Himalayas On The Edge

Context: The Himalayas are a divine entity and like its presiding deity, Lord Shiva, it can be both benign and destructive. Immediate regulation of all activities is urgently needed.

Significance of The Himalayan ecosystem:

• Cultural: Source of the Vedas, Upanishads etc., Kumarasambhavam of Kalidasa referred it as ‘devatatma’ a great spiritual presence.
• Geo-Economic: Source of rivers like the Ganga, irrigating and feeding large population.

Threats to the fragile Himalayan Ecosystem

• Developmental Activities: leading to Ganga river degradation.
  • Hydropower projects: 
    • Direct effect: obstruction of the flow of rivers enhancing floods downstream.
    • Indirect effect: mass-scale deforestation, loss of water sources, fragmentation of river length, soil loss etc
  • Construction and other activities: the ambitious Chardham railway project, unregulated tourism, building of resorts.
• Climate Change: leading to unprecedented disaster like winter flash floods.
• Uttarakhand as a hotspot: Simultaneous activities like Chardham pariyojana, hydroprojects, Chardham railway project, unregulated tourism, resorts etc. create a cumulative effect
• Natural factors: forest fires, soil erosion and landslide prone hills.

Administrative Enforcements: 

• Ravi Chopra committee: to investigate the role of hydropower projects after the disaster of 2013.
• An Inter-ministerial group (IMG) in 2013 recommended- seven tributaries of the Ganga, including the Rishi Ganga, be left untouched

Measure to be taken:

• Afforestation: Green cover as a buffer to minimise the impact of climate change & help retain water
  • 2018 NITI Aayog report cautioned 60 % water sources in the Himalayas drying up
• Sustainable Himalayan Policy
  • Creative federalism: Coordination and support from all Himalayan States- Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Sikkim and West Bengal (Darjeeling). 
  • Declare Eco-sensitive zones (ESZ) in the upper Himalayan valley as done for Bhagirathi Valley
  • Strategic environment impact assessments (SEA) in place of routine project-based environment impact assessment (EIA) as suggested by G B Mukherjee Commission.