Village Life in India

India is the largest democracy in the world. It's natural boundaries comprise the Bay of Bengal on the east, Pakistan and the Arabian Sea to the west, China, Nepal and Bhutan to the north and the Indian Ocean in the south. India cradles the ancient Indus Valley Civilization and is a region consistently explored for ancient trade routes and past empires. It is the home of Hinduism, Sikhism, Buddhism and Jainism and also flaunts the presence of Zoroastrianism, Judaism, Christianity and the followers of the Islam religion.



Ever since the country's independence from the British colonial rule in 1947, the economy of the nation has banked upon its agrarian society. Most of its population is involved in agriculture and allied industries, transforming it into one of the fastest growing world economies. India is a multilingual nation and home to a multiethnic society, that truly personifies the adage 'Unity in Diversity'. Village life in India is totally dependent on agriculture and innate throughout the land. The lifestyle of people and their working styles are as interesting as the balance provided by the lifestyles in the metropolitan cities.

Village Life in India

Village Life in India:

The Government of India promotes socialist-inspired rural policies and extensive protectionism in Indian villages. The attempt to save the Indian village from pervasive corruption is consistent and totally market-based, since the agricultural surplus is an advantage to the increase in population. Village life in India is simple. The village folk not only dress simply, but also display simplicity in their meals and work life. Indian villages are major contributors to the agricultural products like wheat, rice, various lentils and cereals and also cash crops like cotton, oilseed, jute, tea, coffee and sugarcane. The typical village home also houses cattle, sheep, goats and poultry.



Village life revolves around tilling and reaping and providing the raw material for allied industries. In spite of regular migration of youth to cities and townships, the population directly involved in agriculture remains constant and dedicated to the cause. Villagers begin the day with baths in the makeshift baths and eat only after worship at home and at the village temple. The rest of the day spreads over work in the fields and/or the creation of ingenious crafts. Their meals comprise of hand baked breads and lentil. The day culminates in either richly earned rest or sharing of thoughts in the village quadrangle.



Most homes are eco-friendly units, with courtyards, cattle enclosures, and thatched kitchen areas. Their community life spurs to action during annual fairs and pilgrimages. While men in most Indian villages sport light, cotton shirts and loose trousers or dhotis, the women's attire comprises the typical sari or long skirts and blouses. Handcrafted jewelry like bangles, anklets, nose rings and earrings highlight every dress code, urban as well as rural. Festivities of Diwali and Holi bring the villagers together and it is not uncommon to see even non-Hindus have a whale of a time with the colored water and special delicacies.



Villagers display a deep loyalty to the village deity and the village itself. Village feuds are not uncommon. Certain facilities are common to the village, like ponds and tanks, meadows, temples, cremation grounds, trees and wasteland. Traditionally, Indian villages follow the panchayat or headman system, which offers equal opportunity to women and men to be a part of and contribute to the village administration.

Village Life in India

Village Work Life in India:

Village work life largely depends on the main occupation of the family or gram (village). While some are pledged to agriculture, some indulge in the creation of arts and crafts for generations, and yet some others, dedicatedly trade. The village work life depends on the location of the village. For example, people of the coastal villages of Kerela naturally indulge in large scale fishing, while those near the tribal settlements capitalize on the national and international market for native craft. Villagers in India use simple tools and implements and in spite of the current trend of dependency on automated tools, the preference is for manual labor.



However, the government has made technology and automated revisions of farming implements available to every villager and currently the readdress of 'ownership of land tilled' is being considered to encourage the retention of village youth, who are otherwise migrating to cities. Today, the outskirts of Indian villages flaunt textile industries, food packaging plants, steel plants and sugar industries. These have again generated employment opportunities for the young and old alike. Ongoing government reforms endeavor to fashion the nation as a 'motor' for world economy. Improvements in public sector reforms, agrarian infrastructure and rural development, redressed labor norms etc have redefined village life in India.

Bangaram Islang and Bangaram Beach India Best Getaways in The World

Lakshadweep are a string of little known islands, lying 200 or so miles off the Kerala coast. The ‘Jewel Of The Lakshadweep’ is Bangaram Island, which hosts a back to nature eco-friendly resort, a breathtaking spectacle of sparkling coral reefs, turquoise blue lagoons, silvery beaches and lush green coconut palms.
Bangaram Island has been ranked among the best getaways in the world. A beautiful and breathtaking island in the Arabian Sea, Bangaram is surrounded by a shallow lagoon of crystal clear water enclosed by a fabulous coral reef. The resort has 60 simple but comfortable beach cottages. Within the vast lagoon and 120 acres of lush coconut groves at Bangaram you may discover graceful fish, porcupines, parrots, hermit crabs and seabirds.

As a diving location, the virgin reefs of Bangaram Beach and other islands have been ranked by many of the world's experienced divers as being among the best anywhere. A wellequipped and professionally manned Scuba Diving facility is available at Bangaram Island by the highly respected Lacadives Diving Team .
Many ancient shipwrecks are yet to be discovered since the reefs aren't even fully explored yet. Manta rays, Eagle Rays, Moray Eels and Hawksbill Turtles are common. Diving courses and lagoon diving are offered for beginners. Diving sites are off the reefs and are reached by boat. Diving is permitted only within safe depths around 30 meters. Visitors can avail of a decompression chamber, except from 15 May to 15 September.

Bangaram Beach

Bangaram Island Beach in Coral reefs, which are known for rich biological diversity and productivity, are being threatened throughout the world by various natural and anthropogenic activities. The present study concentrates on establishing methodology to zone the geo-morphological and ecological zones of the Bangaram reef (of atoll type), Lakshadweep islands, using remotely sensed data and adequately supported by field data. Classification system has been evolved to zone the reefs. Comparative studies have also been carried out using image processing techniques in order to establish the suitable technique for studying the Indian reefs. The IRS LISS III images representing three different tidal conditions of the period 1998-2000 were analyzed.

Bangaram Island and Beach

The unsupervised classification of both the raw images as well as principal component images gave similar information. The classified product was subjected to contextual editing. Misclassification among various classes was found to increase with the increase in the depth of the water column present over the reef. The zones identified on the image are central deep lagoon, reef knolls (rising steeply from the central deep lagoon floor), reef edge, reef platform, coralline shelf, broad shallow sandy-bottomed lagoon, beach and two islets. The zonation has helped in getting information on the presence of live corals on the Bangaram reef. This kind of study is a valuable input in assessing the health of the reefs and its diversity.

For deep sea big game fishing, Bangaram is an ideal location. Record size Barracuda, Sailfish, Yellowfin, Travelly and Wahoo have often been landed. Local boats are available here for rent with experienced crew. Serious anglers are advised to bring their own equipment.

Bangaram Islan Or Bangaram Beach of the northern group of Lakshadweep islands lies northeastwards of the Agatti island. It has an extensive lagoon (10.6 km in size), two islands (Bangaram and Tinnakara) and two islets northeast of Tinnakara (Parali I & Parali II). The reef is steep on northern and eastern sides. About eight species of corals are recorded here, dominant of which are Porites, Acropora, Favia and Favites (based on ground observations). Seaweeds such as Caulerpa sertularioides, Halimeda, Hypnea valentiae, Champia, Ulva fasciata, Enteromorpha, Chaetomorpha and Cladophora are dominant in the Bangaram reef (.based on ground observations). Seagrass Cymodocea rotundata inhabits the lagoonal region. The most conspicuous
feature of Bangaram reef is the presence of a number of coral knolls in the lagoonal regions.

Jhelum River Most Popular Atrraction

This study is conducted to understand the underlying physical processes responsible for the extreme precipitation event of September, This Years that caused severe flooding in Jhelum River, the worst one since 1959. Reanalysis data ERA15 of European Centre for Medium Range Weather Forecasts (ECMWF), which is available at 06-h intervals with a resolution of 2.5° × 2.5°, and 17 pressure levels, is used to drive the model as both the initial and lateral boundary conditions. The performance of the model is demonstrated by integrating it from December 01, 1991 to October 31, 1992 with a
resolution of 0.44° × 0.44° and 0.22° × 0.22° covering the whole South Asia domain.

CRU data together with real time observational precipitation and temperature data from meteorological stations representating the Jhelum River basin is used to compare and verify the model outputs. The model simulated realistically the temporal pattern of the area averaged precipitation, monthly mean precipitation spatial pattern and the daily precipitation intensity distribution. The model not only captured the fluctuations in the daily Maximum and Minimum temperature but also reproduced well the large scale monsoon circulations responsible for the moisture convergence in the catchment areas resulting in heavy precipitation.

Jhelum River

The extremely heavy precipitation occurred due to the interaction of intense monsoon depression with an active westerly wave passing over the area. At higher resolution i.e. 0.22° × 0.22°, the model suitably resolved the complex topography and land-sea contrast, and hence the simulated results are found very close to the observations.

Time series of area averaged daily precipitation over the Jhelum River basin region. Station observed precipitation data from meteorological stations representating the Jhelum River basin is used for comparison.The model reproduced reasonably the trends and fluctuations of precipitation over the above region, except for an overestimation of daily precipitation in the later June and early July and an underestimation in the mid July, early August and September. These underestimations and overestimations are responsible for the biases in the monthly mean daily precipitation. It can be seen that the extreme daily precipitation is captured well by the model at higher resolution because the
topography is best resolved at higher resolution.

In order to realistically simulate the monthly mean precipitation, the model should be able to simulate reasonably the individual precipitation events. Thus the performance of the regional climate model PRECIS in the simulation of precipitation was further evaluated by calculating the BIAS, spatial correlation coefficient between the observed and model simulated precipitation in the 4 months over the Jhelum River basin region.

Jhelum River

At 25km horizontal resolution the model overestimated (positive bias) the area averaged monthly mean precipitation in the 4 months over the Jhelum River basin while at 50km horizontal resolution the model underestimated (negative bias) the monthly mean precipitation in June, July and August. The maximum bias is in June and these reduced in the later months, probably because the land surface processes and the associated forcings are better resolved in the later months. The spatial correlation coefficient between the observed and model simulated precipitation is found to be relatively lower in June and July compared to August and September. In September 94% was achieved over the Jhelum River basin.

The observed and model simulated surface air temperature variation at 50km horizontal resolution in the 4 months over the Jhelum River. The trends and fluctuations in the surface air temperature simulated by the model at 25km resolution resemble to that of the 50km resolution and hence the results are not shown here. We calculated the area averaged daily maximum and minimum surface air temperature in the 4 months over the Jhelum River basin region. In general PRECIS captured the trends and fluctuations in the daily maximum and minimum surface air temperature over the Jhelum River basin except for a warm bias (less then 2°C) in the daily maximum temperature in June and minimum temperature in June and August and a cold bias (0.8°C-3.5°C) in both maximum and minimum temperature in the later months.

Jammu and Kashmir Of India Tourism

Jammu and Kashmir Tourism, located in the extreme north of the country, is situated between 320 17' and 370 5' N latitudes and 720 40' and 800 30' E longitudes. It is bounded on north by China, on eastby Tibet, on south by Himachal Pradesh and Punjab and on west by Pakistan. Geographically, this state is divided into four zones – the mountainous and semi-mountainous plain known as Kandi belt, hills including Siwalik ranges, mountains of Kashmirvalley and Pir Panjal range, and Tibetan tract of Ladakh and Kargil. The state has a number of lakes, rivers, rivulets and glacial regions. The important rivers of this state are Indus, Chenab and Sutlej (Jhelum).

There are extreme variations in climate in the state due to its location and topography. The climate of
the state varies from tropical in Jammu plains to semi-arctic cold in Ladakh with Kashmir and Jammu
mountainous tracts having temperate climatic conditions. The temperature of this state varies spatially.
Leh is coldest and Jammu is the hottest region in the state. In the winter nights, temperature goes down below zero and very often heavy snowfall occurs during November to February. The annual rainfall varies from region to region with 92.6 mm in Leh, 650.5 mm in Srinagar and 1,115.9 mm in Jammu. Geologically, the state represents constituted rocks varying from the oldest period of the earth’s history to the youngest present day river and lake deposits.

Jammu and Kashmir

Agriculture

Agriculture is the mainstay of more than 80% people in Jammu & Kashmir. Major food crops are
wheat, paddy and maize. Barley, jowar and bajra are also cultivated in some parts of the state. Agroclimatic condition of this state supports horticulture; about 5 lakh families, directly or indirectly, are related with horticulture activities.

Industry

Handicrafts, the traditional industry in the state, are receiving top priority in view of employment
potential and demand in wood carving, paper-machine, carpets, shawls and embroidery, etc. Carpets earn a substantial foreign exchange. Export of handicraft products has increased about six fold in the last decade. Handloom Development Corporation is producing woolen items like export tweed, blazers, blankets, shawls, dhussas and kani shawls, etc. As per Annual Survey of Industries (1999-2000), Jammu & Kashmir had 393 factories employing 26,311 persons. Total investment was Rs. 58,504 lakh and net income generated was Rs. 18,123 lakh. As on 31st March 2002, there were about 32,245 small scale industries in the state.

Jammu and Kashmir Tourism

Tourism

Kashmir valley is described as a paradise on the earth. Major tourist places are Chashma Shahi springs, Shalimar Bagh and Dal Lake, etc., in Srinagar; Gulmarg, Pahalgam and Sonamarg, etc., in the Valley; various ancient temples, Buddhist rites and scenic beauty in Ladakh; Vaishno Devi temple and Patnitop near Jammu, etc. When the heat in the plains of India becomes oppressive, the people turn to the hills and visit Kashmir valley and enjoy living in house boats. But at present, the flow of tourists to the Kashmir valley is interfered by the universally denounced terrorism. The famous shrine of Mother Goddess Vaishno Devi is visited by thousands of pilgrimage on foot or horseback every year. In 2001, about 39,74,540 Indian pilgrims visited Vaishno Devi temple. The number of Indian pilgrims who visited Amarnath in Kashmir had gone up to 1,19,037 in 2011.

Physiography : Himachal Pradesh lies between the latitudes 30o 23' – 33 o 13' N and longitudes 75 o 43' - 79 o 4' E. The state is bounded by Uttaranchal on the southeast, Tibet on the east, Punjab on the west and southwest, Haryana on south and Jammu & Kashmir on the north. It is situated in the northwest corner of the India; right in the lap of Himalayan ranges. The altitudinal variation ranges between 460 meters to 6,600 meters above mean sea level. The state is divided into three zones the Siwaliks or the outer Himalaya, the low mountains which have less altitude in comparison to great
mountains in the middle, and the zone of the Zanskar (high peaks of Himalaya). Many parts of this state are snow bound from December to April.

Most important rivers of this state are Chenab (Chandrabhaga), Ravi (Iravati), Sutlej (Shatadru), Beas (Vipasa) and Yamuna (Jamuna). The Chenab flows 122 km inside Himachal Pradesh before it enters Jammu & Kashmir. Yamuna has a catchments area of 2,320 km2 in Himachal Pradesh. The climate of northern part or the glacial region of this state is almost cool throughout the year. In winter, snowfall continues until March and could be as high as three meters on the average. The southern part has similarity with the plains and varies from hot to subhumid. The state experiences cold season from October to middle of March, hot seasons from April to June, and rainy season begins from July and goes upto September.

Transportation

Roadways: There were 823 km of national highways, 688 km of state highways, 7,671 km of major
district roads and 3,372 km of village roads, as on February 2002, in the state.

Railways: At present, there is railway connection up to Jammu. The extension of Jammu to Udhampur and survey works in Udhampur-Srinagar section are in progress for further extension of railway tracks in the state. Total rail track length was 96 km in 2000-01.

Aviation: The major airports of the state are Srinagar, Jammu and Leh.

Lotus Temple Architectures of Bahai Faith Popular India Tourism

The Lotus Temple, share certain architectural elements, some of which are specified by Bahá'í scripture. `Abdu'l Bahá, the son of the founder of the religion, stipulated that an essential architectural character of a House of Worship be that it requires to have a nine-sided circular shape. Inspired by the lotus flower, its design is composed of 27 free standing marble clad "petals" arranged in clusters of three to form nine sides. While all current Bahá'í Houses of Worship have a dome, they are not regarded as an essential part of their architecture.

Lotus Temple

Bahá'í scripture also states that no pictures, statues or images be displayed within the House of Worship and no pulpits or altars be incorporated as an architectural feature (readers may stand behind simple portable lecture stands). The nine doors of the Lotus Temple open onto a central hall, capable of holding up to 2,500 people. The central hall is slightly more than 40 meters tall and its surface is made of white marble. The white marbles are from Penteli mountain in Greece, the very same from which many of the ancient monuments were built and also many other Bahai temples.  The House of Worship, along with the nine surrounding ponds and the gardens around comprise 26 acres (105,000 m²; 10.5 ha).

Lotus Temple

The Lotus Temple design looks like a half opened Lotus flower with 27 freestanding "petals" made of marble. The architect, while designing the temple took into account the eternal beauty of Lotus flower. The construction work took almost 10 years before it finally got shape and was open for public. The team comprised of 800 engineers, technicians, workers and artisans who worked diligently to give realization to one of the most complex edifices in the world. The Lotus temple integrates the aesthetic values along with the technological influence within the whole structure. There are nine reflecting pools that encompass the temple from outside. Converting the geometry of the design that did not have any straight line to the actual structure needed a lot of effort and dedicated engineering.

Lotus Temple

The Lotus temple has the capacity to accommodate nearly 2500 people and has nine doors that open in a central hall. The whole structure is made of white marble that adds to the glory of the temple. It is about 40 meters tall surrounded by nine ponds and appears as if the temple is floating like a Lotus flower in water. Lotus Temple is one of the remarkable architectures of Bahai faith. It is located at Kalkaji in New Delhi. The Lotus temple looks like a lotus flower and is made of marble, cement, dolomite and sand. The Lotus temple has no restrictions for visitors and is open to people from all religions. The place provides immaculate environment for meditation, peace and wisdom. The Bahai temple was completed in 1986. Since then the temple has received recognition from all over the world for its splendid architecture and design. Lotus Temple is among the most visited monuments in India.

Thousand Pillar Temple Kakatiyas of Chalukya Dynasty

The Thousand Pillar Temple with its ruins lies in the near the Hanamkonda-Warangal highway, about 150 kilometers from Hyderabad city. This temple is a beautiful star shaped with several shrines and lingams. There are three shrines inside the temple called the Trikutalayam. The three shrines of the Thousand Pillar Temple are dedicated to Lord Shiva, Lord Vishnu and Lord Surya.

The Thousand Pillar Temple is surrounded by a big garden in which many small lingam shrines can be seen. Further there are 1000 richly carved pillars with an impressive Nandi bull in the temple. Nandi bull was carved out of a black basalt monolith polished carefully to give it a brilliant look. The Thousand Pillar Temple is constructed on a platform that is raised to 1 meter height from the ground level.

Thousand Pillar Temple

The Thousand Pillar temple is provided with a number of pillars which are beautifully carved and adorned. Delicate stone work which definitely adds charm and beauty to this Thousand Pillar Temple. Rock cut elephants and perforated screens in the temple which are the characteristic of the then prevailing dynasty.

The Thousand Pillar Temple is one of the very old temples of south India built by the Kakatiyas of Chalukya dynasty. It is believed that the marvelous thousand pillared temple was built by King Rudra Deva in 1163 AD. It was destroyed by the Mughal Empires during their invasion of South India. It comprises one temple and other building. There are one thousand pillars in the building and the temple, but one pillar will not obstruct another from any point of the temple to see the god in the other temple. The 2.5 metres tall bronze image of Lord Chandranatha Swami in the sanctum of this basadi is considered to be very sacred.

Thousand Pillar Temple

This three storied construction was supported by the rulers, the Jain Bhattaraka Swamiji, merchants and the common people. The temple is famous for the open pillared hall in front, consisting by a large variety of ornate pillars decorated with carvings typical of Vijayanagara style. A 15-meter tall single stone pillar called manastambha stands in front of the basadi.

The present day engineers have taken out all the pillars from the building to make it in to a perfect shape. After they lifted all the pillars they encountered a huge mass of sand. It took nearly two weeks for them to take away all the sand. It was wet sand, it is always wet because there is pipe connection directly from the nearby water body named Bhadrakali Cheruvu. It was one of the master piece in Civil Engineering.

Thousand Pillar Temple

Andhra Pradesh Historically and Tourism In India

Andhra Pradesh was formed on 1st November, 1956. It is the fifth largest State with an area of 2,76,754 sq. km, accounting for 8.4 % of India's territory. The State has the longest coastline (972 km) among all the States in India. Andhra Pradesh Historically, the earliest mention of the Andhras appeared in the Aitareya Brahmana (B.C.800). It was called Dakshina Padh during those days. Megasthenese, who visited the Court of Chandragupta Maurya (B.C.322 - 297), mentioned that the Andhra country had 30 fortified towns and an army of 1,00,000 infantry, 2,000 cavalry and 1,000 elephants. Buddhist books reveal that the Andhras established their kingdoms on the Godavari belt at that time. Asoka referred in his 13th rock edict to the Andhras. Telugu is the official language and Nannaya's (1022--1063) translation of the Sanskrit Mahabharata is the earliest piece of Telugu literature as yet discovered. The diction is so masterly that historians think that there must have been earlier works in Telugu.

Andhra Pradesh

 Andhra Pradesh a rich cultural, religious and literary tradition with major contributions to Carnatic Music, where Telugu became the preferred language: for composing classical music in South India and to Classical dance through Kuchipudi. The State has also had a large number of eminent poets right from Nannaya to the modern times.

The 17th century was the golden age of Urdu, with poets like Mohammed Quli, Mulla Wajhi, and Sheikh Ahmed contributing to the literature. Some of the prominent religious towns and temples
include Tirupati, Annavaram, Bhadrachalam, Basara, Ahobilam, Srisailam, Mantralayam and Kalahasti.

Administrative excellence, which for instance, was seen during the Kakatiya and the Vijayanagar dynasties. Some of the country’s leading educational Institutions like CCMB, ICRISAT, ISB, IIIT, University of Hyderabad and NIT, Warangal are located in Andhra Pradesh. A strong base in Information Technology with perhaps the largest pool of trained software professionals in the country.

It ranks 2nd in the country in mineral wealth and has good hydroelectric potential, some which has been tapped. It has about one third of India's limestone, at about 30 billion tonnes. The state
ranks first nationwide in hydro electricity generation with national market share of over 11% Recent discoveries of abundant natural gas off the coast near the Godavari basin. Compared to most States, Andhra Pradesh has a good quality road network, rail connectivity (except for some tribal regions), sea ports and air connectivity. However, given the growing aspirations of people, this needs to be further built up.



However, recently the performance has been very good. Andhra Pradesh achieved a record growth rate of 10.37 per cent. This is 1.57 per cent higher than that of the previous year. According to data released by the Central Statistical Organization, Andhra Pradesh has crossed the national average growth rate of 8.73 per cent. For the first time in its history, Andhra Pradesh has achieved double-digit growth. Industrial investments in the state rose to Rs.12,350 crores during the last three and half years up to 2006-07, generating additional employment to 172,616 persons, as against an investment of Rs.4,524 crores during 2001-04. According to a Reserve Bank of India report released in August, 2007, Andhra Pradesh ranked second among the states in the country for total investment
intentions for 2006-07, next only to Gujarat.

Andhra Pradesh

Agriculture, a traditional area of strength, recorded a growth rate of 8.38 per cent as against the national average of 2.59 per cent. This offset the below average growth rates in the last decade. Performance in the social sector has lagged behind resulting in poor quality of services in health and education. The amount of total foreign direct investment between 1991 and 2002 was Rs. 13092 crores. Andhra Pradesh attracted FDI equivalent to $138 million recently and entered the list of top 5 States in India.

Transparency India ranks Andhra Pradesh as the 4th best State in terms of corruption perception [4]. Perhaps the largest number of students studying in elite Institutions like the IITs and IIIT are from
Andhra Pradesh. IT exports reached Rs.19,000 million in 2006 - 2007 and ranked fourth in India. The service sector of the state already accounts for 43% of the GSDP and employs 20% of the work force.


Andhra Pradesh is thus poised to make significant progress on various fronts. The people of Andhra Pradesh are enthusiastic about moving ahead as reflected in the vision that emerged from this study. In particular the younger generation is eager to make progress and is upbeat about the future. They are also interested in contributing to the development of the State.

Andhra Pradesh Vision 2025

The vision that emerged was holistic and inclusive. It embraced economics, society, culture, environment and good governance. It also made special efforts to address the issues of poverty and human development, regional imbalances and eliminating discrimination based on gender, caste or religion. There was a strong consensus on universal primary education, inclusive growth, sustainability in development, and ensuring that the fruits of development spread to all the Districts. Thefollowing vision therefore emerged.

Lakshadweep Islands Rhe Wonder Island In India

The Union Territory of Lakshadweep comprises of a group of islands in the Arabian Sea between latitude 8o E and 12o 30' N and between longitude 71o and 74o E and are located at a distance ranging from 200 km to 400 km from the mainland. There are in all 27 islands, 3 reefs and 6 submerged sandbanks. Only 10 islands are inhabited with very low ground elevation in meters above Mean Sea Level (MSL). These Lakshadweep islands are Agatti: 3.0- 6.0 m, Amini: 0.5-2.5, Andrott: 1.0-7.0m, Bitra: 0.8-4.0m, Chetlat: 1.5-5.5 m, Kadmat:2.5-6.5, Kalpeni: 1.5-5.5m, Kavaratti:2.0-6.0m, Kiltan: 0.6-4.0 and Minicoy: 1.5-70m. One islands Bangaram and one island Bangaram (-0.1 to 0.4m only) has a tourist resort only.

Lakshadweep

The total geographical area of the territory is 32 sq. km. All land is classified as agricultural land and the land use area is 28.5 sq. km. According to 2011 Census, the inhabited Islands had a total population of 60595. The Lakshadweep group of islands viz. Kavaratti, Amini, Kiltan and Agatti witnessed a very damaging cyclonic storm event during 5th – 7th May. Concerned with the likely hazards and the vulnerabilities in these low contour islands situated in isolation in the huge Arabian Sea, the Ministry of Home Affairs constituted a National Task Force vide OM No.31-2/2005-NDM-II dated 30th March to carry out a special study of the Lakshadweep islands to assess vulnerability to various hazards and suggest mitigation /prevention measures.

As per the terms of reference, the Task Force conducted 5 meetings and some of the members visited Lakshadweep Islands. Based on the deliberations as well as findings of the field visit, the Task Force has prepared the report related to vulnerability of these islands to various natural and man made hazards and certain mitigation and prevention measures to address these issues.

Lakshadweep Island

 Accordingly, this report has been prepared to identify the natural and man made hazards and the major factors underlying or enhancing the vulnerabilities. Recommendations are made for immediate as well as long terms measures to reduce the risk in future. Task Force recommends some immediate measures to reduce the isolation of the islands by better connectivity electronically as well as by air and sea travel facilities.

The National Task Force places on record its appreciation for the help and guidance provided by JS (DM) Shri Ashim Khurana and Director (DM II), Shri Reddy Nagabhushan Rao during its working as well as organization of the visit to the Lakshadweep Islands. Thanks are due to Shri Parimal Rai, Lakshadweep Administrator and Shri Madhup Vyas, Collectoer cum Development Commissioner, and their team of officers for facilitating visit of the Task Force members to the Islands and providing the necessary data and concerns of the population.

Each island is fringed by coral sands, and is marked by huge, shallow, calm lagoon on the western side which separates it from incoming swells of the outer sea by the wall of a reef madeup of massive coral boulders and live corals.

A common feature of these islands is that a shallow lagoon exists invariably in their western side separating the outer reef rim from low-lying coral islands composed essentially of calcareous sand and soil. The total geographical area of the territory is 32 sq. km. All land is classified as agricultural land and the land use area is 28.5 sq. km. The lagoons cover 4200 sq. km. with 20,000 sq. km. of territorial waters and about 0.4 million sq. km. of Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ). Length of coastline of UT of Lakshadweep is 132 km.

Lakshadweep Island Diving

One of the earliest natural calamities recorded was the great storm that stretched the Lakshadweep Islands in April 1847. In 1891, a violent storm struck upon Kavaratti, Island causing considerable
damage to coconut trees. The storm did a great deal of damage in Agatti and its attached islets
and the Amindivi group of islands. Other major storms to have hit the islands are Kalpeni Island
in 1922, Kavaratti in 1941, and Andrott in 1963, Andrott and Kalpeni in 1965 and 1977,
respectively.

Coastal erosion is one of the serious problems being faced by the Lakshadweep group of
islands. Studies on baseline data on erosion and the accretion cycle were carried out by the Center
for Earth Science Studies (CESS), Thiruvananthapuram, in four islands viz. Kavaratti, Agatti,
Amini and Bangaram during 1990-1993 and for other four islands viz. Kadmat, Chetlet, Kiltan
and Bitra during 1997-2001. These studies reveal net accretion of 21.43-m3/ m in Kadmat and
11.05 m3/m in Chetlet islands during the study period. The Kiltan Island showed net accretion as
well as seasonal erosion at certain stretches. Major part of the of Kiltan island has been
undergoing erosion on the east coast.

The wave climate and power potential of the seas surrounding Lakshadweep islands studied by the CESS using wave data collected with a Direction Wave rider Buoy deployed off Kavaratti reveals that Lakshadweep sea is influenced by the southwest monsoonal winds. Waves generally do not exceed the height of 5 m during November-March. During southwest monsoon the dominant values of maximum wave height is around 5 m and during the non-monsoon season it is around 1.4 m. The significant wave heights range from 0.4 to 4.7 m, the lowest being observed in February and the highest in August. The maximum wave height observed during the one year period is 8.95 m in August.

The Lakshadweep has a total population of about 65,000 with a sex ratio of 1:1. Each of the inhabited islands has a junior, Senior Basic Schools as well as Nursery Schools and Madarsas. Some of these schools have been identified as shelters incase of an emergency. It has been observed that these schools have been located on the ground elevation of the island, which is prone to inundation during heavy rains as well as cyclonic conditions. These schools have limited drinking water, sanitary facilities as well as facilities for storage of civil supplies during an emergency and have not adequate facilities to accommodate more than 50% of the population during the time of disaster. The maximum wave height observed during the one year period is 8.95 m in August. The constructions of most of these schools are not in tune with the recommended design criteria.

Valley of flowers National Park Amazing Flora nad Fauna

High in the Himalayan ranges of Garhwal hills of Uttaranchal lies an enchanted valley. Here flowered pastures with clear running streams are set against silver birches and shining snow peaks. Dew lies thick on the flowers, birds sing in the surrounding forest and the air is pure and charged with floral smells. Hidden from the probing eyes of civilisation, this Valley of flowers National Park had been known to the inhabitants as the Bhyundar Valley. Now called The Valley of flowers National Park, the valley is a UNESCO World-Heritage site, renowned for its meadows of endemic alpine flowers and outstanding natural beauty.

Valley of flowers National Park

This richly diverse area is also home to rare and endangered animals, including the Asiatic black bear, snow leopard, brown bear and blue sheep. The Valley of flowers National Park stretches over an expanse of 87.50 km and has been acknowledged by renowned mountaineers and botanists in literature for over a century and in Hindu mythology for much longer. The high altitude Hemkund Lake (4329 mtrs) lies in heavenly environs. A steep trek from Ghangharia leads one to this spot in about four to six hours.

Nestled high in West Himalaya, India’s Valley of Flowers National Park is renowned for its meadows of endemic alpine flowers and outstanding natural beauty. The gentle landscape of the Valley of Flowers National Park complements the rugged mountain wilderness of Nanda Devi National Park, home to sixteen peaks above 6,000m, among them Nanda Devi East (7,434m), India's second highest mountain. Together they encompass a unique transition zone between the mountain ranges of the Zanskar and Great Himalaya, praised by mountaineers and botanists for over a century and in Hindu mythology for much longer.

Valley of flowers National Park

Flora and Fauna

· Due to its diverse habitats, the park has a very rich flora: over 300 plant species can be found in Nanda Devi Park and over 600 in the Valley of Flowers Park.
· Nanda Devi is particularly known for its Asiatic Black bears, the snow leopard and Himalayan tahrs.
· As many as 550 species of birds have been recorded.
· Although the abundance of species to be found in the Valleys of Flowers is not high, many of them are nationally rare or endangered.

Cultural Heritage - Local Population - Tourism
 

· Nanda Devi, holding its name due to Devi (‘goddess’), consort of Shiva, has been worshiped since ancient times: the entire basin is deified in Hinduism and believers carry out a pilgrimage every twelfth year.

· Next to the Valleys of Flower Park, a shrine and a temple can be found, which have also been places of pilgrimage to both Sikhs and Hindus for a long time. Some 400,000 to 500,000 pilgrims visit them every year.

· There is no local population in both park sites, but different communities live in the buffer zone around the parks. Conflicts arose when the establishment of the protected areas led to restrictions of access for the recovery of wildlife, without prior consultation of the local population. Thanks to recent efforts, the situation is improving and some residents  profit from eco-development. Especially eco-tourism is expanding - over 2,000 tourists now visit the park per year.

Climate Change and other Threats

· Risks from climate change to biodiversity in Nanda Devi appear comparatively low: as a result of the mountainous terrain, the distances by which species would have to shift in order to follow changing climatic zones are relatively small.

· However, due to the changing climate, the capacity of plant species richness will increase in coming years, indicating that new species are likely to immigrate to the area. This will have a negative impact on sensitive or less competitive species within the current species pool, such as cold-adapted mountain top species.

· Tourism creates litter problems; therefore garbage management is an important issue.

Valley of flowers National Park

 Valley of flowers National Park

Size: 71,783 ha
Location: eastern Uttaranchal State, western Himalaya, 300 km northeast of Delhi.
Recognized also as: part of the West Himalayan Endemic Bird Area

Dachigam Wildlife Sanctuary Kashmir India

In the present unit, the concept, principles and aims of Dachigam Wildlife Sanctuary conservation have been explained. The need for rational use, restoration, integration and allocation of resources has been stressed. The importance and advantages of conservation are also discussed. Dachigam Wildlife Sanctuary conservation with reference to India is discussed in detail. The main factors which cause wildlife eqtinction are hunting, habitat destruction and predator control. Dachigam Wildlife Sanctuary  has economic, medicinal and recreational value.

They also maintain the ecosystem stability. So there is a strong need for wildlife conservation. To conserve wildlife many acts have been passed and reserve areas created. In India, there are about 412 wildlife sanctuaries; 80 national parks and reserves to conserve wildlife. 'Project Tiger', an operation to conserve the Indian tiger is also discussed in this unit.

Dachigam Wildlife Sanctuary

The rapid decline in the quantity and quality of natural resources has led to a concern for their management and conservation. Natural resources are raw materials obtained or derived from nature. They are classified into renewable and non-renewable resources. Renewable resources are replaced from time to time by natural processes, like multiplication, recycling, etc. They are, in this sense, inexhaustible. Forests, pastures, wildlife and aquatic life come in this category. However, it is necessary to properly plan and manage their use. Non-renewable resources such as minerals, metals, soil, coal, oil deposits, etc., are available in limited amdunts and in no manner can be rebuilt or increased.

If man expects to have a future.on the earth, he must use the resources in the most I prudent manner possible. Dachigam Wildlife Sanctuary Conservation does not mean hoaiding. It means the wise management of resources to provide a continuous supply for a long time into the future. This implies continuous renewal of a resource and recovering, recycling or reusing the products. Dachigam Wildlife Sanctuary Conservation of a natural area means its maintenance in a natural state for the purpose of enjoyment or study in order to understand and appreciate the complexities of ecological laws.

Dachigam Wildlife Sanctuary

Dachigam Wildlife Sanctuary Conservation is a broad concept which involves not only the scientific but ethical, moral, economic and political aspects as well. Dachigam Wildlife Sanctuary Conservation has been variously defined. Conservation for a petroleum engineer is largely minimising of waste from incomplete extrachon and for a forester it may be sustained yield of products. In all
cases, conservation deals with judicious development and manner of use of natural resources of all kinds. A generalised definition of conservation is "the maximisation over time of the net benefits in goods and services from resources". Although it is technologically based, conservation cannot escape socially determined values.

Dachigam Wildlife Sanctuary Conservation may also be defined as the achievement of the highest sustainable quality of living for mankind by the rational utilisation of the environment, protection of nature to enrich the life of man and the control or elimination of environmental pollution in its many manifestations. Conservation advocates practices that yill perpetuate the resources of the earth on which man depends or in whose continued existence he takes an interest. Conservation derives its tenets from a knowledge of ecology, the science concerned with interrelationship between living things and their environment.

Dachigam Wildlife Sanctuary

Principles of Conservation

Dachigam Wildlife Sanctuary Conservation is achieved through measures adopted in favour of a natural resource in order to increase its longevity and improve usage patterns. Some such measure are as follows:

- Rational use of the resouyes is one of the concepts in conservation of natural resources in an essentially undisturbed condition because they are of scientific interest, have aesthetic appeal or have recreational value. Preservation also serves an ecological purpose by maintaining the function of the total environment, for example, protection of forests assures a sustained yield of water into urban reservoirs, and protection of estuaries perpetuates ocean fishery. But rational use is not just preservation. It also implies the direct use of resources for their commodity or recreational value. Thus, harvesting of forest crops, livestock grazing of gr~sslandc, atching fish and hunting wild animals can be considered a legitimate part of the rational use of naiural resources, if they are carried out in such a way that the resource is perpetuated and not endangered.

- Concept of sustained yield is involved in these activities. This means cropping the annual surplus of individuals so as not to endanger the breeding stock of game animals or fish. Similarly, tree cutting or grazing of grass should remove only the annual increment and no more.

- Restoration is another important aspect of conservation. It is a widely familiar conservation measure which is essentially the correction of past careless activities that have impaired the productivity of the resource base. Deforested areas and mined and barren lands can be revegetated with some effort. Depleted animal and plant populations can recover if they are accorded protection.

This measure is familiar in modem soil and water conservation practices applied to agricultural land. Restoration is possible, however, only as long as species are protected and genetic diversity of life is maintained. When species become extinct, the restoration of past conditions become impossible.

Rotection of natural resources from commercial exploitation to prolong their use for recreation, watershed protection, and scientific study. This is the concept underlying the establishment and protection of parks and reserves of many kinds.

- Reutillisation is the reuse of waste materials, as in the use of industrial water after it has been purified and cooled. The same process becomes recycling if the waste material requires minor treatment before it canbe reused, as in the use of scrap iron in steel manufacture.

- Substitution, an important conservation measure, has two aspects: (i) the use of a common resource instead of a rare one when it is for the same purpose, (ii) the use of a renewable rather than a non-renewable resource when conditions permit. Allocation concerns the strategy uf use--the best use of a resource. For many resources and their products, the market price decides as to the use a resource is put, but under certain instances, general welfare may dictate otherwise. The allocation of resources may be controlled by government through the use of
 quotas, rationing and outright permits.

- Allocation concerns the strategy uf use--the best use of a resource. For many resources and their products, the market price decides as to the use a resource is put, but under certain instances, general welfare may dictate otherwise. The allocation of resources may be controlled by government through the use of quotas, rationing and outright permits.

- Integration in resource management is a conservation measure because it maximises over a period of time, the sum of goods and services that can be had from a resource, or a resource complex such as a river valley. This is preferable to maximise certain benefits from a single resource at the expense of other benefits or other resources. Integration is a central objective of planning.

BANDHAVGARH NATIONAL PARK ADVENTURE SPECIES AND WHITE TIGER

Bandhavgarh National Park was recognized as a national Park in the year 1968. Situated in the Umaria district, the park covers an area of 448 sq. km. The Bandhavgarh National  Park has a series of ridges running through it. Initially just 105.40 sq. km. in area, Bandhavgarh with 25 resident tigers, was noted for its high-density tiger population. Today, it has been extended to an area of 437 sq. km. About half the Bandhavgarh National  Park is covered with fine stands of sal, while mixed forests are found in the higher reaches of the hills. Stretches of bamboo and grasslands extend to the north.

The main viewing area is still in the core of the Bandhavgarh National  Park with its 32 picturesque, wooded hills. An ancient fort up on a precipice, 800 metres high, dominates the Park. Bandhavgarh National Park in the Umaria district of Madhya Pradesh is has spellbinding location between the Vindhayas and Satpura mountain ranges. This wetland plateau is the terrain of the beautiful and timid animals to the most ferocious of tigers. This forest was declared as a national park in the year 1968 and then on strenuous efforts have been taken by the government to preserve it. Sal is one tree than can be found in abundance while there are mammoth stretch of Bamboo forest and grasslands.

Bandhavgarh National Park

The lush vegetation provides an excellent opportunity to the animals to hide away from the human gaze. The national park attracts huge amount of tourist participation, a visit to the park will give you a chance to decamp from the prosaic life of the city and towns. Pamper yourself with a little spice in the Nilgai caves excavated from the cliffs to the north of the fort Brahmi inscriptions here date back to the 1st century BC. A hunting reserve of the royal family of Rewa in more recent times, Bandhavgarh was declared a Park in 1968. This is where the famous white tigers of Rewa were discovered. Wandering through the Bandhavgarh National Park on elephant back, the chances of seeing a tiger are quite good. Also to be seen here are nilgai, chausingha, chital, chinkara, wild boar and sometimes a fox or jackal.

Other inhabitants of the Bandhavgarh National  Park include the muntjac, jungle cat, ratel, hyena, porcupine, the rhesus macaque and the black-faced langur. About 150 species of birds are also found here and include the migratory birds that arrive in winter like the steppe eagle and various water-birds. It is possible to climb up to the Bandhavgarh fort for a breathtaking bird's-eye view of the Bandhavgarh National  Park and there is also a small population of black buck that lives here, protected from the predators below.

Bandhavgarh National Park-White Tiger

The forest of Bandhavgarh can be classified as moist deciduous, and the National Park holds all those animal species which are typical of this habitat in Central India. Certain areas of the Bandhavgarh National Park (particularly the south and west) are drier in character, and hold such species as the nilgai and the chinkara. Sal forest occurs throughout the valleys, giving way to mixed forest which occurs where the soil is of relatively poor quality on the upper hill slopes, on rocky outcrops and in the south and west. Grassy meadow patches occur in the valley and along the nalas.

Bandhavgarh National Park-Elephant

There are more than 22 species of mammals and 250 species of birds. Common langurs and rhesus macaque represent the primate group. Carnivores include the Asistic Jackal, Bangal fox, sloth bear,
ratel, grey mongoose, striped hyena, jungle cat, leopard and tiger. The artiodactyls frequently sighted are wild pig, spotted deer, sambar, chausingha, nilgai, chinkara and gaur. Mammals such as dhole, the small Indian civet, palm squirrel and lesser bandicoot rat are seen occasionally. Among the herbivores, gaur is the only coarse feeder.

The vegetation along streams and marshes is rich in birdlife. The common ones are little grebe, egret, lesser adjutant, sarus crane black ibis, lesser whistling teal, white-eyed buzzard, black kite, crested serpent eagle, black vulture, Egyptian vulture, common peafowl, red jungle fowl, dove, parakeet, kingfisher and Indian roller. Reptilian fauna include cobra, krait, viper, ratsnake, python, turtle and a number of lizard varieties, including varanus.

Kanha National Park The Legendary Tiger Of India

Kanha National Park is situated in the eastern part of Madhya Pradesh and has been considered as the best national park in Asia. It covers an area of around 2000 sq. km and is covered by Satpura Ranges. The grasslands are the best place where you spot most of the wildlife. Kanha is famous for Tigers as this is one of the oldest parks to have been included in Tiger Project. A sight of the legendary Sher Khan of Rudyard Kipling's Jungle Book will definitely leave you speechless but Madhya Pradesh is the heart of India and also home of some of finest national parks. Most of the
national parks in Madhya Pradesh are famous for tiger and elephant safari. Below are the list of some of the important national park in Madhya Pradesh.

KANHA NATIONAL PARKS IN MP

There is more to Kanha than tigers. The Kanha National park is also home to the rare Barasingha. Seeing them strutting around, flaunting there antlers like crown on their head is a view of fantasies. Other animals that make Kanha one of the best parks in India are Wild Boar, Gaur, Chital, Indian wolf and many more. The Kanha National park is also a great nesting ground for many birds species. Around 300 species of birds, both resident and migratory have been spotted here. Kanha's sal and bamboo forests, rolling grasslands and meandering streams stretch over 940 sq km in dramatic natural splendour. Wildlife species exists today in Kanha National Park, which forms the core of the Kanha Tiger Reserve created in 1974 under Project Tiger.

Kanha National Park

The Kanha National park is the only habitat of the rare hardground barasingha (Cervus Duvaceli Branderi). In the 1930s, the Kanha area was divided into two sanctuaries: Hallon and Banjar, of 250 sq km and 300 sq km each. Though one of these was subsequently disbanded, the area remained a protected one until 1947. Depletion of the tiger population in the years that followed led to the area being made an absolute sanctuary in 1952. By a special statute in 1955, Kanha National Park came into being. Since then, a series of stringent conservation programmes for the protection of the park's flora and fauna has given Kanha its deserved reputation for being one of the finest and best administered National Parks in Asia, an irresistible attraction for all wildlife lovers and a true haven for its animal and avian population.

Kanha National Park-SPECIES

Some Important Places in Kanha National Park

Bamni Dadar: Known as Sunset Point, this is one of the most beautiful areas of the park, from where a spectacular sunset can be watched. The dense Kanha's forests can best be seen from here. Animals that can be sighted around this point are typical of the mixed forest zone: sambar, barking deer, gaur and the four horned antelope. Mammalian Species: Kanha has some 22 species of mammals. Those most easily spotted are the striped palmsquirrel, common langur, jackal wild pig, chital or spotted deer, barasingha or swamp deer, samhar and blackbuck.

Less commonly seen species are: Tiger, dhole or Indian wild dog, barking deer and Indian bison or gaur. Patient watching should reward the visitor with a sight of Indian fox, sloth bear, striped hyena, jungle cat, panther, mouse deer, chausingha or four-horned antelope, nilgai, Hardground Barasingha is found only at Kanha.

Kanha National Park SPECIES

Very rarely seen are: Wolf, which lives in the far east of the park; chinkara, to be found outside the park's northern boundary; Indian pangolin, the smooth Indian otter and the small Indian civet.

Avian Species: Kanha has some 200 species of birds. Watchers should station themselves in the
hills, where the mixed and bamboo forests harbour many species, and in the grassy forest clearings. Water birds can be seen near the park's many rivulets and at Sarvantal, a pool that is frequented by wafer birds and the area in front of the museum. The sal forests do not normally yield a sight of Kanha's avifauna. Early mornings and late afternoons are best for bird watching; binoculars are an invaluable aid to the watcher.

Madhya Pradesh Amazing Wildlife Adventure In India

As we all knows that Madhya Pradesh is situated at the heart of India. Countless monuments, exquisitely carved temples, stupas, forts and palaces are scattered all over the state. The natural beauty of Madhya Pradesh is equally diverse. Spectacular mountain ranges, meandering rivers and miles and miles of thick forests offering a unique and excellent panorama of wildlife in herbaceous surroundings. Madhya Pradesh is easily accessible from any part of India. Madhya Pradesh is intended to inform the readers about the wild life in Madhya Pradesh. This issue comprehensively covers important wildlife sanctuaries and national parks in MP. I hope that our colleagues in various educational institutions and other friends will find this newsletter useful and also, it would contribute to the public awareness along with a very Happy Holiday.

Kandariya mahadev temple

Madhya Pradesh is virtually a heaven for the wildlife lovers as the state is rich with a huge variety of fauna. There is something magical in the woods of Madhya Pradesh that beckons people here again and again. It is here that one has few of the most spectacular sightings of endangered species in the many celebrated national parks that are scattered throughout the state. Most important parks in Madhya Pradesh are Kanha National Park and Bandhavgarh National Park.

WILDLIFE IN MADHYA PRADESH

The Madhya Pradesh National parks are there, not merely to entertain us but to preserve the precious biodiversity that keeps this world moving forward in a balance thus stabilizes the ecosystem. So a visitor to these amazing lands, should keep in mind the precaution that have to be taken before your trip through the wild. Always follow the rules of the Madhya Pradesh park that ensures your safety as well as the safety of the animals.

Madhya Pradesh

WILDLIFE SANCTUARIES IN MADHYA PRADESH

Madhya Pradesh is a veritable haven for wildlife. In its lush forests, the tiger prowls and the spotted deer, the blue-bull and the gaur roam free. The barasingha has been saved from extinction and its numbers have multiplied in Kanha National Park. The sal and bamboo forests of Kanha, Bandhavgarh, Panna, Pench, Satpura and many other National Parks and Sanctuaries are teeming with all kinds of wildlife and many hundred species of birds. In Madhya Pradesh, the old thrill of the
jungle lives on! One third of the land is forested, offering a unique and exciting panorama of wild life. Especially in the Vindhya-Kaimur and the Satpura and Maikala ranges and the Baghelkhand plateau. The old princely families were enthusiastic "sportsmen".


The great hunting families have given the country its great wildlife parks. The chances of seeing them
in their natural avocations, is higher than anywhere else in the world. The chances of seeing a big cat,
a tiger or lion within naked lens’ reach, are extremely high. And the fact that they are not frightened
of you lets you make observations and take pictures, which only dedicated naturalists could have
hoped for just a decade ago. Kanha and Bandhabgarh national parks have been very famous national
parks around the world. The king of the forest may be easily sighted at Kanha and Bandhavgarh.
Equally at home in the Jungles of Kanha and Bandhavgarh is the Gaur who does not fear the tiger.
Another native is the Barasingha the only swamp deer who has adapted to hard ground.

Madhya Pradesh Wildlife

Chitals (spotted deer) can be sighted in hundreds. Sloth Bear, the leopard and the buffalo are much less common. At times one is surprised that wild life has survived so well despite the decades of
senseless slaughter indulged in by the so-called big game hunters. Many of the princes marked out areas as their personal hunting reserves: Shivpuri near Gwalior for instance, which has served in
recent years as the nucleus of the wild life park and where Madhav National park is particularly rich in many species of deer and famous for its white (albino tic) tigers. Pench National park is also an
upcoming national park in Madhya Pradesh.

Madhya Pradesh is the heart of India and also home of some of finest national parks. Most of the
national parks in Madhya Pradesh are famous for tiger and elephant safari. Below are the list of
some of the important national park in Madhya Pradesh.

Bandhavgarh National Park and Madhya Pradesh Amazing Wildlife

Bandhavgarh National Park and Madhya Pradesh Wildlife

Bandhavgarh National Park (BNP) covers an area of 448.84 sq. km. In view of the importance of tiger conservation in India, Bandhavgarh, which has the highest number of tigers in the world, was given the status of a Tiger Reserve in 1993. However, the area faces competition from people living within the Park and on the periphery for subsistence use and income generation. There is a high resource use overlap due to the various people’s activities inside the Bandhavgarh National Park Park. On the other hand, better protection has led to increased wildlife depredation in the form of crop damage, livestock and human losses to the local population. These humanwildlife conflicts pose major problems, which the Bandhavgarh National Park Park officials have to contend with.

The study sought to understand the degree of dependence of the resident human population on the  Bandhavgarh National Park and Madhya Pradesh Park resources, pressures exerted on the Park as a result of this resource use, the changes that the inclusion in the Bandhavgarh National Park and Madhya Pradesh Park entails for the people, and the interaction between the people and
the Bandhavgarh National Park and Madhya Pradesh Park authorities. A variety of methods were used to achieve this goal.

Bandhavgarh National Park-Madhya Pradesh

The type and degree of people’s dependence was studied mainly through focus group discussion and two-staged sampling of 155 households. Mapping of resource use and forest department surveys were applied to gain information about the Bandhavgarh National Park and Madhya Pradesh Park officials’ perception of resource use, benefits of the Bandhavgarh National Park and Madhya Pradesh Park for the people and the wildlife and potential consequences of resource use by people. Secondary data was referred to with regard to conservation policies and legislations relevant for the Bandhavgarh National Park and Madhya Pradesh Park and management practices.

The study revealed that people residing inside the Bandhavgarh National Park and Madhya Pradesh Park are dependent to a very large extent on the Park resources for subsistence and income generation. The results showed that differences in tenure type did not have a significant impact on the restrictions faced and problems and costs incurred since inclusion in the Park. The pressure mapping of the Park revealed excessive overuse of Park resources by the people and a high degree of resource overlap with the wildlife.

Bandhavgarh National Park and Madhya Pradesh

This is detrimental for the Bandhavgarh National Park and Madhya Pradesh Park and contrary to the conservation objective of the Park. The study revealed that presence of alternatives not only influences people’s acceptance of the PA, which is crucial to ensure the future viability of the PA, but also reduces the dependence of the people on the PA. Therefore, provision of alternative sources of employment are necessary for the long-term survival of the Bandhavgarh National Park and Madhya Pradesh Park.

The study concludes that although relocation of the villages from inside the Park is a policy stipulation, at present its implementation is highly unlikely and the chances of relocation at a future date also appear slim. The contrast between the policy stipulation and reality has led to ambiguous regulations and weak enforcement of existing rules. The uncertainty imposed by the threat of relocation provides an incentive to the local people to overexploit the resource base for short-term benefits, as the people do not know whether they will still be there in the long-term to suffer the costs.

Bandhavgarh National Park and Madhya Pradesh

BNP is the only NP in India where eco-development has been launched in villages inside the Bandhavgarh National Park and Madhya Pradesh Park. This might be in acknowledgement of the problems involved in relocation. More research is, however, needed to assess the success of this initiative and how it compares to policy alternatives like the provision of alternative sources of income outside the Bandhavgarh National Park and Madhya Pradesh  Park. Involvement of the inside villagers in Park management and providing them with a share of the revenues from eco-tourism in the area would also be desirable. This would provide a means for understanding the substantive needs of the local people and give them a personal stake in the condition of the Bandhavgarh National Park and Madhya Pradesh Park. It would also help to build trust between Park authorities and the people, a prerequisite for securing the Park’s future.