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A study conducted by scientists at the Wadia Institute of Himalayan Geology, Dehradun, reveals that glaciers in Uttarakhand are melting at an accelerated rate due to global warming, increasing greenhouse gas emissions, and black carbon deposits. The Himalayan region hosts 9,575 glaciers, of which 900 are in Uttarakhand. Prominent glaciers like Gangotri, Satopanth, Bhagirathi, and Raikhana are melting at an alarming pace. While glacier melting is a natural process, its rapid acceleration poses significant challenges for India.
The earth's average temperature is rising quickly these days, as everyone is well aware. The hottest year ever recorded is 2023. The average temperature in 2023 was 1.48 degrees Celsius warmer than the Pre-Industrial Revolution Period, according to Europe's Copernicus Climate Change Servive. The temperature of June 2023 to August 2024 broke all previous records in a row, setting new ones, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) in America and the Copernicus Climate Change Service in Europe.
From May 15 to June 18, temperatures in some areas of Punjab, Haryana, Rajasthan, West Uttar Pradesh, and Delhi this year (2024) reached 40 degrees Celsius or higher. The temperatures in the aforementioned states have been rising, but Uttarakhand has also been hit by heat wave outbreaks from May 29 to June 19. During these days, the temperature in Uttarakhand has been between 40 and 44 degrees Celsius.
The primary cause of glacier melting is directly linked to temperature increases. Natural catastrophes are occurring more frequently and with greater intensity as a result of the earth's average temperature rising. Cloudbursts, sudden, intense rainstorms, lightning strikes, glacial lake eruptions, heat and cold wave surges, landslides, etc. are examples of natural catastrophes.
The average world temperature, rising greenhouse gas emissions, and black carbon emissions have all been blamed by scientists for the melting of Uttarakhand's glaciers; however, the state's economic growth model is also to blame.
In 2013, a cloudburst struck Kedarnath in Uttarakhand, causing devastating floods that left millions of people trapped for days and killed hundreds of villagers and pilgrims. Many Uttarakhand villages were slid several kilometres downward in this catastrophe.
The devastation caused by the 2023 eruption of Sikkim's glacial Lhonak Lake provides a reasonable approximation of the potential harm caused by Uttarakhand's 900 melting glaciers. The eruption of Lhonak Glacial Lake claimed the lives of more than 200 individuals. All of the bridges over the Teesta River were inundated, as was the Teesta Dam-3. Up to 80,000 people in four Sikkim districts suffered significant losses.
In the guise of economic growth, Uttarakhand is building four-lane roads, damming rivers beyond their ability to produce hydroelectricity, and indiscriminately clearing forests to boost tourism and pilgrimage. The state administration here is totally disregarding the environmental standards for this so-called development. The state of Uttarakhand's temperature is also rising quickly as a result of the lack of trees.
The temperature is also rising due to new and existing hydropower projects on rivers. The climate is becoming warmer as a result of the gases released by construction equipment and the explosives used to demolish mountains.
In Uttarakhand, roads are being constructed quickly to boost tourism and facilitate public access to places of worship. An environmentally vulnerable area is traversed by a 900-kilometer segment of the all-weather four-lane road that would link the dhams of Gangotri, Yamnotri, Badrinath, and Kedarnath. In order to bypass environmental rules, this component has been constructed in 58 segments.
In order to build highways in an environmentally sensitive location, the mountains are also being bombarded with explosives, which is predicted to raise the temperature. Road construction also involves heavy machinery. Diesel is typically utilised as the fuel for this equipment. Diesel raises the temperature and releases massive volumes of black carbon into the atmosphere, polluting the ecosystem.
Due to the road network's ease of access, the state of Uttarakhand also sees an annual increase in pilgrims and visitors. In order to provide pilgrims and visitors with lodging and food, hotels, motels, dhabas, and other establishments have been constructed by clearing forests. Therefore, a portion of the temperature increase may also be attributed to the growing number of pilgrims and visitors, the presence of employees in hotels, motels, and dhabas, and the fuel utilised to prepare meals for their consumption.
The temperature increase is also caused by commercially profitable planted species like pine, which have replaced natural trees like oak and deodar. A large amount of combustible material found in pine trees burns fast. 11,256 forest fire occurrences happened in 11 of Uttarakhand's 13 districts between November 2023 and June 2024. Even when glaciers melt as a result of natural disasters, it is still unclear how much harm this may bring to India.
Floods in the plains will occur more frequently if the glaciers melt more quickly since there will be more water in the rivers during the early phases. People will be forced to relocate, crops will be destroyed, and a great deal of property and human life will be lost. India, the most populated country in the world, would experience food shortages and a decline in foodgrain production as a result of crop devastation. There will eventually come a moment when the country will experience a shortage of water due to the rapid melting of the glaciers and the steady depletion of ice supplies.
Lack of water will cause serious limitations in food grain production and drought-like circumstances, which might lead to famine-like situations. Water and food grain shortages may be accompanied with an energy (power) catastrophe.
The number of aquatic species will decline in proportion to the rivers' declining water levels as a result of the fall in water levels. People who live beside rivers and rely on aquatic species for their livelihoods are being forced to deal with food shortages and unemployment as a result of the decline in aquatic organism populations.
Given that the sea borders India on three sides, the melting of glaciers would cause the sea level to rise, submerging a sizable portion of the nation's coastal states and union territories. The frequency of maritime tragedies will likewise rise as sea levels rise.
While it is impossible to prevent glaciers from melting, it is feasible to slow down the rate at which they do so. The Uttarakhand government should abstain from actions that raise local temperatures, even if the issue of melting glaciers is directly linked to temperature increases. The state government should have geologists examine the region's geography, keep an eye on the glaciers and river sources, and prevent any interference with the natural resources before beginning any form of economic development initiatives.
In hilly regions, roads should be constructed as broad as necessary without endangering the environment. River dams must to be constructed in accordance with their capacity. Because explosives heat up the environment, they shouldn't be utilised while building in steep places. Forest cutting should also be done carefully. Only native tree species should be planted after deforestation to prevent environmental damage. It should be totally forbidden to build anywhere that is environmentally sensitive. Officials from the tourism agency ought to restrict the number of visitors.
Gurinder Kaur is a former professor, Department of Geography, Punjabi University, Patiala.