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Legalisation of Non-Narcotic use of Cannabis (Hemp) in Himachal: Policy in Making

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Cannabis Legalizatoin in Himachal Pradesh 2019

Shimla-A policy for the cultivation of Cannabis (Hemp) in Himachal Pradesh could see the light of the day as the government has hinted at legalizing it for non-narcotic use. The Excise and Taxation Department, HP, is framing a policy on the lines of neighbouring state Uttarakhand to legalize the cultivation of cannabis for the production of life-saving medicines and some other limited number of industrial products. It was confirmed by Sanjay Kundu, the Principal Secretary, HP Excise and Taxation Department recently.

Advocate Deven Khana, a resident of Shimla, has been fighting a long legal battle in the state high court. The High Court had already given a green light and directed the government to take the final decision time and gain. However, the state government has been seeking time for the past two years in the Court. In the last order of the High Court, eight-week time was given by the division bench headed by Hon’ble Chief Justice Surya Kant and again by the bench headed by Justice V Ramasubramanian (both now justices of Hon’ble Supreme Court). The petition has been heard by 4 different benches of the Hon’ble High Court i.e 8 judges, all have agreed with the submissions and have asked the state to take action.

Advocate Deven Khanna, a resident of #Shimla, currently practicing at the State High Court of HimacahlPradesh is…

Posted by Himachal Watcher on Wednesday, 24 July 2019

However, now, it is being speculated that ahead of government’s Global Investor Meets, some foreign countries have shown interest in procuring cannabis as raw material from the state for production of medicines, research, and other products.

There is a possibility that the government would consider approving this policy in the cabinet meeting to be held in November before the Investors Meet.  If legalized, this step would offer an alternative source of income to the people of rural areas like Malana, which are currently infamous for narcotic use of cannabis.

UP has already become the first state to sanction a research and development (R&D) project on cannabidiol (CBD) and tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), compounds found in cannabis. The same direction has been given by the state high court of Himachal Pradesh.

Earlier, unawareness and lack of education regarding the difference between hemp and recreational cannabis and the political link between the two, the topic of legalization had been facing criticism and state was missing a big opportunity to cash on it. Himachal Watcher (HW) had published a detailed report to clear this misunderstanding.

It’s available here. HW has also highlighted the fact as to how the legalization of hemp cultivation could revolutionize the economy of the state. 

The petition further states that the goal of such a policy would be to ultimately reduce the availability of narcotic cannabis plant to the drug market and instead make it available for non-narcotic purposes to our scientists, doctors, industrial leaders and farmers. Further, the drug problem will be checked If industrial hemp or low THC plant is grown as it will reduce the potency of wild cannabis (which is high in THC) due to cross-pollination (this has been tried in other countries and backed by research in the petition).

Must Watch: Impact of Hemp Legalisation in Himachal Advocate Deven Khanna, a resident of #Shimla, had filed a petition in the HP High Court, seeking directions to the State Government to legalise hemp cultivation in #HimachalPradesh. Owing to his battle for the legalisation, the court also gave a green signal. He created awareness among people in villages, and now a large number of panchayats are supporting him in this campaign. You must listen to Deven speaking why he is perusing a vigorous fight to legalise hemp cultivation in the State. "When the laws are more dangerous than the drug itself, a fight for civil liberties becomes necessary Stopping research and science are not only unconstitutional but a crime against evolution. The petition seeks to open the market for medical and commercial use of cannabis in the Himalayas so that the locals have some alternative source of income, patients have access to effective natural medicines, making available biodegradable alternatives to plastic," he says. #HempLegalisation #Hemp #Cannabis #CannabisLegalisations #Himachal #HPGovt

Posted by Himachal Watcher on Friday, 22 March 2019

Other Details Regarding the Petition Filed in the State High Court

Approx 8000 pages of research have been submitted from the past 2 years in the High Court and with the State government by the Petitioner Advocate.
  1. The research includes 60 peer review ‘medical hemp studies’,
  2. Comparative analysis of ‘ market projections of industrial hemp’ by various companies and foreign Governmental bodies,
  3. Projected profits for farmers, Government, and Companies for Himachal Pradesh,
  4. Comparative analysis of laws of various countries (like Canada Israel, USA, South Africa, Mexico, etc),
  5. licensing terms and conditions of different countries,
  6. Testimonials of patients especially those who suffer from cancer and epilepsy who need immediate help,
  7. The research of Indian research institutes like AYUSH, CSIR, etc,
  8. The text from Indian scriptures and mention in Ayurveda of the plant and its recorded medicinal usage from past centuries.

 

The petition states that by making Non-Narcotic use of the plant, dependent upon the Government’s discretion (through Section 10 of NDPS), makes it incumbent upon the government to take a reasonable and a rational decision. By not taking the decision, the State is violating fundamental rights and is also hampering the economic and commercial growth of the society. The Non-Narcotic use for medicines and economically/ecologically viable products has the potential of revolutionizing the economy of the State, and better the lives of people suffering from various diseases.

The petition extensively quotes various sections of the NDPS Act 1985 and its interpretation by the courts of law. The petition also goes through cases of various countries involving medicinal use of cannabis and its industrial applications where the courts have declared them to be a matter of right for citizens.

After hearing the petition and the arguments, in its  order dated 01.2018, it was directed by the Division Bench of the Hon’ble High Court that:

“Based on scientific data, writ petitioner points out that perhaps if the Executive were to rationally formulate a policy and also effectively implement the provisions of Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substance Act, also with the genetic modification of the plants of cannabis, not only there would be rapid economic growth checking problem of unemployment in the rural areas, but would also reduce pollution. In fact, the larger public interest would be served with the use of the extract of the genetically modified plants for health purposes. The end product of the cannabis plants, which thus far, rather notoriously, has been used as a psychotropic substance, with proper regulation, sensitization and awareness, can be used for advancement of industrial economic growth and betterment of life of such of those persons, who in particular are suffering from cancer and neurological disorder. Perhaps, it is in this backdrop that the Central Government has also made an endeavour to formulate a policy, which is commonly known as the National Fiber Policy, 2010. The writ petitioner also points out the extensive research, so carried out by him, indicating the change in the trend, throughout the world, of putting the end product of a genetically modified plant, for medical use.”

 

Then in an order dated 07.2018 in it was directed by the Division Bench of the Hon’ble High Court that;

 

“Para 20, (ii). Government may also consider hiring services of some Research Agencies, who in turn may advise/recommend alternate use, especially medicinal use, if any, of cannabis plant grown in the State of Himachal Pradesh, so that local residents, involved in illegal trade of cannabis, are encouraged to use cannabis plants for producing some medicines or other substance which can be used legally.”

 

Then in an order dated 07.2018 in it was directed by the Division Bench of the Hon’ble High Court  again directed;

“The matter has been adjourned from time to time to enable the State Government to revisit the whole issue, take a holistic view and come out with a new policy decision. Various stakeholders and subject experts are stated to have been consulted in the process of decision making. On 23rd April 2019, the petitioner also has filed/supplied voluminous record along with DVD, containing relevant material on the issue to the State Authorities. Learned Senior Additional Advocate General seeks and is granted more time for the final decision. We have no reason to doubt that the competent Authority shall consider the entire material, including one supplied by the petitioner before taking a final decision in the matter. It shall be appreciated if the decision is taken within a period of eight weeks.”

The petition in the High Court of Himachal Pradesh is seeking two things:

1. Cultivation of Industrial Hemp (or a Non-Narcotic Plant) , about 0.3% – 1.5% THC

2. Collection by Government of Wild Himalayan Cannabis Plant, 5% – 10% or more THC (Tetrahydrocannabinoids, the intoxicating ingredients that makes you high)

Hemp and Marijuana both come from the same plant – Cannabis Sativa L. The term ‘Hemp’ commonly refers to the industrial/commercial use of the cannabis stalk and seed for textiles, foods, papers, body care products, detergents, plastics, and building materials.

The term ‘marijuana’ refers to the medicinal, recreational use involving the smoking of cannabis flowers. Industrial Hemp can not be used as a recreation drug.

Industrial hemp is a nonpsychoactive verity of cannabis which can be used for 50000 commercial products, as it does not contain THC  (narcotic compound) it can be grown like any other crop. It can be grown in rotation with apple. It grows in a cycle of 90 to 120 days and can be used to make paper (which saves cutting of trees) and bio-plastic, fibre and medicines, etc.

 Not only is Industrial Hemp useful for economically viable raw material, but it also prevents the growth of high THC plant.

The petition further states that if farmers have this alternative source of income, it will provide them with a choice of making money through the legal means,  and it will prevent them to falling pray at the hands of the illicit drug market for quick money.

The second part of the petition deals with collecting wild Himalayan cannabis and using it for medicinal purposes, as it is all on govt land or forest land, the government can collect it That wild-growing cannabis plant thus can be collected and supplied as raw material (its stock for fibre, its seeds as medicine) to industries and stakeholders. This will not only reduce the availability of the plant for drug use, but it would also generate income for the villagers (who collect) and commercial units.

Summary of Relief Sought from the High Court

First, the government should define industrial hemp (based on the percentage of THC) and authorize the cultivation and possession of industrial hemp by creating an advisory board or commission.

The petition also appeals to facilitate the cultivation, processing, and use of only industrial and medical hemp, so that the public could receive is commercial and medical benefits.

The petition seeks to authorize a state licensing or registration program for growers and seed breeders. The state departments should be allowed to collect funds for research programs, said the petition.

The government can promote research and support the development of markets for industrial and medical hemp.

The court can direct the government to collect important information on industrial and medicinal hemp to further make regulations/guidelines on easy access to open industries, scientific research labs, and institutes for Industrial and medicinal hemp use.

(The post was first published in https://lawumbrella.wordpress.com/ )

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PIL Filed in HP High Court Re-Ignites Quest for Recognizing Pahari (Himachali) as Hill State’s Official Language

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pil in hp high court for himachali pahari language 3

Shimla- November 10, 2021, Himachal Pradesh High Court on Monday passed an order concerning a public interest litigation (PIL) seeking to recognize Pahari (Himachali) as an official language of the state. The petition also sought effective steps on the part of the government to preserve and promote the Pahari language in the State as its culture and language give it a distinct identity. 

The Public Interest Litigation was filed by Arsh Dhanotia with a prayer that the state be directed to declare Pahari (Himachali) as one of the official languages in the State of Himachal Pradesh in any script and also promote further research towards a long-term formal Pahari (Himachali) nuclear language structure and nuclear Tankri script.

Bhawani Pratap Singh Kutlahria, the advocate for the petitioner, argued in the court that the State Government be directed to promote Pahari (Himachali) and other local languages as the medium of instruction in primary and middle-level schools as per the New Education Policy, 2020. On behalf of the petitioner, he also prayed the court to direct the state government to include Pahari (Himachali) language as a separate category for the 2021 Census and simultaneously undertake an awareness campaign to create awareness amongst the masses, especially the youth of the State who speak Pahari (Himachali), to get it marked as their mother tongue in the upcoming Census.

A bench of Chief Justice Mohammad Rafiq and Justice Sabina while disposing off the PIL stated,

“The direction as has been prayed for, cannot be issued to the State Government until and unless it is established on record that the Pahari (Himachali) language has its own script and that a common Pahari dialect is spoken throughout the State of Himachal Pradesh.  We, however, set the petitioner at liberty to approach the Department of Language Art & Culture to the Government of Himachal Pradesh with his demand for undertaking research to promote a common Pahari (Himachali) nuclear language structure and nuclear Tankri script. If the petitioner approaches the respondents-State through its Additional Chief Secretary (Language Art & Culture) to the Government of Himachal Pradesh) for the prayer made in the Civil Writ Public Interest Litigation, it would be for the said authority to consider the same in accordance with the law.”

Additionally, the petition had emphasised that Sanskrit, which is the second official language of the state, had only 936 speakers according to the 2011 census and Pahari (Himachali) dialect chain which is spoken by more than 40 lakh people was being neglected and has not been made an official language even after having so many speakers.

The petition also highlighted works of Former Chief Minister Late YS Parmar and Former Education Minister Late Narain Chand Parashar towards the promotion of the Pahari (Himachali) language.

What’s Pahari (Himachali) Language, How Many Districts It Covers

It is to be noted that according to the petitioner, Pahari (Himachali) is a combined term used for the Western Pahari dialect chain spoken in Himachal Pradesh and majorly includes Kangri, Mandeali, Chambeali, Kulvi, Mahasu Pahari and Sirmauri. According to him ever since the creation of Himachal Pradesh, there has been a demand for recognition of Pahari (Himachali) under the Eighth Schedule of the Indian Constitution and it is also officially listed with 37 more languages as a language which is in significant demand to be included in the scheduled languages category.

In his plea, he also stated that the Himachal Pradesh Vidhan Sabha in 1970 and 2010 have also passed resolutions concerning the promotion and development of Pahari (Himachali).

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Himachal’s Snow Covered Area Has Decreased, Poses Big Threat to State Economy’s Lifelines: Report

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Himachal Pradesh's Snow Covered area decreasing

Shimla-The area under snow cover in Himachal Pradesh has declined by 18.5% according to a recent report published by State Centre on Climate Change (SCCC) and Space Application Center (ISRO) Ahmedabad. The report revealed this decreasing trend for the five major river basins in the State.

As the report points out, the high altitude regions of Himachal Pradesh receive precipitation mainly in the form of snow during the winter season. One-third of the geographical area of ​​the state is covered by a thick blanket of snow during the winter season. Rivers like Chenab, Beas, Parvati, Baspa, Spiti, Ravi, Sutlej and its tributaries flowing through Himachal are dependent on snowfall in winter. These rivers mainly feed into the Indus water system and a decline at this rate rings a death knell for water and also food security for millions of people from Himachal to Kashmir, the plains of Punjab, the food bowl of the country.

Using images and data received from satellites, the report states, that the winter precipitation was mapped in all the basins from October 2020 to May 2021 (a period of two years). The findings indicate that there has been an average decrease of 8.92 percent in Chenab basin, 18.54 percent in Beas basin, 23.16 percent in Ravi basin, 23.49 percent in Sutlej basin compared to last year. The ice covered area of ​​Chenab basin was 7154.11 sq km in 2019-20, which has come down to 6515.91 sq km in 2020-21. Similarly, Beas basin was reduced from 2457.68 to 2002.03 square kilometer, Ravi basin from 2108.13 square kilometer to 1619.82 square kilometer and Sutlej from 11823.1 square kilometer to 9045 square kilometers. Overall, the snow covered area was reduced from 23542 square kilometer to 19183 square kilometer in the entire Himachal.

basin wise snow cover in himachal pradesh

Figure Source: Hindustan Times

Sutlej Basin covers 45 per cent of the total geographical area of Himachal and it is the longest river of the state. It flows for around 320 kms here, passing through Lahaul and Spiti, Kinnaur, Shimla, Kullu, Mandi, Solan and Bilaspur districts, along its course. The above study shows that the maximum reduction in snow cover has occurred in the Sutlej basin. An area of ​​4359 square kilometers under snow cover has decreased for the whole state, of which more than half of the Sutlej Basin.

Just two years ago another study had indicated that more than half of glaciers in Sutlej Basin are set to vanish by 2050. Yet another study also showed that the Sutlej basin has the highest 562 number of glacial lakes. These lakes stand the risk of sudden outbursts, which then causes flash floods downstream as the valley has already experienced. So, while the crisis that is unfolding, be it deglaciation, lake formation or reduction in area under snow cover, it seems that the Sutlej river basin is more vulnerable to these changes.

Prakash Bhandari, an environmental researcher and activist and member of Himdhara Collective expressing his concern states that the situation in the Sutlej river basin is certainly indicative of a serious climate emergency and it is critical to look into the drivers of this both local and global.

“The Sutlej basin catchment is the largest and so the changes visible here are more significant. Many factors have worked together to create this crisis which should be studied closely. There is no doubt that global warming is contributing to these changes. But the local conditions also play a role in reducing or increasing its impact”, he says.

The upper reaches of the Sutlej Valley, especially areas like Kinnaur are geologically fragile, with sharp gradients and loose soil strata. Vegetation is in a very small area so the proneness to erosion. We have seen the catastrophic impacts of flashfloods and landslides over the last decade and a half, where crores worth of property has been damaged. This year saw a spate of landslides where lives were lost. “In such a sensitive and also strategically important area, changes in the landscape will have far reaching and irreversible impacts. More construction activities will lead to more deforestation, more erosion”.  

Construction of dams has been rampant in the Sutlej valley, a phenomena that started post independence and continues today. If all of the planned dams are built the Sutlej will be cho-a-cloc with more then 150, large and small projects. At the bottom of the valley in Bilaspur is the Bhakra Dam, built almost 6 decades ago, which has a size of 168 sq km and a storage capacity of 9.340 cubic km. Is. This is followed by the Kol Dam which extends for 42 km up to Sunni, which has a total storage capacity of 90 million cubic metres. Nathpa Jhakri Project which is 27.394 kms. is long. When a dam is built, a huge amount of water is stored. The debris of many villages, trees etc. also gets absorbed inside the dam. When water is stagnant, it receives heat from the Sun to form mist in the surrounding area by evaporation and simultaneously generates methane gas. The experience of the lake formed by the Kol dam at Tattapani in Mandi district shows that the area is experiencing heavy haze which was not there earlier.

“In the 30s and 40s, Shikari Devi and Kamrunag used to have snow on the peaks for about 6 months, which now could barely stop for only 2 months. The air route distance of Shikari Devi and Kamrunag is only 26 to 30 kms from Tattapani lake. At the same time, their distance is not much from the cement factories of Darlaghat, Sundernagar”, the elders in the area say. “Today, fog is prevalent and this has also made the area warmer”.

Due to the warming of the weather due to the clouds formed from the mist, the snow has started melting quickly. Apart from this the local crop patterns are affected. Post the 1990s, the Sutlej became a site for run of the river hydroelectric projects using extensive underground tunneling. This involves massive use of explosives for blasting through the mountains. Of the 23,000 MW worth of projects to be constructed in Himachal more than 10,000, a third are from this valley alone. Kinnaur continues to be a hydel powerhouse with 10 run of the river projects in progress and 30 more to be set up including two mega projects of 1500 MW and 1000 MW each. This paints a scary picture.

Interactive Sutlej River-Basin Map indicate Hydropower Station location

It is not just the hydro-electric dams but unplanned tourism and other development activities like mining, cement plants, road expansion and mindless construction across the high Himalayan regions have also add to the shift in local weather patterns, land use changes and thus the ecological crisis. But the reason why we should put the limelight on hydropower is that this is being pushed as “Green Energy”, in the name of climate change mitigation. As opposed to other forms of generating power, hydropower projects are said to cause lesser carbon emissions, which is why there has been a global push to shift to renewable resources. But the climate emergency in the Himalayas has put a question mark on ‘water’ as a renewable resource.

The question then arises that with all this data indicating a steady decline in river discharge and snow cover have our planners and policy makers not considered what will happen to these projects? Will they be able to generate the power they propose to? The people of Himalaya have to wake up to this wastage of public resources. Scarce funds should be diverted to better planning for securing local livelihoods by protecting the forest ecosystems and water sources for the future.

Author: Gagandeep Singh-From Himdhara (Environment Research and Action Collective)

Feature Images:  unsplash/@raimondklavins

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Himachal: Warnings of Delta Plus Virulence Fall on Deaf Ears, No Restriction on Visitors from Affected States  

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Delta plus in himachal pradesh

Shimla-Yesterday, the Centre government directed the state governments to take immediate measure in wake of the spread of more infectious Delta Plus variant.  As the Delta Plus variant is posing a threat of the third wave, the states were told to take steps like preventing crowds, increase testing, more focus on surveillance, contact tracing and put boosting vaccine coverage on a priority basis. Following it, Himachal Pradesh Government might have announced an alert over Delta plus variant, but there wasn’t any follow up on instructions passed by scientists and health experts to take strict restrictive measures ahead of the impending third wave. 

To make it worse, high rank officials and political leaders were seen flouting Covid-19 SOPs on several occasion, which sent wrong messages to the masses. The pictures and videos showing flouting of Covid appropriate behavior by Chief Minister Jairam Thakur and Directorial General of Police, Sanjay Kundu, alongwith other staff for Anupam Kher is the most recent to mention. A group photograph and video of the same were widely circulated on social media and invited huge criticism from the people.  

So far, the state has not reported any case of the Delta Plus variant. But the neighboring states – Punjab, Haryana, and Jammu & Kashmir – reported their first cases yesterday. This puts the boarding areas, like in Una district, at a higher risk. Chief Secretary to HP Government, Anil Khachi, yesterday said samples have been sent for genome sequencing. 

Despite repeated warnings of Delta plus variant (B.1.617.2.1.), Himachal Pradesh has thrown its borders open to all and lifted all restrictions for inter-state travel in just one go. From June 23 onwards, the state government removed the condition for registering on the e-pass portal for visitors intending to enter the state. In the Cabinet meeting held on June 22, 201, the government first decided that e-pass restrictions would be removed from July 1, but later it changed the decision and instead implemented it immediately.

This haphazard decision is said to have come under huge pressure from the hospitality industry – the worst-hit sector, leading to financial crisis and mass unemployment among its stakeholders. Related associations had been approaching Chief Minister Jairam Thakur with their pleas to provide relief, but mostly faced disappointment. The stakeholders say the state government didn’t provide any significant relief, which is making the survival of the industry difficult.

Also Read: Read Eight Reliefs That Himachal’s Devastated Tourism Industry Seeks from HP Govt  

Also, stakeholder of the industry, especially hoteliers, had been demanding the removal of restrictions and conditions on the entry of tourists to Himachal so that they could fetch the remaining peak tourist season.

With its inability to offer relief, the HP Government took the chance to waive off restrictions in a haste.

At the same time, the state government has decided to conduct offline examinations for the undergraduate classes starting from July. A section of the students had been condemning the HP government for scheduling exams without vaccinating students. Some student bodies had been asking the government as to why online classes were possible but not online exams. 

The state government also waived off restrictions on timings for the opening of markets/shops.

As scientists and health experts warn of the virulence of the new variant and with neighboring states already on alert after reporting cases of the new variant, the HP government hasn’t even mentioned any intention to at least put a check on the visitor from the states where cases of Delta Plus are being reported. Carrying an RT-PCR negative report for visitors from such states/cities would have been a wiser step. 

Officially, the state is on alert, but no measures have been announced to check the entry and spread of the variant into the state. The state government does speak of preparing for the anticipated third wave, but there is hardly any long-term preventive strategy. The Covid appropriate behavior is hard to adopt when markets and tourist places are crowded with visitors.

Why Delta Plus is a Big Concern

The World Health Organization (WHO) has labelled the Delta variant as ‘Variant of Concern’.

The Centre and scientific/medical institutes in India also agree with that Delta Plus as a variant of concern and could be the cause of impending third wave. Last Tuesday, based on the findings of INSACOG, the Union Health Ministry had alerted and advised Maharashtra, Kerala and Madhya Pradesh regarding the Delta Plus variant of COVID19.

INSACOG had warned that the Delta Plus variant has increased transmissibility, stronger binding to receptors of lung cells, potential reduction in monoclonal antibody response.

“Delta variant is more resistant to medication, treatment and vaccination. Therefore, people who have been vaccinated can still be affected by this variant and can go on to get a clinical illness, Archana Dhawan Bajaj, director, Nurture IVF, told a national English Daily.

“Neutralising antibodies against this variant post-vaccination seem to be nearly five times lower in people who have already been vaccinated than the other variants,” she said.

Further,  Dr Raman Gangakhedkar, ex-Head Scientist of Epidemiology and communicable diseases, ICMR, has also expressed concern over the reports that Delta Plus has reported pathophysiologic change and affecting different organs.  Dr Raman says that it could transfer from cell to cell and would more likely produce neurological symptoms as a common manifestation.

So far India has reported 51 cases of the Delta Plus variant.

Delta Plus variant is a variant of Delta with an additional mutation -B.1.617.2.1.

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