ENERGY USE PATTERN IN RELATION TO WATERSHED MANAGEMENT

Abstract

AN ATTEMPT HAS BEEN MADE TO STUDY THE EFFECT OF A WATERSHED MANAGEMENT PROJECT ON ENERGY CONSUMPTION PATTERN IN SHIWALIK FOOTHILL VILLAGE IN HARYANA STATE. THE PROJECT HELPED THE VILLAGERS TO REDUCE THEIR DEPENDENCY ON FUELWOOD FOR DOMESTIC USE AND THERBY REDUCTION IN INDISCRIMINATE CUTTING OF TREES. THIS HAPPENED BECAUSE OF INCREASE IN DUNG PRODUCTION IN THE VILLAGE AS A RESULT OF STALL FEEDING OF ANIMALS AND CHANGE IN THE COMPOSITION OF ANIMAL POPULATION IN FAVOUR OF BUFFALOES FROM GAOTS. GRAZING THE ANIMALS IN THE COMMUNITY FOREST AREA WAS STOPPED VOLUNTARILY AFTER THE FORMATION OF HILL RESOURCE MANAGEMENT SOCIETY. BESIDES ANALYZING THE FAMILY FUELWOOD REQUIREMENT ON THE BASIS OF SOCIO- ECONOMIC PARAMETERS USING MULTIPLE REGRESSION APPROACH , THE PAPER ALSO OUTLINES THE POTENTIALS OF DEVELOPING THE USE OF GOBAR GAS FOR REDUCING THE DEPENDENCY ON COMMERCIAL AS WELL AS CONVENTIONAL NON- COMMERCIAL SOURCES OF ENERGY.