and decreasing productivity. Changes in animal husbandry practices
(moving from bigger to smaller ruminants) have reduced the time required to tend them from
the previous 3–4 h to 1.5 h a day, relieving some of the workload for women.
Conversely, as household food production is becoming insufficient, more food needs to be
purchased from the market and men, as the main cash income earners, are driven to seek
wage labour wherever possible, adding to their workloads.
Health and nutrition suffer
The occurrence of disease and illness is perceived to have increased. Common ailments
include colds, fever, jaundice, typhoid and kidney stones. Elders believe that the warmer
temperature is conducive to germs. Unused to purchasing market food, communities do not
trust bought grain and suspect that chemicals used in the production process could also be
causing illness. The use of traditional knowledge of medicinal herbs to treat sickness is
fading and the plants are also being lost as a result of forest degradation and over-
exploitation. The drying up of springs adds pressure to the remaining springs and this could
be leading to water pollution, explaining the increase in water-borne diseases. Women suffer
the most when households lack adequate quantities of food—they consume food after serving
the men and children and might have to sleep hungry. Accidents are also becoming more
common as women travel farther to fetch fuel wood and fodder and have to climb steep
slopes and slippery ridges.
Community-based responses to change
Mountain agriculture has traditionally been highly dynamic, with farmers continuously
having to adjust to extreme environmental and climatic conditions over time. However,
farmers have been unable to adjust their agricultural processes to the fast pace of change in
weather patterns experienced in recent years. They are mainly adopting short-term measures
to cope with climate stresses; adaptive measures are difficult to introduce in agriculture
without extensive financial and physical resources.
Responses to erratic rainfall and reduced water availability
In response to erratic rainfall patterns, farmers were adjusting their agricultural calendar on a
yearly basis by delaying or advancing the sowing of rice and other crops that depend on the
monsoon precipitation. Winter crops such as potatoes and wheat were also planted earlier or
later in some places, depending on the arrival of the winter rain. Farmers reported that in
2009-10 they had planted their winter crops up to 30 days late in expectation of rain. As a
result, the harvesting of these crops also had to be delayed to allow maturing. When there
was an early season crop failure because of inadequate rainfall, households that could afford
a second batch of seeds either re-sowed the crop or replaced it. Rice was replaced with
soybean, mustard, pulses, or madira (fodder grass); maize with soybean or vegetables; and
mandua (millet) with pulses, soybean or potato.
In the past, communities in Almora had had a traditional irrigation system with water-sharing
rules and regulations using guhls (water channels), but this mechanism had fallen out of use.
Following the lack of rainfall and prolonged dry spells, this traditional rotational irrigation
system has now been revived. The system fulfils everyone’s needs and eliminates conflict
over shared water. However, farmers situated at the end of the ghuls, mainly from the lowest
economic strata, reported that they had to postpone sowing of rice by between 15 and 30 days
while waiting for their turn for water and this adversely affected their harvest. Another

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response to decreased water availability was protection of catchment areas by planting oak
trees around spring catchments near villages.
Aajeevika (an IFAD-funded project) distributed improved seeds of numerous vegetables such
as eggplant, tomato and capsicum, which are tolerant to water stress and germinate well,
giving a high yield despite dry conditions and a lack of water. Unfortunately, other seeds
provided for millets, pulses and beans gave only mediocre results. The same project also
provided Aloe vera plants, which thrive in arid and semi-arid conditions.
Living with rising temperatures
As a result of rising temperatures, potatoes were found to mature faster and could be
harvested in 3–3.5 months instead of the traditional 5–6 months. This additional time offers
new opportunities to farmers and was successfully used to grow cauliflower and peas as cash
crops for a higher income. Other new crops introduced included ginger and turmeric, both
because they withstand water and temperature stress better and because they are popular cash
crops that fetch a good price in the market. In addition, prolonged growing seasons now
allow more than one crop cycle per year and rising temperatures were found to be suitable for
new crops, such as groundnuts and fruits, such as mango and banana, which were described
as being larger and better tasting and even fit for sale.
Combating the increased incidence of pests and disease
Traditionally, ash, cow urine and salt have been used as pesticides, but their effectiveness
appears to be decreasing, as illustrated by the drastic increase in pests. Fires are lit post-
harvest to kill insects and pests but can also kill earthworms and other micro-organisms
beneficial to the soil. ‘Earlier, traditional methods of pest control like spraying of salt or ash
were effective in controlling the pests, but now, because of the increase in pest infestation,
these methods have become ineffective’, said Ram Singh, from Gud Gadoli village, in
Almora. Chemical pesticides have been more effective in reducing crop pests and damage,
but according to the farmers, their effectiveness is also reduced after 2–3 years of use.
Uttarakhand Parvatiya Aajeevika Sanvardhan Company (UPASaC), created to implement
Aajeevika, is providing ingeniously designed traps that have been used successfully to attract
and kill kurmula (white grub).
Dealing with environmental and socio-economic change
Corn husks and leaves are being used as alternative fuels to reduce the hard work of
collecting fuel wood as this resource becomes increasingly scarce. Farmers reported that
medicinal plants were also rarer, possibly as a result of a combination of over-exploitation
and forest degradation and thus people have become more dependent on more costly Western
medicine.
Changes in livestock composition had also been made in order to cope with fodder and water
scarcity and the reduced workforce resulting from the high levels of out-migration.
Households were reducing the number of large ruminants and focusing on rearing goats,
which require less labour, fodder and stall-feeding. Goats also have more than one offspring
per litter and offer increased gains for farmers. When agricultural yields were insufficient for
household needs, small/marginal farmers traditionally supplemented their incomes through
wage labour on other farms or by rearing other people’s livestock. With decreasing
agricultural productivity, the number of people in search of wage labour is increasing, while
the demand for wage labour has fallen and farmers have to look for work in nearby markets
or towns. Decreasing agricultural productivity is also an important push factor for seasonal
and rural/urban migration. At the same time, the tourist season appears to have lengthened
with the lengthening of the summer in the Uttarakhand mountain areas, providing more

Annexure 2
income-generating opportunities. Young people in particular are shifting to non-farm

activities—running roadside eateries near tourist circuits, taxi driving and running other small
businesses—disillusioned by agriculture and attaching little value to it. This phenomenon
appears to be mainly due to changes in norms and values, but climate change is an
aggravating factor.
Differences in vulnerability and adaptive capacity
Socio-economic and socio-political factors also play a role, in addition to the geo-physical
environment, in determining the vulnerability and adaptive capacity of communities. The
poorest households’ excessive dependence on agriculture pre-determines their vulnerability.
Literacy and an educational background are also crucial in seeking other professions or
income opportunities in the endeavour to adapt to changing conditions. Among the four
income categories, only 35% of the respondents in the extremely poor category were literate,
compared with 51% in the wealthiest category. Wage labour was seen as the only livelihood
option apart from agriculture for the non-literate. The relationship between poverty and
literacy is a vicious cycle: Poor households do not have access to higher education or
vocational training (or even basic education in some cases) since they cannot pay the costs,
whereas the wealthy can afford to send their children to nearby towns or cities for higher
education. In addition, the poorest households had the fewest migrants and thus the least
access to financial remittances as well as to new skills, knowledge and other strategies for
improving well-being.
The low incomes of the poor also resulted in low savings. In Tehri Garhwal, the average
monthly income of people in Category 1, the poorest, was `969 (approximately $20)
compared with `13,000 (around $265) for those in Category 4, the wealthiest. With this
income, it is difficult to even meet daily requirements and savings are practically non-
existent. The lack of financial capital also makes it difficult for the poorest to diversify their
livelihoods, for example by setting up a small business. Poor farmers do not have enough
collateral for a bank loan and farmers are anyway hesitant to apply for loans because of the
volatility of their income. The main asset base was landholdings and these were small and
unviable for both Category 1 and Category 2 respondents. Households in Category 1 had
average landholdings of 0.13 ha, of which only 0.005 ha was irrigated. In terms of their
adaptive capacity, the poorest were unable to risk diversifying crops, for example by growing
cash crops instead of staples, for fear that they would lose their food security and they also
could not afford some of the coping strategies. For example, a second batch of seeds was too
expensive for repeat sowing.
Socially discriminated groups such as women and Dalits (the lowest caste group, previously
considered untouchable) are more vulnerable to the impacts of climate change. Patriarchy is
still widespread and women are economically poorer and also have limited access to
resources. Within households, in terms of nutrition, women are the last to eat and the first to
be affected by a food deficiency; they have greater responsibility for activities such as
fetching fodder, fuel and drinking water and are also more prone to accidents when involved
in these activities. Coping strategies require labour that is usually provided by women—
repeat sowing, spreading pesticides and fertilizers and ploughing with shovels. The Dalit
groups have smaller landholdings and are dependent on wage labour in other people’s fields.
Thus they suffer the most as agricultural productivity, the main source of income, declines.
The lack of access of the rural poor to markets and institutions is a major constraint in
tackling the impacts of climate change. Health centres and veterinary hospitals were on
average 15 km away, agriculture and allied departments more than 35 km away. As a resident
of Bageshwar said, ‘It takes one full day to go to the government offices and get home, so we

Annexure 2
approach them very rarely’. Many villages are not connected by motorable roads and others
do not have regular transport facilities, further limiting accessibility. Thus access to social
safety nets, another key determinant of adaptive capacity, is also limited, particularly for
more remote communities and marginalized groups.
Institutional opportunities and constraints
Institutions can be crucial in determining and influencing the adaptive capacity of any group,
particularly by structuring impacts and vulnerability, mediating between individual and
collective responses to climate impacts and thereby shaping outcomes of adaptation and
delivering external resources to communities in order to facilitate adaptation. Some of the
more important formal and informal institutions active in the study area are listed below
together with the associated opportunities and constraints.
Traditional institutions (formal and informal)
Traditional water harvesting systems—In Almora, indigenous water harvesting systems were
set up to counter the frequent water shortages and make use of the high surface runoff in the
hills. Some of these traditional structures are still in use today, but many are on the verge of
decline. Revitalizing these structures and combining their use with the traditional institutional
mechanisms for water sharing could be an important way of adapting to increasing water
stress of the type faced by the communities in the years preceding this study.
Van panchayats—Van panchayats are autonomous democratic local institutions characteristic
of Uttarakhand. They are an institutionalized form of resource management through state
community partnerships that regulate the utilization and protection of forests and forest
products. Each van panchayat functions according to specific rules and regulations, which are
based upon the traditional knowledge of the communities. Strengthening the existing 12,000
or so van panchayats in Uttarakhand and increasing their awareness of climate change related
risks could be an effective strategy for guaranteeing the sustainable use of forest products and
forest regeneration, as well as for sustainable water management.
Formal institutions
Gram panchayats—The gram panchayat, headed by a gram pradhan, is the lowest rung of the
three-tiered local self-governance system. The gram panchayat oversees a cluster of 3–4
villages. It channels government funds for small-scale development and is responsible for the
public distribution system (PDS) as well as for issuing the ‘below poverty line’ (BPL) cards,
which determine subsidized rations and work allowances under the Mahatma Gandhi
National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (NREGA). Unfortunately, the lack of
transparency in the use of these funds and corruption in the issuance of BPL cards has
damaged the credibility of these institutions and limits their effectiveness in assisting the
coping and adaptive strategies of the most disadvantaged.
Fair price shops—The government ensures the supply of essential commodities under the
PDS through networks of fair price shops that ensure affordable prices. With the shortfall in
household food production and the need to purchase food, fair price shops have an important
role to play in food security protection, but they need to enhance the quantity and quality and
ensure a regular supply of food products.
Agriculture and other departments—The state departments for agriculture, fisheries, animal
husbandry and horticulture were set up to provide agricultural extension services.
Unfortunately, the officials in these departments lack awareness of climate change and
believe that ‘there is no need to worry unnecessarily’, which was reflected in the complete
lack of funds for climate change awareness or adaptation programmes and limits their role in

Annexure 2
assisting rural farmers with tackling the impacts of climate change. These departments are
perceived by the communities to be poorly managed and to distribute untimely and
inadequate outreach services. Making these departments aware of the challenges that rural
communities are already facing, partly as a result of climate change, strengthening their
human and financial resources and ensuring transparency will be very important.
Revenue Department—Some compensation for crop damage due to drought was provided by
the state through the Revenue Department, but communities claimed that the compensation
provided was insufficient and distributed inequitably. Introduction of crop insurance is one
way of strengthening the social safety net for rural communities and could be another
important step in enhancing the resilience of the rural poor.
Conclusions
Poor farmers do not only face rapidly changing socio-economic conditions, they have also
been coping to the best of their ability and resources with water and temperature stresses
resulting from climate variability and change. These stresses are expected to continue and
increase and the constant coping will have consequences, eventually depleting the asset base
of the rural communities if new measures are not taken. Young people are already
disillusioned and most try to leave if they can. The trend of seeing agriculture as an unviable
livelihood option and leaving has implications for households and food security. Assisting
farmers with adding value and productivity to agriculture will be of the utmost importance,
for example, through the development of value chains for high-value products. But other
livelihood options and associated human capital development will also have to be promoted
by involving actors from the state government, local institutions, NGOs and primarily the
stakeholders. Persistent poverty and social inequality need to be addressed, in particular
supporting women and members of the lower castes.
Gender and Uttarakhand SAPCC—Inputs from Alternative Futures, in

partnership with CBGA and CHEA
Inputs from the Workshop of November 2012
52
Background and Context
The National Context

The National Action Plan on Climate Change (NAPCC) clearly states that ‘the impacts of climate
change could prove particularly severe for women. With climate change, there would be increasing
scarcity of water, reduction in yields of forest biomass and increased risks to human health with
children, women and the elderly in a household becoming the most vulnerable. With the possibility of
decline in availability of foodgrains, the threat of malnutrition may also increase. All these would add
to deprivations that women already encounter and so in each of the adaptation programme, special
attention should be paid to the aspects of gender’.
52
The format follows the structure of the UAPCC June 2012 and these paragraphs/bullets can be inserted within the
sections.

Annexure 2
UAPCC Revision Process: First Ever Meet on Gender and SAPCC

The country’s first ever inter-departmental Roundtable on mainstreaming gender in a State-level
Action Plan on Climate Change (SAPCC) was hosted by the Uttarakhand Forest Department, the
nodal departments for the Uttarakhand SAPCC (UAPCC), in collaboration with the Centre for Public
Policy, Doon University; and supported by Alternative Futures, a Delhi-based development and
policy research organization and Central Himalayan Environment Association (CHEA), a Nainital-
based grassroots development organization. The invitation from Mr Jai Raj, Additional Principal
Chief Conservator of Forests (APCCF), the nodal officer for the UAPCC, signalled the importance of
integrating gender concerns in the UAPCC for all relevant departments.
The day-long Roundtable, inaugurated by Prof. V K Jain, Vice-chancellor, Doon University and
chaired by Dr R S Tolia, former Chief Secretary and Chair, School of Public Policy at Doon
University, was held at the university campus on 27 November 2012.
Section 3 - Overarching State Framework
(c)
Section 4 – Sectoral Implementation Approaches

[Note: This section requires a strong gender analysis in each of the elements.]
Section 5 – Agriculture
Section 5.5 – Issues, Challenges and Priorities

Section 5.5.1
Section 5.5.2
Under Economic Security of Farmers
 Institutional and policy reform as part of the State responsibility towards gender equality by
promoting ownership of land by women farmers through joint pattas or as single owners.
6 – Forests and Biodiversity
Section 6.3 – Issues, Challenges and Priorities

 The upward shift of the tree line and plants will have severe repercussions on poor people’s
livelihoods, especially increasing the burden of women who are responsible for fetching
fodder and firewood, access edible parts of plants to augment their food security and gather
non-timber forest products for a livelihood.
Section 6.4 – Relevant Existing Initiatives

The Van Panchayats and the Gram Panchayats are two pillars of power that are often in conflict with
each other. There is a need to address how the two institutions can work together and yet maintain

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their core competence, perhaps by including management of forests as part of the village plan to be
co-signed by heads of both the institutions.
There is also a need to converge schemes like MGNREGA, watershed development and forest
management under Van Panchayat to address the multiple needs of ensuring adequate water-table for
forests to rejuvenate and employment of people to do this task.
(Narrative on the presentations)
Addressing climate change is a great challenge for developing States like Uttarakhand where a large
section of the population depends upon climate-sensitive sectors like agriculture and forestry for its
livelihoods. Women are hit hardest by climate change because they are more vulnerable and have
fewer means to be able to adapt to the adverse effects of climate change. Government’s policies and
programmes have to be gender-responsive and significant financial resources will be required to adapt
to the adverse effects and reduce the impacts of climate change. The government has to play a major
role to make its programmes and schemes gender-just and to finance the adaptation policy so that
benefits flow to vulnerable women.
As climate change is not gender-neutral, hence adaptation policies and the budget should address
gender-based disadvantages.
Policies and programmes affect men and women differently
Government policies, programmes and schemes affect men and women differently though this may be
unintentional. This is because of the existing gender gap where women have fewer entitlements and
face greater socio-economic barriers. Thus, programmes and schemes may be ‘gender-blind’ where
these do not at all take into account the gender differences and are often implicitly male biased. For
example, introducing flexibility in the timings of agricultural extension work can ensure that
extension services can start later in the day to reach out to women in late evenings when the women
have time after attending to the farm and home. A national private financial institution working on
micro-credit with women SHGs has ensured that local bank officials keep flexible timings so that they
are available during the hours that work for women.
‘Gender-neutral’ programmes often reinforce gender inequalities. For example, the failure of the
Kisan Credit Cards is largely due to the fact that they take into cognisance only land as an asset and
majority of land-owners are male farmers. Women’s productive ‘assets’ like livestock, her labour or
peer women farmers’ group are not recognized as valid collaterals for the KCCs. ‘Gender-sensitive’
programmes transform gender relations to promote gender equality. The Van Panchayats or the
ATMA programme are good examples of including women in decision-making structures but
implementation of these in a gender-sensitive manner requires attention to details such as mandating
inclusion of women members to complete the quorum of a meeting; promoting and training women
farmers groups to participate fully in ATMA institutions; and recognising women farmers’ groups as
peer-certified entities to receive benefits from agriculture-related programmes even where these
women farmers are tillers on farms that belong to outsiders. Gender-budgeting is also a gender-
sensitive initiative of the GoI and the Uttarakhand government.
‘Gender-transformative’ initiatives promote structural and sustainable changes in gender relations.

The 50% reservation for women in Uttarakhand PRIs is a good example but this needs to be
supported by simultaneous work on empowering both women leaders and men to share power on

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more a more equal footing. And ‘gender-just’ programmes and schemes are those where men and
women gain equally from the interventions.
The matrix below gives some examples of how to make some of the adaptation interventions more
gender-transformative or gender-just:
Adaptive interventions Gender analysis What government/applied climate

research can do
Organic farming  More food security for  Promote vermi-composting as a

both women and men women’s enterprise so women have
 More labour and time a choice to make or buy
invested by women  Provide organic manure through
 Less women’s groups
information/knowledge/in  Provide weather-related
puts accessed by women information (over mobile phones)
 Less participation in to women farmers/groups
decision making bodies  Provide rain gauges with women
Rain-water harvesting  Benefits women more  Promote because it also gives water
for kitchen gardens + animals and
household consumption
Mixed cropping/agro-  Food security for both  Promote joint pattas

forestry women and men  Provide seeds/manure for kitchen
 Women gain by food gardens
variety/nutrition  Promote simple labour saving
 Women invest more technologies
labour, time
Adaptive  Gender Analysis  What government/applied climate
Interventions research can do
Agriculture tools –  Benefits both in food  Women groups to be given tools by
SHG-run a village production. Panchayats/blocks
resource centre  Empowers women
[untimely rains so use of
pump sets]
Promoting millets  Benefits food security for  Panchayat to give
both women and men seeds/inputs/training to women
 Promotes women’s  Women as trainers as part of
traditional knowledge extension programme
Seed banks/ grain  Resilience for both women  Mandatory in every panchayat
banks/ fodder banks & men through women’s groups
 Empowers women
Study of adaptation budget and adaptation-related gender-budgeting in Uttarakhand
Adaptation is loosely defined here as all those measures that increase the resilience of the people and
the state to the inevitable impacts of climate change. These measures might be special schemes for

Annexure 2
climate change or they may be other developmental schemes and programmes of the state that would
increase the capabilities of the system and people (poverty alleviation, employment, education,
nutrition etc.) to deal with the impacts. Thus, vide this loose definition, almost all the development
expenditure of the government is termed as its adaptation expenditure. This would be in the nature of
climate-resilient benefits from developmental programmes and thus their contribution to increasing
adaptive capacities.
This in-depth analysis of the schemes that make up the adaptation strategies of the state government
identified both state-level and central-level schemes under the following adaptation-oriented
categories: (i) Poverty Alleviation, livelihood and food security, (ii) Land development, drought-
proofing, irrigation and flood control, (iii) Agriculture and allied activities, (iv) Forestry, biodiversity
and wildlife conservation, (v) Water resources and (vi) Disaster management.
Table 1 shows that out of the six areas identified, except for disaster management, all the other sectors
have shown significant budgetary improvement over the last 2 years. The total adaptation expenditure
in the state has been steadily increasing over the years from 1.52 % of GSDP in 2009-10 to 2.54% of
GSDP in 2011-12 BE.
Figure 1 shows the sectoral distribution of this adaptation budget. Components such as poverty
alleviation, livelihood and food security, land development and agriculture and allied services
together constitute nearly 71.57% of the total adaptation expenditure. Climate-sensitive sectors such
as forestry and wild life, water resources and disaster management have been given low priority and
risk financing has been given the least priority in 2011-12. Forestry, biodiversity, wildlife
conservation, disaster management and risk financing together constitute about 30% of overall
adaptation budget in Uttarakhand. Out of 11.69% of total budgeted expenditure for adaptation in
2011-12, disaster management constitutes only 0.02% of GSDP, a very insignificant budget to meet
climate change–related disaster predictions in Uttarakhand. This asymmetrical allocation will pose
difficulties in making the State’s developmental planning climate resilient.
Gender Budgeting
Given that the effects of climate change are not gender neutral and its impacts would be
disproportionately borne by women, there is a need to engender both our adaptation strategies for
climate change and our adaptation budgets. Budgets should address gender-based disadvantages to
make the State climate-resilient.
The National Mission for the Empowerment of Women 2010 defines gender budgeting (GB) as ‘a
process that entails incorporating a gender perspective at all levels and stages of the budgetary
process—planning/policy/ programme formulation, assessment of needs of target groups, allocation
of resources, implementation, impact assessment and prioritization of resources’. India is one of the
first countries to institutionalize gender budgeting within the Ministry of Finance, while following the
budgetary accounting framework and analysing the possibilities of changes in the budgetary
classification. India integrates gender budgeting in its mainstream budgets.
The 12th Five Year Plan notes that ‘the scope of the GB Statement must be expanded to cover all
Union Ministries and Departments by making it mandatory for all to report under the same’. The
Budget Circular for Union Government for 2013/14 observes that for Statement No. 20 on gender
budgeting in Expenditure Budget Vol.1, ‘all Ministries and Departments are required to carefully

Annexure 2
scrutinize their Detailed Demands for Grants and identify such programmes/schemes as fulfil the
above objectives, along with their budgeted provisions for inclusion in the above Statement.
Information in the format of the statement (Statement No. 20, Expenditure Budget Vol. 1) may be
sent in two parts, Part “A” reflecting 100% provisions and Part “B” reflecting the specified percentage
provisions for pro-women allocations respectively’. In the Union Budget, the GBS covers 33
Demands for Grants under 27 ministries/departments.
Gender budgeting in the Union Govt. is not only confined to conventionally perceived ‘women-
related’ sectors but is also extended to other areas like science and technology, biotechnology,
industrial policy and promotion.
Gender-budgeting in Uttarakhand
Gender budgeting exercise was introduced in Uttarakhand in 2007-08 in 18 Departments which

reported budgets of `330.38 crore. The amounts being reported in the GBS have gone up substantially
since then and in 2012-13, 29 departments reported an allocation of `2227.67 crore. The reporting
structure in GBS in Uttarakhand follows the same format as that given at the Union level and is
reported in two parts: Part ‘1’ reflects 100% provisions for women and Part ‘2’ reflects the specified
percentage provisions of pro-women allocations (provisions >30%). The line departments propose
allocations under GBS and the Department of Finance compiles the final statement.
The Uttarakhand GBS (2011) in its introduction notes that the exercise should go beyond the
traditional departments of health, education and women empowerment and be extended to other
mainstream departments as well. Yet the GBS for 2012-13 has only conventional departments
reporting under it.
On the basis of the assumptions followed for computing the Adaptation expenditure, a similar
exercise was carried out in this study to compute the adaptation expenditure flowing through the
budgets to the women in the State. Table 2 shows the allocations computed under the various
departments in the GBS.
Way Forward in climate-responsive GBS in Uttarakhand
 Changing GB from being an ex-post exercise to influencing the process of budget formulation
and including the assumptions underlying the reporting in the GBS; attachment of explanatory
memorandum that explains its inclusion in the budget document.
 Including all pro-women schemes reported in the Annual Plan of the State in the GBS (e.g.
Human Resource Development Department activities, training for women under sericulture,
assistance to stabilization and training for women under Cooperation, etc.)
 Generating gender-disaggregated data on beneficiaries of government programmes/schemes.
 Ensuring that budgetary allocations correspond to the proportion of women working in each
sector.
 Undertaking benefit-incidence analysis in programmes/schemes reaching out to women.
 Orienting budgetary allocations towards women-specific concern areas like reduction of
drudgery, especially in the wake of climate change.
 Introducing gender-responsive interventions, with requisite allocations, in the indivisible sectors
such as water, sanitation, road transport, energy and tourism so that the benefits flow to women.

Annexure 2
 Improving the gender-responsiveness of programmes and schemes in the divisible sectors—like

how the basic design of a scheme can be made more gender responsive and how the operational
guidelines and financial norms of a scheme can be made more gender responsive.
 Enabling convergence across departments in planning and budgeting from a gender lens.
 Ensuring that all departments report under the GBS through proper guidelines.
Table 1: Adaptation expenditure in Uttarakhand
Key adaptation sectors 2009-10 2010-11 2011-12

(As % of (As % of TBE) (As % of TBE)
TBE)
Poverty alleviation, livelihood and food security 2.59 3.99 3.84
Land development, drought proofing, irrigation and flood
control 2.36 3.14 3.42
Agriculture and allied activities 0.66 0.75 1.35
Forestry, bio-diversity, wildlife conservation 0.48 0.51 0.63
Water resources 0.94 0.80 2.38
Disaster management 0.03 0.10 0.02
Risk financing 0.03 0.05 0.05
As % of TBE 7.09 9.35 11.69
As % of GSDP (current prices) 1.52 1.82 2.54
Figure- 1 Share of various sectors in adaptation expenditure

Annexure 2
Table 2. Gender budgeting in key adaptation sector in 2012-13 for Uttarakhand (` in crores)
Part 1 Part 2 Total Part 1
+ Part 2
Plan Non Plan Total Plan Non Plan Total Expenditure
Agriculture 0.0 0.0 0.0 10.6 0.0 10.6 10.6
Watershed
management 0.0 0.0 0.0 12.9 0.0 12.9 12.9
Rural development 0.0 0.0 0.0 42.4 0.0 42.4 42.4
Food 0.7 0.0 0.7 0.0 175.0 175.0 175.7
Forestry 0.6 0.0 0.6 0.7 0.0 0.7 1.2
Dairy development 1.8 0.0 1.8 0.4 0.0 0.4 2.3
Animal husbandry 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.4
Horticulture 0.0 0.0 0.0 2.5 0.0 2.5 2.5
Sericulture 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.6 0.0 0.6 0.6
Table 3. Integrating gender into the budget process/budget cycle

State of budget process Potential opportunities
Budget preparation 1. Gender-specific budget initiatives set forth in the budget policy.
2. Gender policies incorporated into overall budget guidelines and
instructions from the central budget office.
3. Gender-specific priorities set for budget allocations within
departments for specific agencies.
Budget approval 1. Creation of specific gender guidelines for expenditure and
revenue legislation in the overall framework for legislative decision-
making.
2. Integration of gender-specific language in legislation establishing
new programs and agencies.
3. Use of gender-responsive budgeting guidelines in allocating
discretionary resources.
4. Incorporation of gender outcomes into fiscal notes accompanying
new spending and revenue legislation.
Budget execution 1. Creation of guidelines for spending where there is discretion given
to departments by legislative bodies.
2. Development of gender guidelines for outsourcing, procurement
and grant disbursement.
3. Implementation of gender goals in staffing.
Audit and evaluation 1. Incorporation of a gender dimension into financial audits that
focus on expenditures and compliance.
2. Incorporation of a gender dimension into performance audits that
focus on outputs and outcomes.
3. Audit for compliance with gender goals and guidelines.
Source: National Mission for Empowerment of Women, at

http://www.nmew.gov.in/index1.php?lang=1&level=0&linkid=28&lid=94&ltypeid=2&domid=4
*****

Annexure 3 — Brief Notes on Uttarakhand
Flood Disaster 201353
During the month of June, 2013, cloud bursts and heavy (64.5 - 124.4 mm) to very heavy
(124.5 – 244.4 mm) rainfall hit several parts of the higher reaches within Uttarakhand. This
unprecedented rainfall resulted in a sudden increase in water levels giving rise to flash floods
in the Mandakini, Alakananda, Bhagirathi and other river basins and also caused extensive
river bed and toe erosion and landslides at various locations. The worst impact happened in
the Mandakini river valley around the Kedarnath shrine region (Rudraprayag district) and its
downstream areas. Rock falls resulted in the partial blockade and impoundment on the river
channel to the left of Kedarnath. Adding to this, continuous rains and melting of the
Chorabari glacier (that feeds the Gandhi Sarovar Lake or Chorbari Lake) caused waters in the
Chorabari Lake to rise. The lake’s weak moraine barrier gave way and a huge volume of
water along with large glacial boulders came down the channel to the east, devastating
Kedarnath town, Rambara, Gaurikund and other places in its wake.
The heavy rainfall across the upper reaches of the Himalayan terrain spread through
Yamunotri, Gangotri, Badrinath, Hemkund Sahib and other mountains along the Kailash
Mansarovar route. The districts of Bageshwar, Chamoli, Pithoragarh, Rudraprayag and
Uttarkashi were among those most affected by this disaster. The flooded rivers reaching
downstream carrying heavy amount of debris and sediment caused further devastation in the
lower districts, though to a lesser extent, when compared to the higher Himalayan districts of
Uttarakhand.
Figure: Rainfall and atmospheric pressure recorded at Kopardhar Observatory

(Near Ghuttu (WIHG) that is approximately 38 km (aerial distance) from Kedarnath)
53
Sourced from “India Uttarakhand Disaster June 2013: Joint Rapid Damage and Needs Assessment”
Annexure 3
This event coincided with the peak tourist and pilgrimage season within the state, thus
significantly increasing the number of causalities, missing and affected populace, thereby
compounding the impact of the disaster. The continuous rain disrupted normal life resulting
in a total of 580 human lives being lost, over 5400 persons missing and left over 70,000
tourists and 100,000 local inhabitants stranded in the upper reaches of the mountain terrain.
In addition, the disaster has not only led to damages of physical infrastructure in the state, but
has also resulted in damage and loss to natural infrastructure including forests and the
associated Non Timber Forest Product (NTFP). Such losses, in the short term, has affected
the resilience of people to manage their daily needs of cooking, heating and lighting and in
the medium to long term will
impact the livelihood of those that
depend on those resources,
particularly on the pilgrim circuit.
The Joint Rapid Damage Needs

and Assessment (JRDNA)
The JRDNA report was a joint

collaborative effort of the
Government of Uttarakhand
(GoUK), the World Bank (WB)
and the Asian Development Bank
(ADB) in response to a request
from GoUK and the Government of India (GoI). The mission team, in partnership with
GoUK, comprised of experts from different sectors in order to be able to produce a multi-
sectoral assessment of the damages and needs. A sector-by-sector analysis of the damage was
undertaken, utilizing specific templates for information recording and gathering in order to
ensure consistency of information, non-duplication and comparability of the data. The total
cost of reconstruction and repair due to losses in the Forests and Biodiversity Sector has been
estimated to be about ` 54.2 crores.
While the main focus of the assessment was to estimate the damages to physical assets and
the corresponding needs, this rapid assessment has been broadly based on the Damage and
Loss Assessment (DaLA) methodology developed by the United Nations Economic
Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (UNECLAC) and further updated and
expanded by the World Bank’s GFDRR. It provides a preliminary estimate of the total cost of
damages and identifies the needs for reconstruction. It is envisaged that detailed sectoral
analyses would inform project design and implementation for the reconstruction activities to
be undertaken.

Annexure 3
Reconstruction Measures
Following are the reconstruction measures that are being taken. The main support is being
provided through the following agencies: NDRF, CSS, WB, ADB and ACA/SPA:
Uttarakhand Disaster Recovery Project (World Bank Assisted)

Based on the findings from the JRDNA, The Uttarakhand Disaster Recovery Project (UDRP)
through the Government of Uttarakhand was launched. The objective of UDRP is to restore
housing, rural connectivity and build resilience of communities in Uttarakhand and increase
the technical capacity of the state entities to respond promptly and effectively to an eligible
crisis or emergency.
There are six components to the project, the first component being resilient infrastructure
reconstruction. The objective of this component is to focus on the immediate needs of
reconstruction of damaged houses and public buildings. The aim is to reduce the vulnerability
of the affected population and restore access to the basic services of governance. The second
component is the rural road connectivity. The objective of this component is to restore the
connectivity lost due to the disaster through the reconstruction of damaged roads and bridges
including: village roads, Other District Roads (ODRs), bridle roads and bridle bridges. The
third component is the technical assistance and capacity building for disaster risk
management. The objective of this component is to enhance the capabilities of government
entities and others in risk mitigation and response. The fourth component is the financing
disaster response expenses. This component will support the financing of eligible expenses
already incurred by the state during the immediate post-disaster response period. The fifth
component is the implementation support. This component will support the incremental
operating costs of the project, including the operation of the Project Management Unit
(PMU) and the respective Project Implementation Units (PIUs). Finally, the sixth component
is the contingency emergency response. The total Project Cost is estimated to be worth US
$250.00 million. The Core Committee, the High Powered Committee, the PMU and the PIU
have already been set up and tenders have been floated for reconstruction projects (roads,
buildings etc.)
Uttarakhand Emergency Assistance Project (ADB Assisted)

The Uttarakhand Emergency Assistance Project has been launched, through the State
Disaster Management Authority (SDMA), to assist the Government of Uttarakhand (GoUK)
to meet reconstruction needs due to disaster in Uttarakhand in June 2013 that severely
affected several parts of Uttarakhand. The project is estimated to cost US $205.00 million.
The impact of the project is improved economic and social condition in Uttarakhand after
2013 disaster. The outcome of the project is to restore basic public and social infrastructure,
improve disaster preparedness, project management and institutional effectiveness. The
design and construction standards for the physical infrastructure will be raised to an
appropriate level and the focus will be to build back the same or better. The revised high
flood levels of the rivers, natural streams and drainage channels will also be considered,
while designing facilities, Geotechnical studies will be undertaken and slope stabilization
measures considered for slide zones, wherever applicable

Annexure 3
National and International Coordination54

DMMC has effective working linkages with National Institute of Disaster Management
(NIDM), New Delhi. DMMC is also closely linked with several other ATIs, Research
Institutes, Universities, organizations, NGOs, experts of Uttarakhand and other states and
shares data/information with them. Disaster Mitigation and Management Centre (DMMC)
has also completed ADB sponsored Technical Assistance on ‘Strengthening of Disaster
Management Strategies’ for Uttarakhand and Disaster Risk Management Programme of the
Government of India and United Nations Development Program (UNDP). UNDP in
Uttarakhand is also supporting the state in building institutional mechanism for streamlining
interventions in disaster risk reduction and climate change adaptation.
GIS Database
Database on the various critical infrastructures is an important resource for quick decision
making so as to better manage the disaster situation. DMMC has prepared a detailed database
of all critical resources for the entire state of Uttarakhand under the Geographic Information
System (GIS) environment. DMMC is utilising the satellite data for preparing input theme
maps into the GIS environment.
Layers for drainage, habitation, roads, irrigation, health infrastructure, police and revenue
police infrastructure, wireless communication facilities and FCI Godowns are presently
available with DMMC for the entire state. Besides the disaster management works this
database is also being utilised by different departments for their planning and resource
mobilisation related needs.
Documentation
DMMC prepares detailed reports of the various disasters and these are being utilised for
experience sharing, seeking information regarding the particular event as also database
creation. The DMMC has also got a video film by TIFAC on earthquakes (Surviving Nature's
Fury) dubbed into Hindi. DMMC has prepared the following video films on disasters as also
for mass awareness: Surkshi Jeevan Ki Or Pratyaksh Hi Praman Budhakedar Landslide
Tragedy of 2002 Khetgaon Landslide Tragedy of 2002
Communication
Effective communication is a must for effective management of the disaster situation and
therefore DMMC is emphasizing upon strengthening normal communication network as also
erecting alternative backup communication infrastructure DMMC has police wireless
connectivity at State Emergency Operation Centre, videoconferencing facility with all the 13
districts and 22 state headquarters and MHA. Satellite phones have been set up in ten districts
as also in the DMMC and SEOC for providing alternative communication. DMMC is
currently using SMS gateway service for emergency alerts. A HAM radio club has been
formed in DMMC for providing alternative communication as also for promoting this hobby.
*****
54
Disaster Mitigation and Management Center, GoUK

Annexure 3
UTTARAKHAND ACTION PLAN ON

CLIMATE CHANGE
(UAPCC)
Uttarakhand is most vulnerable to climate-mediated risks.

Mountainous regions are particularly vulnerable to climate
change and have shown ‘above average warming’ in the 20 th
Century. It may have a huge impact on the natural resources
of the region, which not only provide life supporting,
provisioning, regulating and cultural ‘eco-system’ services to
the locals, but millions of Indians living downstream. Climate
change escalates the already existing vulnerabilities (social,
ecological, economic and cultural) and inequities of
Uttarakhand and could manifest disastrously if not addressed
adequately.
The challenge for the state is to holistically converge these

existing initiatives and make additional efforts to integrate
climate concerns and response measures into all aspects of
the development process, from policy and planning to
implementation. The state has adopted this as the underlying
principle in the formulation of the Uttarakhand Action Plan
for Climate Change (UAPCC) and aims to become a green
and carbon neutral state by 2020.

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Uttarakhand Action Plan on Climate

‘Transforming Crisis into Opportunity’

Uttarakhand Action Plan for Climate Change iii

Uttarakhand Action Plan for Climate Change iv

Uttarakhand Action Plan for Climate Change v

Uttarakhand Action Plan for Climate Change vi

Uttarakhand Action Plan for Climate Change vii

Uttarakhand Action Plan for Climate Change viii

Uttarakhand Action Plan for Climate Change ix

Uttarakhand Action Plan for Climate Change xii

Dehra Dun dated 28 May, 2014. (Jai Raj)

Uttarakhand Action Plan for Climate Change xiii

Dehra Dun dated 28 May, 2014. (Jai Raj)

Uttarakhand Action Plan for Climate Change xiv

Acronym Expanded Form

Uttarakhand Action Plan for Climate Change xv

Uttarakhand Action Plan for Climate Change xvi

Uttarakhand Action Plan for Climate Change xvii

Need for Climate Change Action Plan for Uttarakhand

Uttarakhand is most vulnerable to climate mediated risks. Mountainous regions are

Transforming Opportunities into Crisis

Uttarakhand Action Plan for Climate Change 19

S.No. Sector `. in lakhs

Uttarakhand Action Plan for Climate Change 20

The National Context

The Indian Himalaya Context

Uttarakhand Action Plan for Climate Change 22

Uttarakhand Action Plan for Climate Change 23

The Uttarakhand Context

Uttarakhand Action Plan for Climate Change 24

Transforming Crisis into Opportunity

Existing Initiatives in Uttarakhand towards Building Resilience and Mainstreaming

Uttarakhand Action Plan for Climate Change 25

Revision Process and Preparation of a Revised Draft

Table 1: Timeline of UAPCC revision process/activities

Figure 2: Consultations of 26–27 March 2012 at Doon University

Uttarakhand Action Plan for Climate Change 27

Uttarakhand Action Plan for Climate Change 28

Uttarakhand Action Plan for Climate Change 29

1.1.2 Uttarakhand—Overview and Economy

Uttarakhand Action Plan for Climate Change 32

Uttarakhand Action Plan for Climate Change 33

Uttarakhand Action Plan for Climate Change 34

1.1.3 Uttarakhand—Human Development

1.1.4 Hill Districts, Livelihoods and Vulnerabilities

Uttarakhand Action Plan for Climate Change 35

1.2 Geological and Agro-Ecological Settings

Figure 7: Physiographic zones of Uttarakhand

Uttarakhand Action Plan for Climate Change 36

1.2.2 Agro-climatic Zones

Uttarakhand Action Plan for Climate Change 37

Figure 9: Distribution of precipitation over Uttarakhand (interpolated data)

Figure 10: Overall climatic conditions in Uttarakhand

S.No. Zone Farming Soil Rainfall Districts Principal farm produce

Uttarakhand Action Plan for Climate Change 38

S.No. Zone Farming Soil Rainfall Districts Principal farm produce

Figure 11: Uttarakhand soils and soil depth mapping by NBSS&LUP

Soil Depth (m)

Uttarakhand Action Plan for Climate Change 39

1.2.3 Land-use Pattern