Socio-economic studies for land use planning and Eco-development in Garhwal Himalaya=

The Himalaya, though geologically young, support a large number of human and livestock population. With defence and development activities, the region has reached a stage of ecological disequilibrium and if the process is not reversed, it may arrived at a point of no return.

The Himalayan region is not only important to the people residing in this inhospi table region, but also to the plains below. Natural forces of erosion play their role on account of weak geology and typical monsoonic climate causing dislocation of soil particles from the hills. The process is further accentuated due to the adverse effects of human and bovine population, traditional methods of agriculture, absence of proper land use practices, deforestation, mining, road construction, increased tourist devel opmental activities and activities associated with hydro-electric power projects.

In general, the economic conditions of the Himalayan people and of Garhwalis in particular, are below the subsistence level. The economy is primarily dependent on the income derived by people who have migrated to the plains in search of job opportu nities. Migration of people to the plains still continues with the result that the region is deprived of its valuable human resource. In most of the regions only the invalid, the young and womenfolk remain in villages.

Neglect of the valuable land resource base in the past led to restricted production from land, but the vast potentialities remained, as is revealed in various publications on the Himalaya. It is believed that development programmes cannot be successful unless people are emotionally involved in such activities. A broad understanding of the economic, social, institutional and cultural profile of the people is, therefore, neces sary. Integrated land use planning for resource management necessitates listing the basic information on the magnitude, characteristics, potential and nature of the soil, water, plant, animal and human resources which together form the environment. These resources are exploited depending upon the skill, ownership pattern and general level of existing technology of a region. The present study on the economy of a watershed in Tehri district is an attempt towards the analysis of human-land resources with regard to their potential productivity.