GANGTOK: Sikkim’s vulnerable Himalayan landscape continues to receive focused attention from the Union Government, with two of the State’s glacial lakes now under real-time monitoring as part of nationwide efforts to track the impact of climate change on the mountains.
This was stated by Union Minister of State for Science & Technology and Earth Sciences Dr Jitendra Singh in a written reply to Sikkim MP Dr Indra Hang Subba in the Lok Sabha on Wednesday.
The Lok Sabha MP from Sikkim had submitted several questions regarding measures taken by the Union government on adverse effects of climate change on Himalayan glaciers.
In reply, the MoS informed Parliament that South Lhonak and Shako Cho – two lakes known for their potential to trigger Glacial Lake Outburst Floods (GLOFs) – are being continuously monitored, even as the Centre rolls out a broader programme to strengthen climate resilience across the Himalayan belt.
As per the details shared, the national programme includes early warning systems in Sikkim.
Dr Singh said the government has launched the National Glacial Lake Outburst Floods Risk Mitigation Programme (NGRMP) under the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA).
In its first phase, the programme covers Sikkim along with Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Arunachal Pradesh, Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh.
“Recently, the NGRMP phase-1 was initiated by NDMA for implementation initially in four States (Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Sikkim and Arunachal Pradesh) and two UT (J&K and Ladakh). NGRMP has a provision to establish many Early Warning Systems in above said States for strengthening the mechanism to enhance GLOF resilience through local-level interventions,” said the MoS.
Sikkim has 40 high-risk glacial lakes including 16 in category ‘A’ of high-vulnerability index. Thirteen of such glacial lakes are in North Sikkim and three are in West Sikkim. Alarmingly, one in every four high-risk glacial lakes in India is situated within Sikkim.
Responding to the MP’s question on glacier retreat, the Minister said various scientific bodies under the Ministries of Earth Sciences, Science & Technology, Environment, Mines and Jal Shakti are tracking changes across the Himalayan range. Studies show that most Himalayan glaciers are retreating at an accelerated and uneven rate, with losses varying across river basins.
However, glaciers in the Karakoram region show comparatively minor changes.
It was informed that more than 20 national institutions and universities are currently involved in Himalayan glacier research. These include National Centre for Polar and Ocean Research (NCPOR), Geological Survey of India, Wadia Institute of Himalayan Geology, multiple IITs and IISERs, and Sikkim University, which hosts one of three Centres of Excellence for Glacial Studies established by the Government of India.
The Centres of Excellence are located at Sikkim University, Tezpur University and the University of Kashmir, set up under the National Mission for Sustaining the Himalayan Ecosystem (NMSHE).
In September 2024, the State government constituted a 13-member commission to evaluate vulnerable glacial lakes in Sikkim and suggest strategies to mitigate future glacial hazards.
The ‘Sikkim Commission on Glacial Hazards’ is headed by Dr. Akhilesh Gupta, former senior advisor of Department of Science & Technology, Government of India as its chairman.
The commission is tasked to address and mitigate future glacial threats to Sikkim, a State which suffered extensive damages to properties and loss of lives during the massive Glacial Lake Outburst Flood in October 2023.
As per the MoS, the Ministry through NCPOR is also conducting long-term monitoring of glaciers, such as the six glaciers in the Chandra Basin of the western Himalayas, supported by a state-of-the-art field research station known as ‘Himansh’. The glacier inventory prepared by NCPOR for the Chandra basin shows that it has lost about 6% of its glacial area during last 20 years. Annual rate of retreat of Chandra basin glaciers varies from 13 to 33 meter/year during last decade, a press release informs.
- SA Report
