Melting Glaciers threaten your Community—Government launches urgent Response
By CCN News | Published: July 25, 2024
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In response to the increasing concerns about the impact of climate change on glacier systems, the Government of India has intensified its efforts to monitor and study glacier dynamics and associated natural hazards. With support from various Indian institutes and organizations, substantial scientific research is underway to better understand and mitigate the risks posed by glacier melting.
The Ministry of Earth Sciences (MoES), Department of Science & Technology (DST), Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEF&CC), and other key departments have been at the forefront of this initiative. These efforts include comprehensive studies on glacier melting and the broader impacts on hydrology and natural disaster risk.
Key Initiatives and Findings:
1. Chandra Basin Monitoring: The National Centre for Polar and Ocean Research (NCPOR), an autonomous institute under MoES, is closely monitoring six glaciers in the Chandra Basin of Himachal Pradesh. Recent findings highlight that two major glacial lakes in this region, Samudra Tapu and Gepang Gath, have significantly expanded in area and volume over the past fifty years (1971-2022). This expansion is raising concerns about the potential for Glacial Lake Outburst Floods (GLOFs), which could pose substantial hazards to downstream communities.
2. Uttarakhand Hazards: Research by the Wadia Institute of Himalayan Geology (WIHG), funded by DST, indicates increasing hazards in Uttarakhand's glaciated regions. The hazards include GLOFs, debris flows, and moraine failures, all exacerbated by shrinking glaciers.
3. Glacier Lake Mapping: The Divecha Centre for Climate Change at the Indian Institute of Science (IISc), Bengaluru, is conducting a detailed mapping of existing and potential glacier lakes. This research has identified several sites in Sikkim and Uttarakhand that could lead to flash floods. Additionally, the DST has established a Network Programme on the Himalayan Cryosphere, supporting six projects under the National Mission on Sustainable Himalayan Ecosystem (NMSHE).
4. Cryosphere Management: In 2023, the Department of Water Resources, River Development, and Ganga Rejuvenation (DoWR, RD & GR), Ministry of Jal Shakti (MoJS), inaugurated the Centre for Cryosphere & Climate Change Studies at the National Institute of Hydrology (NIH), Roorkee. This Centre aims to enhance the management of snow and glacier resources to address future water availability concerns.
5. Geological Survey Studies: The Geological Survey of India, Ministry of Mines, has conducted mass balance studies on nine glaciers and assessed the movement patterns of 90 glaciers to understand their recessional and advancement trends.
6. Comprehensive Research: The G.B. Pant National Institute of Himalayan Environment (GBPNIHE), under MoEF&CC, has been involved in a wide range of glacier studies including snout monitoring, melt rate analysis, mass balance, and hydro-meteorological assessments. The Institute has also prepared a discussion paper titled "Himalayan Glaciers: A State-of-Art Review of Glacial Studies, Glacial Retreat, and Climate Change" to support informed policy planning.
Recent Glacier-Related Disasters:
Over the past decade, several glacier-related disasters have been reported:
Uttarakhand: 2 incidents (2013, 2021)
Ladakh: 1 incident (2021)
Sikkim: 1 incident (2023)
In contrast, no glacier melt-related disasters have been reported in Himachal Pradesh during this period.
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