Himalayas, Need for Strong Monitoring, Response, and Governance

Himalayas, Need for Strong Monitoring, Response, and Governance

Why in News

On August 5, 2025, a catastrophic cloudburst struck Dharali village in Uttarkashi, Uttarakhand, unleashing flash floods and landslides that swept away homes, roads, and lives. Before the region could recover, Kishtwar in Jammu & Kashmir was struck by another tragedy, where a cloudburst claimed several lives, left over 200 people missing, and crippled vital bridges and highways. These back-to-back calamities have once again highlighted the urgent necessity of a dedicated climate and disaster-resilience policy for the fragile Himalayan states. Inaction could mean not just repeated loss of lives in the hills but also water insecurity, energy disruptions, and ecological collapse across the plains.

Introduction

The monsoon, once celebrated as a season of renewal for India’s forests and farms, has increasingly turned into a season of dread for the Himalayan region. This year’s cloudbursts, flash floods, and landslides were not isolated incidents. For instance, Himachal Pradesh alone recorded 109 cloudbursts, 23 flash floods, and over 160 major landslides in just a few months. Thousands of residents across Kinnaur, Kullu, and Chamba districts faced devastation. The larger picture reveals a pattern of climate stress — intense rainfall events, repeated cloudbursts, river overflows, and glacial lake outburst floods (GLOFs). What were once rare shocks are now becoming seasonal certainties.

The Himalayan states, with their fragile ecosystems and geologically young mountains, have always been prone to landslides, earthquakes, and floods. But with rising global temperatures, erratic rainfall, shrinking glaciers, and reckless human activity such as deforestation and unplanned construction, the frequency and intensity of these disasters have risen sharply. Climate change is accelerating the melting of glaciers, destabilising terrain, and raising the risks of catastrophic floods.

Key Issues and Background

1. Fragile Region Under Siege

The Himalayas are among the youngest mountain ranges in the world. Their geological instability, combined with unchecked construction, road expansion, and hydropower projects, has amplified vulnerabilities. When intense rainfall meets deforested slopes and weak soil, landslides and flash floods are almost inevitable.

2. Ignored Warnings and Past Mistakes

Despite multiple disasters in the past — including the 2013 Kedarnath tragedy and the 2021 Uttarakhand flash floods — disaster preparedness remains inadequate. Committees and expert groups have repeatedly warned against indiscriminate development in eco-sensitive areas. Yet, risk-zoning maps are poorly enforced, building codes are violated, and short-term economic gains are prioritised over safety.

The National Disaster Management Framework does exist, but it has failed to translate into concrete action on the ground. Too often, lessons from past disasters are forgotten once the headlines fade. Roads continue to be constructed without slope stabilisation, hydroelectric projects advance without ecological safeguards, and risk mitigation is treated as a formality rather than a necessity.

3. Climate Change as a Multiplier

The biggest driver of Himalayan instability today is climate change. Rising temperatures are causing glaciers to melt faster, leading to the formation of glacial lakes that are vulnerable to bursting. Cloudbursts, once rare, now occur with alarming frequency. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) has already warned that the Himalayas will warm faster than the global average. This means not just more extreme weather but also greater water stress, threatening agriculture and livelihoods in the plains.

Specific Impacts

Human Costs

Entire families are often buried in landslides, children orphaned, and livelihoods lost. In Dharali and Kishtwar, dozens of villages remain cut off, survivors have been forced into relief camps, and infrastructure losses run into thousands of crores.

Economic Costs

The destruction of roads, bridges, power projects, and farmland has crippled local economies. Tourism, a major source of revenue in Himachal and Uttarakhand, has also taken a severe hit. Frequent landslides and flooding discourage travelers, deepening economic distress.

Ecological Costs

The damage is permanent and cascading. Forests are lost, rivers change course, and wildlife habitats shrink. River courses altered by flash floods can devastate downstream agriculture and water supply. The collapse of local ecosystems also accelerates climate impacts, creating a vicious cycle.

Challenges and the Way Forward

Why Existing Frameworks Fail

India’s national disaster management framework is largely reactive rather than preventive. Risk assessments are fragmented, early-warning systems remain weak, and coordination between departments is poor. Moreover, infrastructure expansion in eco-fragile zones continues unchecked, worsening the crisis.

What Needs to Be Done

1. Safeguarding the Himalayas – Strictly enforce eco-friendly regulations, halt reckless construction, and integrate disaster planning into every project.

2. Improved Scientific Risk Mapping – Use satellite data, AI-driven risk assessments, and climate modelling to identify vulnerable zones.

3. Safer Development Practices – Roads, hydropower projects, and housing must be designed to withstand extreme weather.

4. Empowering Communities – Panchayats and local self-help groups must be trained in disaster preparedness, evacuation, and first response.

5. Dedicated Himalayan Disaster Centre – A permanent Himalayan Climate and Disaster Monitoring & Response Centre (HCDMRC) should act as the nerve centre for coordination, early warnings, and rapid response across states.

6. Integration of Traditional Wisdom – Local communities have centuries of knowledge about the terrain and ecology, which must be incorporated into modern planning.

Development in the Himalayas – A Balanced Approach

A focused development framework for the Himalayas must ensure that growth does not come at the cost of safety. Roads, dams, and hydropower projects should be reimagined with slope stabilization, eco-friendly designs, and disaster-resilient materials. Simultaneously, large-scale afforestation, watershed management, and river basin regulation must be prioritised.

Viewing nature as an ally, not an obstacle, is key. Rivers must be treated as living systems, not as channels to be dammed and diverted. Respecting ecological thresholds while planning development will ensure both safety and sustainability.

Conclusion

The Dharali and Kishtwar disasters are grim reminders that the Himalayas are not just India’s water towers, but also the first victims of climate change. They supply water to the plains, feed major rivers, and host critical ecosystems. If these mountains collapse under the weight of climate change and reckless development, the consequences will not be confined to the hills — they will cascade into the plains, threatening water security, food supply, and energy systems for millions.

India must act now. A dedicated climate and disaster resilience policy for the Himalayas is no longer optional; it is a survival imperative. Ignoring warnings will ensure that every monsoon brings fresh tragedies. But with strong monitoring, preventive governance, and empowered local communities, the Himalayas can be safeguarded as both a natural treasure and a lifeline for the nation.

5 Questions and Answers

Q1. Why are the Himalayas experiencing more frequent and intense disasters?
A1. Climate change, rapid glacier melting, unplanned development, deforestation, and fragile geology have increased the frequency and intensity of disasters like cloudbursts, landslides, and glacial lake outburst floods.

Q2. What were the recent Himalayan disasters of August 2025?
A2. Dharali in Uttarakhand witnessed a catastrophic cloudburst that caused flash floods and landslides, while Kishtwar in Jammu & Kashmir suffered another cloudburst, leaving over 200 people missing and infrastructure devastated.

Q3. Why have past disaster management frameworks failed?
A3. Existing frameworks are largely reactive, with poor enforcement of building codes, weak coordination, and failure to integrate disaster risk assessments into planning and development.

Q4. What kind of policy is urgently needed for the Himalayas?
A4. A dedicated Himalayan Climate and Disaster Monitoring & Response Centre is required, along with eco-friendly regulations, stronger community-based disaster preparedness, and scientific risk mapping.

Q5. How does this issue affect people living in the plains of India?
A5. The Himalayas supply water, energy, and ecosystem services to millions across the plains. If the region collapses under climate stress, it will lead to water insecurity, food shortages, energy disruptions, and ecological imbalance across India.