Pauri Garhwal District

Uttarakhand braces itself for dry days
More than 1000 villages of the state are expected to be affected by a severe water crisis. Posted on 20 Apr, 2018 08:09 PM

Lokesh Verma, a farmer from Nainital’s Chanfi village, says this is the third year in a row that he is bearing losses in agriculture. “I have lost around Rs 2 lakh and there’s a debt of Rs 70,000 to pay off. I grow strawberries, guavas and peas in my 15 bighas of land, but there is not enough water in the hills to irrigate crops properly,” he says.

Lokesh Verma at his farm. (Pic courtesy: 101Reporters)
Authority bans sale of packaged drinking water without BIS mark
Policy matters this week: FSSAI declares no selling of packaged drinking water without BIS mark; President gives nod to Maharashtra groundwater bill; Govt opposes tribals way of cultivation. Posted on 02 Feb, 2014 10:07 PM

No sale of packaged drinking water without BIS mark: FSSAI

Packaged drinking water (Source: Ricardo Bernando)
Small schemes, big impact
Local knowledge, low cost technology, community participation and maximum conservation of available water from natural sources have helped increase available water in Pauri Garhwal. Posted on 13 Jan, 2014 01:54 PM

Despite being endowed with adequate rainfall, most parts of the Himalayas are considered water-stressed for both agricultural and domestic purposes. This is mainly due to the seasonality of precipitation, which is concentrated to the monsoon months. It remains dry for rest of the year.

A recharge pit under construction (Source: HIMCON)
Tehri dam nears danger mark
News this week - Tehri dam nears danger mark, Supreme Court stops dams in Uttarakhand and Maharashtra allows coal mining near rivers Posted on 19 Aug, 2013 02:33 AM

Water level in Tehri dam near danger mark

Tehri dam in lean season
Sacchidanand Bharti - in his own words
The environmental conservation efforts in Ufrenkhal have been written about for nearly three decades but always by others. Here is the story in the protagonist's own words. Posted on 15 Jul, 2013 07:12 PM

Reams have been written about Sacchidanand Bharti, of Ufrenkhal fame and his work on afforestation and water conservation. However, very rarely does he speak about his own efforts and experiences.

Sacchidanand Bharti in the Ufrenkhal forest
Celebrating Uttarakhand
The Uttarakhand Himalayas are home to several small but significant attempts by locals to conserve the region's forest and water resources. Posted on 17 Jun, 2013 05:14 PM

Throughout history, the Uttarakhand Himalayas have been a source of timber and water to the rest of the nation. However, this has led to severe depletion of resources in the state. Today, the mountain communities find it hard to meet their basic needs of fodder, fuel and water.

Soil and water conservation rejuvenates forests
A village creates magic…and a river!
Sukha Raula (dry ravine) to Gad Ganga – the transformation in Ufrenkhal Posted on 30 Apr, 2013 09:23 AM

Ufrenkhal – the village
Driving towards Ufrenkhal, a village in Pauri Garhwal (Uttarakhand), I see a lush, green mountain covered with deodar, banj and utees trees. Little did I realize that this diverse and dense forest, which is alive with wildlife, is very new. 40 years ago, this vast area was a firing range!

Ufrenkhal in Uttarakhand
A toilet that loves the environment: A film by the Himalaya Seva Sangh highlighting Uttarakhand's experience with eco-san toilets
This article describes a short film 'Parisar Snehi Shauchalaya' produced by the Himalaya Seva Sangh. This film describes the HSS' experiences with constructing and promoting eco-san toilets in the Pauri-Garhwal region of Uttarakhand. Posted on 03 Feb, 2013 03:43 PM


The Himalayas are inhabited by 40 million people, most of whom are dependent on agriculture and animal husbandry. The prevalent water scarcity also means a lack of water for sanitation. In this case, both open defecation and conventional sewerage pose a health risk. Conventional toilets not only consume a lot of water, but the effluent also pollutes groundwater.

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