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10. Nature and Society in Himachal Pradesh,
A Study in Ecology and Sustainability, R.S. Pirta,
Shipra Publications,
New Delhi
Price Rs. 495

The aim of this report is to present the existing state of the selective social and environmental issues in the northwest Himalaya as perceived by the people including scientists, politicians, planners and other intelligentsia. the first half of the report explains the major issues and problems in the three chapters: life and its support system, ecology and sustainability, and social aspects of water, forest and land. The second half of the report introduces some approaches and solutions related to sustainable development. Beginning with the diversity of views it is followed by the study of cooperative relationships in three scenarios-the primate societies, the natives of Himalaya and the institution of deity. In the holistic approach, socio-cognitive factors are very important and require a fine balance of myth and reality. This is particularly true for Himachal Pradesh where myth and reality are live in the institutions of the deity. These institutions integrate physical, social and mental aspects of the nature and society in human psyche where sustainable way of life flourishes. If the people of Himachal Pradesh do not want to enlarge their habitat, they may do it at a great risk. Perhaps they do not have enough power to stop the others to graze their habitat. In this sense niche for modern human beings is only beneficial if they take benefit of the cognitive evolution and take a route from generalists to specialists. People of Himachal Pradesh may choose to remain specialists but they will have to import experts, as is the present scenario. The cost is very heavy. Socially, the people are classified as poor, less developed and some times a burden of the more developed.

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