A report on the causes and effects of landslides in Dhunche, high mountain Himalaya, Nepal

This report is an abridged version of a dissertation that was submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of MA Environment and Development of the School of Oriental and African Studies (University of London). In recent years the debate concerned with the causes of the environmental degradation of the Himalaya has escalated. Polarised views, within this so called ?Himalayan Dilemma?, focus on either human related causes or natural geological activities. The literature has been based on untested assumptions and ?western? theories, viewing the Himalaya from a ?macro level? perspective. It has been argued that this is due to a lack of factual data, particularly at the micro level. This study sets out to analyse the causes and effects of landslides in a mountainous area. It focuses on a Tamang community in Dhunche village, set in the High Himalaya, Central Nepal. It assesses, through interviews with the local community and key stakeholders, the link between the environment (landslides), village community and government departments. The study concludes that the landslides are due to a combination of both natural and human related causes. Human induced practices on the Himalaya cannot be ignored but must be placed alongside the specific natural geology and climate of that specific micro area. There are many ?micro scales? which make up the complex macro state of the Himalaya, only by understanding these micro scales will a better comprehension of the Himalaya and its problems be achieved.