RIVERS AND LAKES, MINERAL WEALTH, SOILS
RIVERS AND LAKES
Himachal Pradesh has the privilege of snowfed perennial rivers and rivulets
flowing in almost all parts of the Pradesh. Yamuna, with its important tributaries of
Tons, Pabbar and Giri in the east and Satluj, Beas, Ravi and Chenab in the west
flow through various parts of the Pradesh. Some of the important natural lakes
worth mentioning are Khajjiar, Ghadasasu Lamba Dal, Manimahesh, Mahakali in
Chamba Distt.; Dal, Kareri in Kangra Distt.; Rewalsar, Kumarwah, Prashar in
Mandi district; Bhrigu and Dashahr in Kullu Distt.; Chandratal and Surajtal in
Lahaul & Spiti Distt.; Chandra Naun in Shimla district; and Renuka in Sirmaur
Distt. The man made lakes include Gobind Sagar in Bilaspur district; Pong lake in
Kangra district; Pandoh lake in Mandi district; and Chamera lake in Chamba district.
MINERAL WEALTH
Himachal Pradesh is blessed with mineral wealth. As per investigation of
Geological Survey of India, the minerals available in Himachal Pradesh include
limestone, byrytes, clays, mica, iron pyrites, salt, gypsum, slate, antimony and lead.
The distribution of these minerals is scattered all over the State and includes lime
stone in Bilaspur, Sirmaur and Kangra districts; salt and slates in Mandi District;
gypsum in Rajban, Bharli Sirmour distt.; Lahaul & Spiti and Sapatu in Solan distt.;
byryte in Sirmour, iron ore in Mandi and Kangra; and uranium in Kullu and
Hamirpur districts.
SOILS
The soils of the State can broadly be divided into nine groups on the basis of
their development and physico-chemical properties. These are: (i) alluvial soils, (ii)
brown hill soil, (iii) brown earth, (iv) brown forests soils, (v) grey wooded or
podzolic soils, (vi) grey brown podzolic soils, (vii) planosolic soils, (viii) humus
and iron podzols (ix) alpine humus mountain speletal soils. The soil found in the
districts of Mandi, Kangra, Bilaspur, Una, Solan, Hamirpur and Sirmaur is
generally brown, alluvial and grey brown podzolic, Kullu and Shimla have greywooded
podzolic soils,while Kinnaur, Lahaul and Spiti and some parts of Chamba
district have humus mountain speletal soils
Forests of Himachal Pradesh
Forests are an important resource of Himachal Pradesh. Although the area
classified as "Area under Forest" is 67 percent of the total area of the Pradesh, yet the
effective forest cover is muc h lower than this area, primarily on account of the fact
that a very large area is either alpine meadows or is above the tree line.
Current scenario is described below: -
(Area in Sq. Km.)
1. Geographical area of the State - 55,673 -
2. Area required under forest cover as
per NFP 1988 - 37,115 (Total culturable area under recorded forests is
20657 sq.km. For the purposes of policy
requirements unculturable area forming vital
eco-system and wildlife habitats shall also
have to be considered.)
3. Forest area as per forest record - 37,033
4. Unculturable area - 16,376 (Includes under snow cover, permanent high
altitude pastures, rocky mountains and above
tree line ( unfit for tree growth).
5. Culturable Area - 20,657
6. Very Dense Forest - 1,093 (Requires protection.)
7. Moderately Dense Forest - 7,883 (Requires protection improvement in density.)
8. Open Forest - 5,377 (Requires protection improvement in density.)
9. Balance Culturable Area - 6,304 (Includes scrub, blank areas and areas covered
by plantations, which are not picked up in the
satellite imagery (say post 1980 plantations).
10. Plantations (Post 1980 till 2000-05) - 6,557 (Assumed to be fully surviving and left out of the satellite imagery.)
11. Area under Scrubs 389 Requires conversion into useful forests.
In view of the above scenario, category wise break up for the area in Himachal
Pradesh is as under:
CATEGORY AREA IN SQ.
KM.
Total Geographical Area. - 55,673
Area under management with the Forest Department. - 37,033
Area under alpine pasture including under permanent snow - 16,376
Balance area. - 20,657
Area over which forests can be raised/tree cover can be provided/
density can be increased. - 13,007
As per latest State Forest Report of FSI, an area of 14,353 sq. km. is actual
forest cover. This is constituted by 1,093 sq. km. of very dense forests, 7,883 sq. km.
moderately dense and 5,377 sq. km. with open forests. In addition to this, 389 sq. km.
area has been described as scrubs.
Forest wealth of Himachal Pradesh is estimated at over Rs. 1,00,000 crore. Most
of precious coniferous forests are of such nature that these cannot be truly regenerated
by human beings if these are cut once. The State Government has imposed a complete
ban on commercial felling and the only removals from the forests are either by way of
timber distribution rights to the people or salvage extraction. Even the royalty from
the silviculturally harvestible volume according to working plan prescriptions would
presently be annually worth over Rs. 250 crore. However, the State Govt. has been
denied of this financial resource for about two decades, primarily for preserving the
fragile Himalayan ecology and environment to serve the national interests.
Churdhar Peak
Churdhar Sanctuary is situated on the Churdhar Peak in Sirmaur District, of Himachal Pradesh and lies at an altitude varying from 2000 m to 3647 m. Churdhar peak is the highest peak in outer Himalayas. It is like an Oasis of Alpine area in an ocean of temperate forests.
The views from Churdhar peak are astounding The sanctuary got its name from the Churdhar Peak, on the top of which sits a majestic statue of Lord Shiva. One is sure to come across a large number of multi-colored and agile Monals in the adjoining forests.
The total covered area of this sanctuary is 5616 hectares and this was notified on 15th November 1985. This is one of the newest sanctuaries of the State.
Various birds and animals that can adapt themselves to the cold climatic conditions of the Himalayan mountains, reside in this sanctuary.
Trekking
This is an excellent area for trekking during summer and early winters. Trekking from Nohra, Sarain and Pulbahal are tough but enjoyable.
How to get there
The sanctuary can be reached from Dadahu (48 km away), the headquarters of Renuka tehsil, via Sangrah, Bhawai, Gandhuri and Naura through a bridle path. It can also be easily approached by the Solan Rajgarh road.
Shikari Devi
Shikari Devi is a picturesque valley with forested mountainsides sloping down from ridgelines. It’s dotted with pretty flower- bedecked meadows. The British wanted to develop the area as a hill retreat but the Raja of Mandi did not approve of their plan. The abode of Goddess Shikari stands atop the highest point in the area. Legends aver that the Pandavas built the temple while wandering in the Himalayas during their exile. Arjun apparently saw a deer in the forest below the ridge but, surprisingly, failed in his attempt to bring down the animal. Realising that the deer must be a manifestation of some divine power, the brothers prayed to the divine power to reveal itself. Navdurga appeared before them and asked the brothers to install her at an appropriate place. The Pandavas then built a temple for the goddess on the peak, and she came to be known as Shikari Devi, the Goddess of the Hunt.
The temple is roofless. According to local lore, the goddess does not permit construction of a roof and all attempts in this direction have failed given the strong winds that buffet the peak. Animal sacrifice is practised at the temple. During the navratras, a fair is held here, which attracts a large number of devotees from the surrounding valleys.
This easy trek can be completed at a leisurely pace in three to four hours. The walk is shaded and is mostly on a jeepable road. From the top, at Shikari Devi (2,950m), several options are available. One can come back by the same route or go down south-west to Devidhad. Or descend south to Chindi/ Bakhrot to reach Karsog Valley from where one can board a bus to Mandi or Shimla. It is also possible to trek to Kamru Nag from Shikari Devi and then trek down to Rohanda on the Karsog-Mandi Road. Alternatively, you can descend to Janjheli (1,900m) from Kamru Nag. All these are one-day treks.
Prof. Prem Kumar Dhumal
Prof. Prem Kumar Dhumal born to Capt. Mahant Ram and Smt. Phulmu Devi on 10.04.1944 in the Samirpur Village of Hamipur District, is married to Smt. Sheela Dhumal. They have two sons, Arun & Anurag - who is also an MP and the President of HPCA. Prof. Dhumal, having started his career as an Assistant with the Life Insurance Corporation of India, has climbed to the summit to be the Chief Minister with sheer hard work and single-mindedness of the purpose. Prof. Dhumal is a multi-faceted personality, he is an academician and having completed his Post Graduation in English literature and a degree in Law, while, first working with LIC and later as a teacher with the Panjabi University Evening College Jalandhar and then Doaba College, Jalandhar city. He is a politician but a true human being first, which has its bearings from the days when he was learning the finer points of politics as an office bearer of the Punjab and Chandigarh College teachers union. His political career has also started from ground Zero i.e. from an ordinary party worker, then as an office bearer of the Bhartiya Janta Yuva Morcha to the State BJP party President in 1993. He has been a 3 time MP and 3rd time MLA. In 1998, when he was first elected to the State Vidhan Sabha, he became the Chief Minister of Himachal Pradesh. This is his 2nd tenure as the Chief Minister of the state.
Prem Kumar Dhumal is the current. He was sworn in on 30 December 2007.
He is also a Bharatiya Janata Party MP in the Lok Sabha from Hamirpur, Himachal Pradesh Parliamentary constituency. He was earlier the chief minister of Himachal Pradesh from March 1998 to March 2003. He was elected to Lok Sabha previously in 1989 and 1991. He also served as the leader of opposition in state legislative assembly of Himachal Pradesh before winning the Lok Sabha bypoll in 2007
