Prof Dimri suggests academic structure

Slug: Proposed Himalayan study centre

Jotirmay Thapliyal

Tribune News Service

Dehradun, November 30

With the Central Government announcing setting up of Centre for Himalayan Study in Uttarakhand in the backdrop of the Kedarnath disaster, a noted scientist with several decades of experience in working in the Himalayan region, Padma Shri Dr VP Dimri, has suggested an academic structure for the proposed centre.

Towards putting an end to confusion regarding the structure of the proposed Centre for Himalayan Study, several other noted institutions based in the state being engaged in studies of the Himalayas, Dr Dimri has suggested an academic structure for the centre. These are the first structural suggestions for the proposed centre ever since the Union Budget 2014-15 announced setting up of Centre For Himalayan Study in Uttarakhand.

Dimri’s academic structure for the proposed Centre For Himalayan Study broadly divides the centre into four sections, namely Earth Science, Climate, Hydrology and Environment. While all the four sections are interlinked with Geographical Information System and Remote Sensing, the earth sciences section has been sub-divided into Geology, Geophysics and Seismology. The climate section has been sub-divided into Meteorology and Glaciology sub-sections. Further, Hydrology has been sub-divided into Water Resources and Civil Construction. The Environment section has been sub-divided into Ecology and Biodiversity.

Dimri, whose suggestions on the proposed Centre for Himalayan Study have been published in the latest issue of science journal Current Science, has also revealed that while several noted institutions like Wadia Institute of Himalayan Geology and GB Pant Institute of Himalayan Environment and Development are actively involved in research related to natural resources and disaster in the Himalayan region, the theme “mountain hydro-resource" has a small component of the mandate of all these institutions. It is important that the Centre emphasises on the aspect of mountain hydro resource, he has stated.

“It is expected that the proposed Centre For Himalayan Study intends to build capacity and expertise in this core area of natural disaster and mountain water resource management involving various disciplines,” Dimri points out.

Stating that setting up of the Centre For Himalayan Study reveals seriousness of the policymakers and proactive initiative on the Centre's part, Prof Dimri asserted that the Centre should act as a repository for various databases that can be accessed for planning and sustainable development of the region.

“Biodiversity, ecology, social and economic changes in the Himalayan terrain of Uttarakhand and adjoining regions need to be understood in detail. The proposed Centre of Himalayan Study will certainly go a long way in accomplishing this,” Dimri observed.