Monday, 25 NOVEMBER 2024 | PNS | DEHRADUN
The Himalayan region, including Uttarakhand, is witnessing continuous glacial movement, with reports of glaciers retreating and the number and size of glacial lakes increasing significantly. The October 2024 edition of the Uttarakhand Disaster and Accident Analysis Initiative (UDAAI) report released by the Dehradun-based environmental action and advocacy group, SDC Foundation, highlights two major glacial events. Similar reports in February and April this year too had raised concerns about glacier-related incidents.
SDC Foundation’s founder, Anoop Nautiyal described these developments as extremely concerning, warning that this trend could lead to severe challenges in Uttarakhand, potentially affecting both human and wildlife populations. He called for regular monitoring by State and Central government agencies and urged them to expand the scope of their investigations. Additionally, referring to past UDAAI reports, he emphasised the need for the Uttarakhand State Disaster Management Authority to provide a detailed update on the glacier risks across the State to key stakeholders in Uttarakhand.
According to the October UDAAI report, the retreat of glaciers in the Himalayan region has significantly increased the risk of Glacial Lake Outburst Floods (GLOF). The report also includes news about the Pindari glacier, which has receded by more than half a kilometer in the past 60 years. The report states that due to the continuous increase in human intervention, glaciers are retreating year after year. Where the glacier’s zero point used to be 60 years ago, there are now crumbling mountains. These changes highlight environmental shifts that reflect both the retreat of the glacier and the challenges posed by both natural and human-induced factors.
The October report includes information about water leakage at the Tungnath temple resulting in concerns about the temple’s foundation and potential structural damage. The Badrinath-Kedarnath Temple Committee contacted the Geological Survey of India and Archaeological Survey of India for a site inspection. After evaluating the situation, both organisations recommended measures to prevent further damage. The report also covers a landslide that occurred on the under-construction Helang-Marwari bypass on the Badrinath Highway on October 12.
