Environment and Traditional Knowledge Systems of Uttarakhand

Abstract

Today the whole world is struggling with the environmental polution. Every part of the globe is facing the consequences of the fast degrading environment in the form of extreme weather conditions and natural disasters. India is also reeling under the inevitable danger of nature’s fury. Uttarakhannd is no exception, as the environmental degradation is graddully damaging its precious natural resources. The day is not very far when we will be left devoid of such treasure gifted by the nature. We should not take it for granted and come forward to conserve and protect it. The only way out is going back to our roosts in terms of traditional knowledge systems, as our ancestors have devised ways to deal with all kinds of problems in their own way. The region is treasure house of such knowledge, which is on the verge of extinction due to our empathy and ignorance. Dirrerent factors like-over exploitation of natural resources due to rapid population growth, increasing trend of consumarism, forrest clearance for construction activities like roads, dams etc. and other factors are posing a danger to the ecology of this hilly region and as a result, the region is losing its natural wealth at rapid pace. Its ecology is suffering from adverse changes. Its econology is suffereing from the adverse changes, the region is going through. The region is rich in Traditional Knowledge Sysems (TKS), but sadly it is being replaced with modern knowledge systems, which leave negative impacts on the environment. But in my view, if we resort to the Traditional Knowledge Systems of the region, we can get rid of the problems and we can successfully replenish the over exploitation of resources, and TKS can play a significant role in conserving and protecting the environment.