Locals to get livelihood options for snow leopard conservation
The threat in Uttarakhand is not alarming. But, it may alleviate. As the altitude of both selected sites is very high and it’s difficult to man every inch, the locals will help us in conservation GS RAWAT, scientist at WWI
The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) will provide a market for villagers around Gangotri National Park and Govind Pashu Vihar in Uttarkashi to sell their produce, a livelihood solution towards conservation of elusive snow leopards.
The move is a part of Securing Livelihoods, Conservation, Sustainable Use and Restoration of High Range Himalayan Ecosystem (SECURE) project. The last of a series of workshops on the issue was held at the Gangotri National Park on Saturday.
The project will take off in four states such as Uttarakhand, Jammu & Kashmir, Sikkim and Himachal Pradesh likely from next year.
“We had a meeting with the locals and their support was terrific. People are really looking forward to the project,” said Digvijay Singh Khati, the principal chief conservator of forest (PCCF).
A 2013 study of Wildlife Institute of India (WII) had suggested there were about 200-600 snow leopards in Uttarakhand. But the Trans-Himalayan survey conducted in June 2015 by the state forest department had recorded 39 evidence of snow leopards in the state.
Experts said habitat loss and dependency of villagers on forests were two significant threats to snow leopards in the state.
GS Rawat, a scientist at the Wildlife Institute of India (WII) who participated in the workshop, said there was a need to minimise dependency on snow leopard habitats.
“The threat in Uttarakhand is not alarming. But, it may alleviate. As the altitude of both selected sites is very high and it’s difficult to man every inch, the locals will help us in conservation.”
One of the main issues in remote areas is high transportation cost involved in marketing local produce. “The transportation of local produce from villages till markets is very expensive. The project will facilitate it. It will help us in minimising destruction to perishable items like apple and vegetables,” Khati said.
The project, the officials said, would directly help the locals by setting up of home stays and tourism circuits with the help of the state forest department’s ecotourism wing.
Locals will also be engaged in promoting handicrafts, medicinal plants and other local products like juice, pickle, squash and others.