Decentralisation in India Critical Issues from the Field

This book incorporates an in-depth and detailed study of glacial and fluvial processes and forms of Lidder Valley, Kashmir. The characteristic landscape features and their ensemble are sought to be explained in a supple, pliant and lucid manner through the application of an empirical and genetic approach. Such an approach also includes the evaluation of mass balances estimates of existing glaciers, a detailed systematic analysis of different erosional and depositional features of glacial and fluvial landscape and reconstruction of palace geographic landscape from fossil flora. Pollen analysis of exposed glacial bog sediment, and Lichenometric and geomorphologic evidences, also contribute to the paleographic landscape reconstruction. Besides incorporating data from diverse sources like hydrology, geology and climatology, the author has proposed some models in each of the nine chapters of the book. Reflecting a critical and creative synthesis of some recent research in the Himalayas, the present work becomes unique in this respect and possible the first of its kind. The study will prove to be of immense interest to glaciologists, glacial geomorpholgists, land-sat image and remote sensing specialists, hydrologists, flood-management experts and environmentalists.