n Uttranchal to trek the govt levies 60 INR per head for trekking and 50 INR per night if you have tents. I have heard that in Kumaon region its 50 INR and in Gharwal its 100 INR.

There is some confusion and forest officials are charging people as per their wish and whims- area of confusion is on porters and ponies. Above mentioned charges also includes porters you hire, so you have to pay for every head which is for you on trek in Kumaon Himalayas. Not only for tent/day you also will be charged for ponies and charge is per pony per day.

I think one should leave settlement of these issues to your guide / agency you trek with because they will ask for receipt for amount they pay.

This whole new development is in name of Global Warming and ECO-TOURISM and I am sure we will be having security, information and help in Kumaon in our future treks.

The Amarnath yatra from the traditional Pehalgam route is likely to be further delayed as it is still found to be unviable for trekking.

The Pahalgam Development Authority (PDA) entrusted with the task of opening the track has also submitted its report to the chairman of board. The report indicates in particular that the Wavbal-Mahagunas stretch (13-16 km) on the traditional route is still under snow which is being cleared by labourers stationed at Sheshnag. There are certain snow avalanches that are being cleared.

While the Sheshnag sector (11-12 km) is partially under snow, the langar site is fully under snow. As a result of the snow conditions, the necessary logistical facilities in terms of pre-fab huts, tentage, langars and toilets were yet to be provided.

A special team of the Jawahar Institute of Mountaineering (JIM), which had left Pahalgam on a reconnaissance mission of the Chandanwari-Holy Cave track on June 16, has submitted its report to Governor NN Vohra, who is chairman of the shrine board. The report stresses the need for making foolproof medical and other logistical arrangements before the commencement of the yatra on the traditional route.

Following the receipt of both reports, Vohra held discussions with the chiefs of the police, CRPF, CID and other officers concerned last evening and thereafter asked his principal secretary and chief executive officer of the board, BB Vyas, to visit the Chandanwari-Holy Cave area, along with a team of senior Officers of the state government agencies concerned and undertake a critical assessment of the on-ground situation.

A spokesperson said snow accumulation at the Sheshnag camp continued to be a challenging task. He added that the stretch of the track in the Wavbal-Mahagunas area was fully under snow while the continuous inclement weather had hampered the track-clearance work.

SOURCE: TRIBUNE INDIA

You may not believe it. In this western Bastar region exists a huge hilly forest tribal area — nearly the size of Goa — where Indians and foreigners have not been allowed for the past three decades.

Welcome to Abujhmar. The Naxal-controlled inaccessible and the so-called ‘liberated zone’ in Narayanpur district, bordering Andhra Pradesh and Maharashtra. The Government of India’s writ does not run here. About 60 km from Naryanpur, Orcha is the north-eastern fringe of Abujhmar.

Seemingly virgin country, the tribals are still living a primitive life, like some Andaman and Nicobar Island tribes, with no connection with the civilisation.

Some days ago, the BJP-ruled state government decided to open doors of this mystery land for the common man. The aim was to find out what the Maoists were up to.

Former Miss Universe Sushmita Sen, some years ago, was denied entry in Abujhmar when she wanted to shoot for a soft drink ad film.

Women in Abujhmar and many other Bastar areas wear a one-piece dress called ‘kosti’. Many of them even prefer to go topless.

‘Abujhmar’ is said to be that land whose mystery none could solve. ‘Abujh’ in local language means ‘unknown’ and ‘mar’ means ‘hills.’ So, the Abujhmarias means “people of the unknown or little known hills.”

The Abujhmarias are mainly Maria, Murias and Halbas tribals. The Naxals have brainwashed them by telling them that the government deliberately calls them ‘Abujh’ (idiots) and ‘mar’ (land) - the land of idiots.

The Chhattisgarh government is clueless about the kind of life the tribals are living in Abujhmar, and about their population, religion, social and economic status. There are no land revenue records of the villages.