Japanese knowhow to help Sikkim monitor and mitigate slide zones

GANGTOK, 06 Aug: Sikkim will soon see the application of some hi-tech equipment and analysis in the development of mitigation measures for chronic landslides zones throughout the state. While still in the initial stages of implementation, the Land Revenue department is getting ready, with the help of experts from Japan, to study and monitor one landslide zone with such applications as a pilot project.
The department has set up a committee for this ‘pilot project’ to study the selected slide zone of Chisopani along the national highway near Singtam. This is a multi-disciplinary committee headed by Joint Director, Land Revenue, instituted to analyse the cause of this landslide and come up with and recommend preventive measures. This 13-member multidisciplinary committee will be familiarized with the concept as well as with the instruments to monitor landslides; subsequently, the committee members will become ‘Trainers to other Trainees’ to guide the study and monitoring of landslides across Sikkim if the pilot project succeeds.
Officials inform that this is per an agreement with representatives from Japan. An Indo-Japan training cum workshop was held in 2011-12 regarding landslide and disaster management during which it was agreed by the visiting officials to provide technology, expertise as well as required instruments to study and monitor landslides in the state. This workshop was held in the aftermath of the earthquake of 18 September 2011 which had triggered numerous landslides throughout the state of Sikkim leaving many homeless apart from claiming many lives.
Officials inform that the Japanese had introduced to them certain applications and instruments by which landslides could be monitored following which preventive measures could be developed.  
The Chisopani slide zone was selected for the pilot study as it is easily accessible for officials as well as visiting Japanese experts without having to travel too much into the interiors of the state. Study of the slide has not yet commenced as the department is awaiting the instruments to arrive from Japan. The committee members also need to be first trained on the use and application of the instruments so that they can later train others on the use of the such instruments. Later, it is envisaged that the chronic landslide zones in the state will each be studied after which mitigation measures suited to that particular area can be taken up.  
Among others, the committee also has a central government representative from Disaster Management, engineers from Irrigation and Roads & Bridges departments; representatives from BRO, Mines & Geology and IT specialists as well.

Pilot project on ‘Artemisia Annua’, a medicinal plant, on the anvil

36 FARMERS FROM ALL FOUR DISTRICTS SELECTED FOR THE PROJECT
ANUSHA GURUNG
GANGTOK, 20 Jan: A meeting on cultivation of Artemisia Annua, a medicinal plant, in consultation with the Council for Socio-Economic and Environmental Research [CSER], Guwahati, was held at the Forest Department conference hall at Deorali today.
The meeting was attended by the Chief Consultant, Arindam Choudhary and Coordinator Gunamani Das, from CSER Guwahati, PCCF-cum-Secretary, ST Lachungpa and Joint Director, Karma Legshey.
In his presentation, Mr Choudhary mentioned that the climate of Sikkim is best suitable for growing Artemisia Annua and can be successfully cultivated by the farmers. He further informed that the project proposal was also discussed with the Project Director and it has been decided to implement this project in Sikkim as a pilot project with the approval of the State Government. A meeting with selected farmers from four districts regarding the project was held on 10 January, he informed.
The Chief Consultant, speaking on his organization informed that it was a semi-governmental non-profitable organization working for the promotion, cultivation and marketing of medicinal and aromatic plants throughout the North Eastern states.
“We have selected a total number of 36 farmers from all the four districts including 15 farmers from North, 6 from South, 10 from East and 5 from West Sikkim and we need support from all sides,” he said.
Mr Choudhary also stated that there is a lack of marketing in Sikkim, so the CSER will be focusing on that.
“The main objective is establishment of herbal garden, demonstration unit and experimental trial plots of some selected medicinal and aromatic plants having high market value which can be taken up for commercial cultivation in the North East Region,” he added.
CSER Coordinator, Ms Das mentioned that the organization has chosen Artemisia Annua especially for the State of Sikkim as the climate here is more suitable for this plant in comparison to other medicinal plants.
It is a short-day [requiring long periods of darkness] temperate plant, which requires cold winters and moderate summers and is a cash crop with industrial importance and export potentiality with less investment involved in cultivation, she further mentioned.
She also shared that the main objective of the organization is to promote the cultivation of this medicinal plant in Sikkim as it is fast gaining importance as a source of drugs against choloroquin [quinine] resistant malaria and cerebral malaria.