Natural Resources N M a O G M I V CO D ER in N MENT OF
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AL P R CH AD A E NT E M PM R S I O E H L P H E O V R E T D Chapter 2 H H P L N A O N I S N S G I I Natural Resources N M A O G M I V CO D ER IN N MENT OF Natural resources provide the base on which the edifice Lesser Himalayas of development is raised. Its use depends upon the type This zone extends to 65 to 85 km with an average of economy, the level of technology and preferences of elevation of about 3300 mts above the mean sea level, the culture of a given society. The importance of and forms the central part of state. The important natural resources is more critical to societies which are ranges here are the Pir Panjal and Dhauladhar Ranges. at a relatively low level of development. People have to The Pir Panjal range form the water divide between conform their livelihood and life style to the settings of Chenab river on the one side and the Ravi and Beas on nature. The sustainable use of natural resources to the other. The Dhauladhar is a majestic snow clad range attain high levels of human development has become cut across by rivers like the Ravi, Beas and Sutluj. Both imperative. Natural resources of Himachal Pradesh have north and south facing slopes support luxuriant forests, a direct relationship with its physiographic conditions except in tracts above the snowline. It is marked by including relief, drainage, climate and geology. These in several glaciers. The Giri and the Gambhar rivers have turn influence the type of soils and the kind of their origin in this physiographic zone. vegetation cover. Greater Himalayas Physiographic Zones Lying north of the Pir Panjal and Dhauladhar Himachal Pradesh has been divided physiographically ranges, this zone is marked by lofty snow-capped peaks, into four distinctly identifiable zones based on glaciers and old U-shaped valleys. Most of the peaks variations in altitude, climate, geology, soil, flora, fauna have an elevation of about 5500 meters. Some of the and topography as follows: famous passes through the ranges are the Rohtang Pass, the Bara lacha Pass, the Kangla Pass, the Parang Shivalik Hills Pass and the Pin Parbati Pass. The presence of glaciers, These are the outermost foothills of the state and moraines, and U-shaped valleys, indicates that a major mark its southern boundary from east to west. part of the state was once under the influence of Stretching for about 70 km, their average elevation is glaciation. There are several hot springs indicative of about 1000 meters. To the north of Shivalik hills lie geothermal energy. This towering range acts as a barrier longitudinal valleys, locally known as duns. These for the southwest monsoon, thereby causing a rain- valleys are drained by a network of streams, which shadow effect in tracts lying to the north. deposit vast quantities of sediments that make them highly fertile and support dense populations. Kangra Trans-Himalayas valley, Chakki dun valley and Paonta valley are among This zone lying to the north of Greater Himalayas the important duns. A small plain tract lying south of with an average elevation of 3000 meters is marked by the Shivalik Hills falls in Himachal Pradesh. Many cold desert-like conditions. The Zanskar range is the seasonal streams known as choes cause flash floods in most important range in the region. It separates Spiti the rainy season. Markanda and Ghaggar rivers and Kinnaur from Tibet. The Sutluj cuts a deep gorge originate in the Shivalik Hills. across the range at Shipki Pass. Leo Parigial (6791 60 HIMACHAL PRADESH DEVELOPMENT REPORT meters) is the highest peak. The zone is devoid of cent of the area of the state. About 23 per cent of the vegetation. total area remains unsurveyed. Himachal Pradesh can be divided into the following Drainage Network five zones on the basis of geographic and socio-cultural The state is drained by nine major river systems, and patterns: thereby has nine catchment areas. Some of these are i. North-eastern region the Satluj (30.69%), the Beas (24.5%) the Chenab (14.2%), the Yamuna (10.6%), the Ravi (9.9%) and the ii. Northern region Indus (2.6%). These catchment areas are further iii. Central region subdivided by several water divides. The major rivers are iv. South-eastern region glacial-snow fed and perennial in nature. The seasonal streams of the Shivalik foothills depend on rainwater. v. South-western region The north-eastern region spreads over an area of Soil Types 23,695 sq. km., which is around two-fifths of the total The soil of Himachal Pradesh varies from thin and area of the state. It comprises the districts of Kinnaur, bare soil of high mountains to rich deep alluvial soil of and Lahaul and Spiti, and Pangi and Bharmaur blocks of the valleys and to snow-covered soil. These soils can be Chamba district. The entire region is sparsely populated classified as follows. and has no urban centre. Population density is hardly 7 persons per sq. km. More than 70 per cent of the 1. UDalfs-Ochrepts soils: Shallow in veneer and population belong to the category of Scheduled Tribes. brown in colour, these are high base status soils The entire territory has been declared a scheduled area. of humid regions covering parts of Chamba, Lah aul and Spiti, Kinnaur, Sirmaur, Mandi and Bilaspur. The northern region has an area of 3497 sq. km. It has a population density of about 100 persons per sq. 2. Othents-Ochrepts soils: A combination of km. The development blocks of Tira, Saluni, Chamba, shallow black, brown and alluvial soils, these are Bhattiyat and Mehla, all in Chamba district, belong to found in Lesser Himalayas, including parts of this region. Its economy combines agriculture with Sirmaur, Solan, Una, Hamirpur, Kangra and pastoral activities. Chamba, Bakhloh, Chauri Khas and Chamba districts. These are also red loamy and Dalhousie are the only urban centres of any red sandy in nature in parts of Kullu, Kinnaur, significance. and are ideally suited for horticulture. The central region comprises the districts of Kullu 3. Udolls soils: There represent the characteristics and Mandi as well as the Baijnath development block of of a cold desert and are found in Lahaul and Spiti. Kangra district. It covers an area of 10,751 sq. km. 4. Glaciers and snowcap soils: are spread in part Population density is around 125. Agriculture is the of Kullu, Lahaul and Spiti and Kinnaur where main avocation of the people, and the region is glaciers and snow cover is present throughout predominantly rural. Mandi, Sundernagar, Kullu and the year. Jogindernagar are the important towns. The soil of Himachal Pradesh is under gully and The south-eastern region comprises Shimla, Sirmaur sheet erosion. About two-fifths of the state’s and Solan districts. Apart from agriculture, horticulture, area is under the impact of very high intensity tourism, trade and commerce and industry have emerged erosion. as notable activities. Industrial centres include Paonta Sahib, Nahan, Kala Amb, Solan, Nalagarh, Baddi, Land Resources Barotiwala, Parwanoo, Dharampur and Chambaghat. The total area of Himachal Pradesh is 55,673 sq. km. The south-western region largely covers areas which This would give less than one hectare of land to every were transferred to Himachal Pradesh after the one among the 6.1 million people recorded in the state linguistic reorganisation of Punjab in 1966. It in 2001 census. Hardly 10 per cent of the total area is comprises Kangra, Bilaspur and Una districts. Hills, cultivated and the actual forest cover extends to 22.5 mountains and wide valleys intermingle here. Population per cent of the total area. Permanent pastures and other density is around 300. This region suffers from serious grasslands account for about 24 per cent of the total ecological problems, such as soil erosion, deforestation, area. Barren and unculturable land covers about 14 per land degradation and depletion of the water table. Chapter 2 • NATURAL RESOURCES 61 On the basis of land use, Himachal Pradesh can be also not free from drought at times. The normal subdivided into three broad regions: monsoon rainfall (June-Sept) in the state varies from 17 i. Intensively cultivated, moderately forested to 120 cm. Mandi, Bilaspur, Sirmaur, Una, Hamirpur southern region with marginal presence of and Kangra are high rainfall districts where the annual pastures and other grazing lands; rainfall exceeds 100 cm. Lahaul and Spiti and Kinnaur districts receive a low annual rainfall of about 20 cm. ii. Moderately cultivated, highly forested central region with a considerable proportion of Availability of Water Resources pastures and other grazing lands; and Surface Water Resource iii. Poorly cultivated, and sparsely forested northern Most of the surface water resources of Himachal region with a high proportion of pastures and Pradesh flow from perennial rivers which originate from other grazing lands. glaciers. The flow in these rivers is further augmented From the above description, it is clear that by run-off from the catchment areas. considerable improvements are required for an optimum Glaciers: Glaciers are located in higher Himalayan utilisation of land. First, the forest cover needs to be reaches (above 4000 meters) in Pir Panjal, Dhuladhar, extended to more areas, as it is much below the target Zanskar and Great Himalyan ranges. There are 601 of the national forest policy, according to which a hill glaciers in the state and a majority of them are small in state should have 60 per cent of its area under forests.