EVERY WINTER, I eagerly wait for a piece of the Himalayas, right here in Delhi. Vegetable markets in the city sport a large citrus fruit, galgal (Citrus pseudolimon or hill lemon) during the first two months of the year. This thick skinned, acidic lemon is used with green chillies in a pickle that, for a week or two, becomes an indispensable part of my meals. The sourness of the pulp and the bitterness of the rind work together in the pickle, which tastes best with rice and lentils.
This year, my pickle was still not ready when Uttarakhand’s Chamoli district was hit by a massive flash flood triggered by an avalanche. Gushing water destroyed everything in its path, including dams.
Chamoli is among the few places in the country which has a high genetic diversity of citrus fruits, as per National Research Centre for Citrus in Nagpur. Some 27 species of citrus grow in India, 23 of which are found in the Northeast. But galgal is more commonly found in northwestern foothills of the Himalayas, including Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand. In fact, citrus is among the top three horticultural crops grown in Uttarakhand, along with mango and apple. Various fruits like malta, lemon, lime, galgal and citron grow in the state, but the production figures for each of them is not known.
Bu hikaye Down To Earth dergisinin March 01, 2021 sayısından alınmıştır.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Giriş Yap
Bu hikaye Down To Earth dergisinin March 01, 2021 sayısından alınmıştır.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Giriş Yap
In leading role again
MOVIES AND WEB SERIES ARE ONCE AGAIN BEING SET IN RUSTIC BACKGROUNDS, INDICATING A RECONNECT BETWEEN CINEMA AND THE COUNTRYSIDE
One Nation One Subscription comes at a huge cost
As top US universities scrap big deals with top scientific publishers, India’s ONOS scheme seems flawed and outdated
Return of Rambhog
Bid to revive and sell the aromatic indigenous paddy variety has led to substantial profits for farmers in Uttar Pradesh's Terai region
Scarred by mining
Natural springs of Kashmir drying up due to illegal riverbed mining
Human-to-human spread a mutation away
CANADA IN mid-November confirmed its first human case of avian influenza, with a teenager in the British Columbia being hospitalised after contracting the H5N1 virus that causes the disease. The patient developed a severe form of the disease, also called bird flu, and had respiratory issues. There was no known cause of transmission.
True rehabilitation
Residents of Madhya Pradesh's Kakdi village take relocation as an opportunity to undertake afforestation, develop sustainable practices
INESCAPABLE THREAT
Chemical pollution is the most underrated and underreported risk of the 21st century that threatens all species and regions
THAT NIGHT, 40 YEARS AGO
Bhopal gas disaster is a tragedy that people continue to face
A JOKE, INDEED
A CONFERENCE OF IRRESPONSIBLE PARTIES THAT CREATED AN OPTICAL ILLUSION TO THE REALITY OF A NEW CLIMATE
THINGS FALL APART
THE WORLD HAS MADE PROGRESS IN MITIGATING EMISSIONS AND ADAPTING TO CLIMATE IMPACTS. BUT THE PROGRESS REMAINS GROSSLY INADEQUATE
