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New Indian Express
19 hours ago
- Climate
- New Indian Express
Alarm bells ring: Uttarakhand's glacier lakes swell, signalling future disasters
DEHRADUN: The Himalayan region of Uttarakhand is witnessing an alarming proliferation of glacial lakes, a trend that experts warn could signal major future disasters in this ecologically fragile zone. A recent study by the Wadia Institute of Himalayan Geology (WIHG) has brought this worrying development to the fore. The study reveals a significant increase in the number of glaciers across the state, currently recorded at 1,290, up from 1,266 a decade ago. Concurrently, the area covered by glacial lakes has expanded by a substantial 8.1 per cent. This growth underscores the severe impacts of climate change on the delicate Himalayan ecosystem. Dr Rakesh Bhambri, a glaciologist at WIHG, elaborated on the findings, stating, 'Our research indicates that new lakes are forming on glaciers in the Uttarakhand Himalayas, and existing lakes are growing in size. There has been a notable increase in their numbers since our 2015 study.' Attributing this surge primarily to climate change and global warming, he further explained, 'The occurrence of rain instead of snow at altitudes of four to five thousand metres is a significant contributing factor, leading to glacier melt and the formation of these lakes.' While acknowledging the overall increase, Dr Bhambri clarified that not all lakes are expanding. The destructive potential of Glacial Lake Outburst Floods (GLOFs) is not new to the region. The devastating Kedarnath tragedy of 2013 was triggered by the bursting of the Chorabari glacial lake, and the 2021 Raini-Tapovan floods were also a result of a similar event. Sikkim experienced a comparable disaster in 2013. In light of these past catastrophes, the Indian government has identified 13 such high-risk glacial lakes in Uttarakhand that could pose a significant threat in the future. Prominent among these are Vasundhara Lake in Chamoli, Kedartal in Uttarkashi, Nagkund in Bageshwar, six lakes in Pithoragarh, and one in Tehri.
Time of India
6 days ago
- Time of India
Chardham Yatra – A spiritual journey turning into an environmental crisis
Dr Rakesh Kapoor, a former special secretary to the government of Himachal Pradesh, is a geologist and an expert in integrated waste management The Chardham Yatra, one of India's most sacred pilgrimages encompassing Yamunotri, Gangotri, Kedarnath, and Badrinath in Uttarakhand, has long been a spiritual magnet attracting millions of devotees yearly. However, what once was a solemn religious journey is now increasingly viewed as an environmental and tourism management crisis. While the pilgrimage plays a significant role in the region's economy, its unchecked expansion is beginning to 'kill' real tourism and pose serious threats to the fragile Himalayan ecosystem. Environmental Degradation The registration (both offline and online) reveals the number of pilgrims: 3 lakhs in 2020, 5 lakhs in 2021, 45 lakhs (205 days) in 2023, and 48 lakhs (153 days) in 2024. According to the same sources, the number of vehicles, which was 3.27 lakhs in 2022, almost doubled to 5.20 lakhs in 2024. This is not the only means of transport — there are 4,300 registered operators, more than 8,000 mules, and around 2,400 Dandi and Kandi carriers en route. All these are adversely affecting road infrastructure and aggravating waste disposal, which is already in disarray. The massive influx of pilgrims, especially during the peak months of May to July, leads to overcrowding, deforestation, and waste mismanagement. Lack of proper toilets and open defecation along riverbanks, nullahs, and forest areas is polluting tributaries of the sacred Ganga, causing health and environmental issues. Narrow mountain roads are widened to accommodate vehicles, often by blasting hillsides and cutting the toe of slopes, making the terrain more vulnerable to landslides and soil erosion. According to environmental experts, the Chardham highway project has led to the felling of thousands of trees and disturbed natural water channels, accelerating glacier melt. All major glaciers — Gangotri, Gaumukh, Satopanth, Alkapuri, Khatsalgang, Dunagiri, and Bandarpoonch — are receding at a faster-than-expected rate, bearing the brunt of lopsided development and destabilising the region's geography. A study by ICMOD and WIHG has confirmed this. Moreover, the smaller towns en route to the Chardham Yatra — including Barkot, Hanuman Chatti, Janki Chatti, Peepalkoti, Joshimath, Devprayag, Karnprayag, and Rishikesh — all have civic amenities barely enough for the local population, if not inadequate, and certainly unable to meet the demands of lakhs of pilgrims thronging every summer. The hotels, dharamshalas, and eateries often lack proper waste disposal systems, circumventing the CTPA rules and regulations, building bylaws, and urban planning norms. The result is evident: piles of plastic, human waste, and non-biodegradable trash lining riverbanks and trekking routes. This pollution seeps into the Ganga and Yamuna rivers, threatening biodiversity and the water security of millions downstream. Impact on real tourism While pilgrimage tourism grows exponentially, it overshadows the region's potential for sustainable and experiential tourism. Uttarakhand is home to pristine valleys, rich biodiversity, cultural villages, and adventure trails. These attractions — which promote slower, environmentally responsible tourism — are often ignored or even degraded due to the focus on catering to the mass pilgrimage market. Real tourism, which values nature, local culture, and sustainability, is losing ground to overcrowded, chaotic yatra rushes. Tourists seeking peace, adventure, or cultural immersion are increasingly deterred by the over-commercialisation, traffic congestion, and environmental deterioration of these once-pristine areas. Infrastructure vs Ecology The Chardham Mahamarg Vikas Pariyojna (Char Dham Road Project), aimed at improving connectivity to the pilgrimage sites, has been under scrutiny for bypassing environmental safeguards. Experts argue that the ecological cost of such development far outweighs the benefits, especially when alternative eco-sensitive approaches could have been employed. Additionally, the growing number of helicopter services to Kedarnath — once a challenging trek — has drastically altered the pilgrimage experience and added noise and air pollution to an already stressed environment, biodiversity, fragile geo-demographic profile, and geographic setting, caused by vibrations resulting in slippages and tremor-related structural failures, as evident by large-scale landslides. If we just go by government-provided numbers from nine sites, 250 daily sorties of helicopters take 1,500 pilgrims to these shrines. A call for balance The challenge is not to end the Chardham Yatra, but to rethink it. The pilgrimage should be aligned with principles of environmental stewardship and sustainable tourism. Controlled visitor numbers, better waste management, eco-friendly infrastructure, and promotion of offbeat, responsible tourism can help restore balance. Similar sentiments were recently expressed in an online discussion, held under the aegis of Doon-based SDC Foundation, involving priests and other stakeholders of Chardham Yatra, which concluded that the yatra, if left unchecked, risks turning the spiritual Himalayas into a zone of irreversible ecological damage and shallow mass tourism. Protecting the environment must become a spiritual responsibility, not a bureaucratic afterthought. Only then can real tourism — one that celebrates nature, culture, and sustainability — thrive. Facebook Twitter Linkedin Email Disclaimer Views expressed above are the author's own.
