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Recently scientists in Mexico have observed that  Jacarandas began blooming in early January when they generally awaken in spring. 

About Jacaranda 

• Physical Feature: A deciduous tree, Jacaranda mimosifolia comes from the Bignoniaceae family. It’s also known by its synonym Jacaranda acutifolia.
• Native Plant: Blue Jacaranda is a native of Brazil and North West Argentina. 
• Uses:  In Brazil, its wood is used to make guitars. Its bark and root have medicinal advantages.
  •  It is also recommended as an alternative wood carving tree species, especially in Kenya.
• Geographical Conditions: These are hardy trees that grow well in tropical climes, well-drained soil and plenty of sun to showcase their lavender touch. 
• Impact of climate change : Jacarandas attract more hummingbirds and bees than many native trees, so a change in flowering could lead to a decrease in these populations.
• Indicator Species: Jacaranda tree has been earmarked by climate experts as one of the natural gauges of climate change. Environmentalists expect that the plants will start shooting and flowering earlier in the year as a result of climate change warming the Earth.

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The European Parliament adopted the first European Union (EU) law to restore degraded ecosystems.

European Parliament Adopts Nature Restoration Law: Key Highlights

• The legislation was introduced first  by the European Commission in June 2022. 
• The European Parliament had voted to pass the law with 336 votes in favor.
• The law now has to be adopted by the European Council, before being published in the EU Official Journal and entering into force 20 days later.

Provisions of the Nature Restoration Law

• Overall target: 

  • A target has now been set for the EU countries to restore at least 20 percent of its land and sea areas by 2030 and all ecosystems in need of restoration by 2050.

• Specific Targets: 

  • Peatlands: To restore at least 30 percent of drained peatland by 2030, 40 per cent by 2040 and 50 per cent by 2050.
    • Other ecosystems: The law specifically includes forests, grasslands, and wetlands, as well as rivers, lakes, and coral beds.
    • Member states must restore at least 30% of habitats from a poor to a good condition by 2030. Henceforth the  target would increase to 60% by 2040, and 90% by 2050.

  • Targets for Agricultural Ecosystems: 

• • • A progress is needed  in two of the three indicators for improvement in biodiversity in agricultural ecosystems,
      • The grassland butterfly index
      • The share of agricultural land with high-diversity landscape features
      • The stock of organic carbon in cropland mineral soil
      • The common farmland bird index
      • Exception: Relief can be granted if there is severe reduction in  the land needed for sufficient food production for EU consumption.
    • Rivers: EU nations must restore at least 25,000 km of rivers into free-flowing rivers
    • Urban  ecosystems: No net loss of green urban space by 2030, and an increase in the total area covered by green urban space by 2040 and 2050
    • Pollinating  insects:  To reverse the decline of pollinator populations by 2030, and achieve an increasing trend for pollinator populations, with a methodology for regular monitoring of pollinators. One in three bee and butterfly species are in decline in Europe

News Source: DTE

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The Green Credit Rules have raised concerns from experts due to their potential adverse impact on forest ecology. 

Green Credit Rules 2023

• Green Credit Rules 2023, issued by the Union Ministry of Environment Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC), instruct state forest departments to identify land parcels categorized as degraded.
• • These areas are then used for planting trees to make more green spaces in India and earn green credits.

Reasons For Criticism of Green Credit Rules

• Unscientific Approach: The rules use vague terms like “degraded land” to identify areas for tree plantation.
• Neglecting Ecological Value: The rules fail to recognize the ecological importance of certain areas.
  • For instance, grasslands, often labeled as “wastelands,” play a crucial role in conserving unique biodiversity and sequestering carbon.
• Potential Soil Degradation: Large-scale plantations can alter soil quality, affecting nutrient cycles and water retention. This could lead to long-term soil degradation.
• Biodiversity Loss: Replacing native vegetation with monoculture plantations can reduce biodiversity. Native species adapted to local conditions may be replaced by non-native species.
• Ecosystem Services Disruption: Industrial plantations may disrupt ecosystem services such as pollination, water purification, and soil fertility.
• Ignoring Local Communities: The rules should consider the needs and knowledge of local communities who depend on these ecosystems for their livelihoods.

What Is a Green Credit Programme?

• Launched by: The Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change in October 2023.
• Administered by: The Indian Council of Forestry Research and Education (ICFRE).
• Green Credit is a reward given to individuals and organizations involved in activities benefiting the environment.
• It’s a voluntary program by the government to motivate different stakeholders to help preserve the environment and adopt sustainable practices.
• This initiative is under the larger ‘LiFE’ campaign (Lifestyle for Environment). 
  • It  promotes and acknowledges voluntary environmentally-friendly actions.

Objectives of Green Credit Programme

• Incentivizing Environmental Actions: The green credit program seeks to motivate positive environmental behaviors through a market-based mechanism.
• Generation and Tradable Nature of Green Credits: Green credits are generated from undertaking environmental activities specified in sub-rule (2) of rule 4.
• • These credits are tradable and can be exchanged on a domestic market platform.
• Incentivizing Compliance: The program encourages industries, companies, and other entities to meet their existing legal obligations.
  • It also promotes adherence to other obligations under current laws.
• Promoting Voluntary Environmental Measures: Additionally, the program encourages individuals and entities to undertake voluntary environmental actions outlined in rule 4.
  • This participation can be facilitated through the generation or purchase of green credits.

News Source: Downtoearth

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The Government has declared Muslim Conference Jammu & Kashmir (Sumji faction) and Muslim Conference Jammu & Kashmir (Bhat faction) for a period of five years under Section 3 of Unlawful Activities Prevention Act, 1967.

Organizations Under UAPA Act

• Government also declares ‘Jamaat-e-Islami Jammu Kashmir’ as an ‘Unlawful Association‘ for a further period of 5 years.

• The Union Home Minister said that in pursuing the policy of zero tolerance against terrorism and separatism, the government has extended the ban.
• He also said the organisation is found continuing its activities against the nation’s security, integrity and sovereignty.

About UAPA Act 1967

• The UAPA is an anti-terrorism law that was first enacted in 1967 with the primary objective to effectively prevent and deal with activities that pose a threat to the sovereignty and integrity of India.
• Applicability: The provisions of this Act apply also to
  • Citizens of India outside India.
  • Persons in the service of the Government, wherever they may be.
  • Persons on ships and aircraft, registered in India, wherever they may be.

Provisions of UAPA Act 1967

• Powers of Government: The Government can impose all-India bans on associations that are declared ‘unlawful’ under the Act.
  •  Both Indian nationals and foreign nationals can be charged under the Act. Also, the Act similarly holds offenders accountable if the crime is committed on foreign land outside India.
• Investigating powers: Cases can be investigated by both the State police and the National Investigation Agency (NIA).
• Appeal mechanism: It allows a tribunal to review or hear an appeal against the ban.
• Terrorist Organization: Any person who is a member of a terrorist organization shall be sentenced to 10 years in prison under Sections 20 and 38. The UAPA schedule includes a list of prohibited groups. 

Source: PIB

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The Sixth Assembly session of United Nations Environmental Programme (UNEA-6) is being held at their headquarters in Nairobi, Kenya,

UNEA-6/ Sixth Session of United Nations Environment

• Focus: To plan for the role of multilateralism to help tackle the triple planetary crisis of climate change, nature and biodiversity loss, and pollution and waste and shape the global environmental policy.
• Theme: Effective, inclusive and sustainable multilateral actions to tackle climate change, biodiversity loss and pollution. 
• Young Champions of the Earth award: The UNEA launched a call for nominations for its Young Champions of the Earth award by seeking seven people  aged between 18 and 30 years
  • The Young Champions of the Earth is led in partnership with the UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration, and in support of the new Global Biodiversity Framework and recognises youth’s contributions to protect the environment.

Highlights of the UNEA-6

• Environmental Multilateralism: 

  • On 28 February 2024, an entire day was devoted to discuss the importance of cooperation and convergence with multilateral environmental agreements (MEAs) for the first time with 2 high level dialogues
    • Dialogue Agenda 1: Strengthening the science policy interface for effective implementation of environmental commitments.
    • Dialogue Agenda 2: Strengthening cooperation between UNEA, UNEP and MEAs to enhance effective implementation at the national level including through means of implementation.

• Session On Energy Transition to Renewable Energy

  • UNEA-6 Theme: Ensuring that the energy transition contributes to a nature and people positive planet.
    • Rapid adoption of Renewable Energy sources: The world needs three times the Renewable Energy compared to present by 2030 
    • Develop globally acceptable RE standards: To standardize the growth and provide a direction, by spelling out  the best practices on how to best  utilize RE for powering development around the world.
    • IUCN is in process to  develop new standards for REs to make sure that projects were environmentally sustainable
    • Resource Circularity and responsible sourcing of minerals: There is a need to move towards the principle of circularity in the mining sector,  with renewed hunt for mineral sources to power the Industrial Revolution 4.0 
      • Example: lithium for batteries 
  • Alternative Business Models: A low return on investment was one of the impediments in the transition to RE with low profitability when compared to traditional energy sources which calls for the adoption of  alternative business models.

• A legally Binding Treaty on Plastics Discussed: 

• • The event is co-hosted by PR3: The Global Alliance to Advance Reuse along with delegations from Chile, Fiji and the European Investment Bank
  • Theme: Incorporating strong reuse provisions by Introducing packaging reuse options is the central theme of the negotiations for  a legally binding instrument on plastic pollution.
    • The updated draft of the plastics treaty will be  presented at the fourth session of the Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee (INC-4) to be held in  Ottawa, Canada from April 2024.
  • Standards for global scalability of reuse: It should start with harmonizing definitions of reuse and circularity with the reuse mechanism necessitating  a system.

• Role of Nature Based Solutions to the Global Climate Crisis: 

• • Nature based solutions: It  includes reforestation, afforestation and land restoration which have the potential to slow down the climate crisis and build resilience among communities by halting the loss and restoring biodiversity.
    • Underfunded:  The solutions receive only about $200 billion globally a year, which is less than a third of the over $600 billion required annually by 2030
    • Nature -negative finance flows: These are the financing flows for the harmful subsidies and investments to the tune of  $7 trillion,  which negates all the minute efforts in nature based solutions.
  • Debt -for-nature swap as a  solution: They provide a solution to the interconnected challenges of debt, climate and nature loss by opening -up fiscal space, leverage additional finance and develop regional approaches for shared ecosystems.
    • Example:  Latin American country of Ecuador. It made a debt-for-nature swap,and  saved $1.1 billion in loan repayments while providing no less than $450 million for conservation programmes.

News Source: UNEA

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Pancheshwar Multipurpose Project (PMP) between India and Nepal,  has been a topic of concern in official dialogue due to its stagnant progress over the years. 

Pancheshwar Dam/ Pancheshwar Multipurpose Project (PMP) 

• Pancheshwar Dam is a part of the Mahakali Treaty.
  • It was signed in 1996.  
• It is planned on the Mahakali River. 
• It involves the construction of equal-sized powerhouses of 3240MV on both sides of the river.

• In addition to generating power, the project will irrigate 130,000 hectares of land in Nepal and 240,000 hectares in India, along with providing flood protection and other related benefits.

Reasons For Stalled Pancheshwar Dam 

• Lack of Consensus on Detailed Project Report: Though the treaty was signed in 1996, there are disagreements between Nepal and China over specifics outlined in the Comprehensive Detailed Project Report (DPR).
• Contentious Issues: There is difficulty in finding mutually acceptable solutions over dam height, Submergence area and Downstream benefits.
• Inconsistent political support: The project has not consistently garnered robust political support from either India or Nepal.
• Delays in Decision-Making: Bureaucratic hurdles on both sides have significantly slowed down the decision-making process.

News Source: The Hindu

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Article 371A of the Constitution of India has been the major hurdle in the Nagaland government’s efforts to regulate small-scale illegal coal mining activities in the State.

• Article 371A had impeded ensuring the scientific mining of coal across five districts in the State.

About Article 371A

• No Act of Parliament in respect of religious or social practices of the Nagas, Naga customary law and procedure, administration of civil and criminal justice involving decisions according to Naga customary law, and ownership and transfer of land and its resources, shall apply to Nagaland unless the state Assembly decides by a resolution to do so.

Main Provisions of Article 371A

• Role of Governor: The Governor shall have special responsibility concerning law and order in the state for as long as internal disturbances continue therein or in any part thereof, and he shall exercise his judgment in this matter after consulting the Council of Ministers.
• Regional Council: There shall be established a regional council for the Tuensang district, consisting of 35 members and the Governor shall make rules for its composition and functioning.
• Power of Regional Council: The regional council shall have powers concerning making laws on certain matters such as land, forests, fisheries, village administration, inheritance of property, marriage and divorce, social customs etc., within the Tuensang district.

News Source: The Hindu

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Recently, the Union Science and Technology Minister announced that India has conducted the first human clinical trial of gene therapy for haemophilia A at Christian Medical College – Vellore.  

India Conducts Clinical Trials For Haemophilia A

The trials involved deploying a novel technology of using a lentiviral vector to express a FVIII transgene in the patient’s own haematopoietic stem cell which will then express FVIII from specific differentiated blood cells.

About Haemophilia A

• A Rare Bleeding Disorder: Hemophilia A, also known as classical haemophilia, is a rare and genetic bleeding disorder caused by insufficient levels of a blood protein called factor VIII. 
  • Factor VIII is a clotting factor (an essential protein required for blood to clot and stop bleeding).
• Caused by: Hemophilia A is caused by disruptions or changes (variants or mutations) to the F8 gene located on the X chromosome. 
• Susceptibles: Hemophilia A is mostly expressed in males but some females who carry the gene variant may have mild or, rarely, severe symptoms of bleeding. 
• World Haemophilia Day: April 17 

About Haemophilia

• Caused by: Hemophilia is caused by a defect in the X chromosome. 
• A Royal Disease: Britain’s Queen Victoria (1819-1901) is the world’s most widely known carrier of haemophilia.
  • From her, the condition spread among a number of European royal families, which is why haemophilia was once known as the “royal disease”. 
• An Inherited Disease: Haemophilia is a medical condition, mostly inherited, in which the ability of blood to clot is severely reduced so that even a minor injury can cause severe bleeding. 
• Types: The most common type of Haemophilia is called Haemophilia A. Here, the person does not have enough clotting factor VIII.
• Haemophilia B is less common. Here, a person does not have enough factor IX.
• Statistics In India: Haemophilia A, occurs in about 1 in 5,000 births, while Haemophilia B is even rarer at about 1 in about 20,000 births.

About Gene Therapy For Haemophilia

• It is based on the transfer of a non-pathogenic and non-replicating recombinant adeno-associated virus (AAV), the viral DNA of which has been replaced by a bioengineered gene cassette, with a tissue-specific promoter and other regulatory elements.
• Roctavian is the first gene therapy to treat haemophilia A. The active substance in Roctavian, valoctocogene roxaparvovec, is based on a virus (adeno-associated virus or AAV) which has been modified to not cause disease in humans.

News Source: PIB

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Honorable Prime Minister laid the foundation stone for India’s second spaceport at Kulasekarapattinam, a coastal village in Tamil Nadu’s Thoothukudi district.

What Is a Space Port? 

• A spaceport or cosmodrome is a site for launching or receiving spacecraft, by analogy to a seaport for ships or an airport for aircraft. 
• Factors Considered for a spaceport Establishment: Geographical location, weather conditions, and availability of vast tracts of uninhabited land, among others. 
• India established its first spaceport, Satish Dhawan Space Centre (initially known as Sriharikota Range), in the year 1971, in Sriharikota, Andhra Pradesh.

Why Do We need a New Space Port? 

• Due to limitations faced by its current facility at Sriharikota, particularly when launching satellites into polar orbits. 
• Having 2 spaceports: 
  • Offers More flexibility and ability to launch in greater numbers, 
  • It will increase revenue from Private firms ( recently Agnikul Cosmos inaugurated its launch pad at Sriharikota), Startups & other foreign players.

What Is Special about Kulasekarapattinam Spaceport?

• Offers a strategic advantage: Kulasekarapattinam, located 700 kilometers south of Sriharikota, offers a strategic advantage for such launches without the need to overfly Sri Lanka (Dogleg Manoeuvre).
• Ensures fuel-efficient trajectories and Maximizes payload capacity, especially crucial for smaller rockets catering to the growing demand for small satellite launches. 

• Recently , the Establishment of a Space Industrial and Propellant Park near Thoothukudi District. 
  • This facility near the new spaceport would ensure efficient logistics and supply chain management.

About Launch Site: 

• Historical significance: It was an ancient port dating back to the 1st century AD. 
  • During that period, it thrived alongside other renowned ports such as Kollam, Cheran, and Pandyan.
• Selection of Kulasekarapattinam : It offers strategic advantages, particularly in enhancing payload capability with its direct southward launch trajectory for small launch vehicles.
• The launch site will be fully commissioned within 24 months .
• It will enhance the space activities of Non-Governmental Entities(NGEs).

News Source: Indian Express

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Recently, the Prime Minister flagged off India’s first indigenously built hydrogen fuel cell inland waterway vessel in Thoothukudi, Tamil Nadu.

Key Features of the Hydrogen Fuel Cell Ferry Boat/ Green Hydrogen Vessel

• Manufactured by : Cochin Shipyard Limited (CSL), under the Harit Nauka initiative

• Significance: 

  • It will make urban mobility smooth and easy,
  • It underscores India’s commitment to leveraging innovative clean energy technologies in the transportation sector.
  • It aligns with India’s net-zero commitments.

Working Principle of the Green Hydrogen Fuel Cell Ferry Boat

• The green hydrogen vessel operates by converting hydrogen’s chemical energy into electricity through a reaction with oxygen. 
• Utilizing Proton Exchange Membrane (PEM) fuel cell technology, specifically designed for transportation, 
• The vessel’s fuel cell  generates electricity by directing hydrogen fuel through PEM cell stacks. 
• Consequently, the vessel emits only water and warm air, ensuring zero emissions.

Green Hydrogen

• Green hydrogen is defined as hydrogen produced by the electrolysis of water, that is splitting water into hydrogen and oxygen using renewable electricity. 
• Aim: To limit global warming to 1.5C and reduce fossil fuel dependency by replacing green hydrogen. 
• Production: Green hydrogen is traditionally produced from methane (CH4), split with steam into CO2 (GreenHouse Gas) and H2 (Hydrogen).

News Source : The Hindu

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This article is based on the news “Clear and present danger in the Himalayas” which was published in the DownToEarth. Recently, the Supreme Court approved Shimla’s first development plan “Shimla Development Plan 2041”. This approval highlights the controversy of increasing vulnerability and challenges the Himalayan regions face. 

Absence of Master Plan For Himalayan Cities, Posing Threat to Himalayan Ecosystem

• Lack of Master Plan in Himalayan Cities: An analysis of data with the Town and Country Planning Organisation (TCPO) under the Union Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs shows that none of the tier 1 cities (with a population of over 0.1 million as per the Census 2001) or metro cities (with a population of more than 1 million) in the 13 Himalayan states have master plans to regulate development. 
• Plan under AMRUT Scheme: As of January 22, 2024, only eight cities have their draft master plans ready under the Union government’s Atal Mission for Rejuvenation and Urban Transformation (AMRUT) scheme– Kargil and Leh in Ladakh, Kullu (Himachal Pradesh), Shillong (Meghalaya), Itanagar (Arunachal Pradesh), Kohima and Dimapur (Nagaland), Imphal (Manipur) and Aizawl in Mizoram. 

Need For the Development Plan 

• Expert Views on Disaster Risk Plan: Disasters are glaring consequences of a city that is at a high risk of earthquake and landslides and has grown haphazardly in the absence of a master plan or comprehensive development guidelines.
  • For a sustainable development of the region, a well-considered and comprehensive plan is required.

About Shimla Development Plan 2041

• Prepared by: The Town and Country Planning Department of Himachal Pradesh, based on the city’s potential as a tourist destination and its capacity to accommodate future residents and floating populations. 
• A Long Term Planning: It lays out a blueprint for sustainable growth of the Himalayan city and its fringes, also known as Shimla Planning Area, over the next two decades. 
• Considered Estimate: The document estimates that by 2041, Shimla will be home to 498,000 people and host another 127,000 floating population, mostly tourists—this is a 60% jump from the total population staying and visiting the city in 2021.

Concerns Are Associated With Shimla Development Plan 2041

• High Floor-Area Ratio (FAR): 

  • The new FAR guideline in the Development Plan has a higher base FAR, which will lead to more construction in the already congested areas. 
    • FAR is the most important component of building by-laws, because it directly determines the dwelling density, household density as well as population density in a city. 
    • Currently the FAR in core and non-core areas of Shimla is 1.5 and 1.75. But the development plan aims to keep the base FAR at 1.75.

• No Focus on Climate-Resilient Plans: 

  • In a warming world, cities need climate-resilient master plans by integrating adaptive and mitigative measures. However, this plan falls short on this.

• No Suitability: 

  • The development plan is not suitable for the hill town. Being a mountainous region, the zonation should be made from the perspective of geology. Given the fragility of the region, the authorities should have created just construction and no-construction zones.

• Not in Accordance with the Guidelines of NGT: 

• • The Development Plan was not in accordance with the NGT recommendations for which the tribunal declared the development plan “illegal”.

Approval by the Apex Court

• The SC stated that the Shimla Development Plan 2041 appears to have “sufficient safeguards to balance the need for development while taking care of and addressing the environmental and ecological concerns (sustainable development)”.

Himalayan Region: A Fragile Ecosystem  

• Statistic: The Himalayan region accounted for 44% of all the disasters reported in India. 
• A Severe Threat: Its various impacting factors form a setting extremely susceptible to natural disasters like earthquakes, landslides, subsidence, floods, snow avalanches and even cloud bursting and forest fires. 

The Significance of the Himalayas and its Importance For India

Himalayas comprises the most dominating geographic feature of India. No other mountain range anywhere in the world has affected the life of people and shaped the destiny of a nation as the Himalayas have in respect of India. 

• Climatic Influence: 

  • Blessed with the high altitude, length and location, the Himalayas effectively intercept the summer monsoons coming from the Arabian Sea and Bay of Bengal causing precipitation in the form of rain and snow. 
    • They prevent the cold continental air masses of Central Asia from entering into India. 
    • Himalayas are responsible for splitting the jet stream into two branches and these in turn play a significant role in bringing the Monsoon to India.

• Defence: 

  • The Himalayas have been protecting India from outside invaders since early times thus serving as a defence barrier. However, the Chinese aggression in October 1962 has reduced the defence significance of India. In spite of the advancement in modern warfare technology, the defence role of the Himalayas can not be neglected.

• Source of Rivers: 

• • Himalayas act as a huge reservoir of water for the north Indian rivers  like the Ganges, Indus, Brahmaputra, etc. Snow melt in summer provides water to these rivers even during dry season and hence these are perennial rivers.

• Fertile Soil: 

  • Himalayas are the formation of the sediments deposited in the Tethys sea, which is carried by the Himalayan rivers and deposited in the northern plain in the form of the fertile soil, making the plain one the most fertile land of the world.

• Hydroelectricity: 

• • Deep valleys in the Himalayas are the best location for the construction of the dams and offer several sites that are suitable for the production of hydroelectricity. 

• Forest Wealth: 

  • The Himalayan Ranges are very rich in forest resources. In their rising altitude, the Himalayan ranges show a succession of vegetal cover from the tropic to the Alpine. 

• Agriculture: 

  • Himalayan slopes are terraced for cultivation. Rice is the main crop on the terraced slopes. Tea is unique and can be grown on the hill slopes only. Apples, peaches, walnuts, cherries, apricots, etc are also grown in the Himalayan region.

• Tourism: 

  • It provides a huge scope of tourism due to its scenic beauty and healthy environment. 

• Cultural and Spiritual: 

  • Himalaya is the abode of the Gods. Apart from its beautiful scenery, Himalayas are proud of being studded with sanctified shrines. Examples- Kailash, Amarnath, Badrinath, Kedarnath, Vaishnu Devi, etc.
    • Himalayas are spiritual centres of numerous cultures and religions, including Hinduism, Buddhism, and Jainism. 

• Minerals: 

  • The Himalayan region contains many valuable minerals such as coal, copper, lead, zinc, nickel, cobalt, antimony, tungsten, gold, silver, limestone, etc. 
    • However, mineral extraction from the Himalayan ranges is not feasible due to its complex terrain.

• Geological Insight: 

  • Studying the Himalayas provides insights into the Earth’s tectonic forces and helps scientists to understand the dynamics of mountain building.

Factors Responsible For Himalayan Calamities

• Erosion: Being the youngest mountain range in the world, Himalayas are highly prone to erosion. 
  • Bank erosion is also extensive wherever the rivers take a sinuous course. 
• High Seismic Zone: Due to continuous upliftment of the mountain, the region falls in a very high seismic zone, and its rivers cut the rocks deeply. 
• Severe Climatic Events: Rainstorms and cloud bursts. 

Concerning Data

• An analysis of data available on the EM-DAT international disaster database: It shows that the Himalayan regions—Ladakh, Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Arunachal Pradesh, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland, Sikkim, Tripura and Assam (except Darjeeling, West Bengal) account for 18% of the India’s geographical area, but have experienced 35% of the major disasters over the last 110 years. 

• In recent decades, these disasters are occurring more frequently and getting more severe, causing a significant loss of life and damage to property. The last decade (2013-2022) saw the highest number of disasters at 68 and they accounted for 44% of all the disasters reported in India.
• The National Center for Seismology (NCS): This Centre, under the Union Ministry of Earth Sciences, revealed that the Himalayan states have recorded 2,687 earthquakes between 2009 and 2021, but the majority of the events were of low intensity. 

• • While no systematic study has been undertaken to ascertain the reasons for such growing instances of disasters.

Disasters and Challenges Experienced in the Himalayan Region

• Floods: 

• • Floods are the most common type of disaster in Himalayan region, accounting for 132 of the 240 disasters recorded since 1903.
    • Flood is followed by landslides (37), extreme temperature (20) and earthquakes (17). 
    • Floods (36) have remained the most common disaster type even in the last decade (2013-2022), followed by thunder, cyclonic storms, landslides and earthquakes. 

• Melting of Himalayan Glaciers: 

  • It is the worst long-term damage. The rise in average surface temperatures in the Himalayas has exceeded 1.6°C and is causing the Himalayan glaciers to melt rapidly, which are then retreating at an accelerating rate. 
    • Reason: One of the major factors causing glaciers to melt is the emission of black carbon aerosols into the atmosphere as black carbon absorbs more light and emits infrared radiation that increases the temperature.

• High Amount of Glacial Lakes: 

  • The ice-melt from the glaciers is forming glacial lakes across the Himalayan range. The increasing frequency and ferocity of cloudbursts is causing these lakes to overflow or burst their banks and cause havoc downstream. 
    • • Torrent: The first such catastrophe occurred in 2013, above Kedarnath. The torrent that raged down the Bhagirathi claimed, officially, 6,074 lives. 
      • A similar “lakeburst” occurred at Chamoli in Uttarakhand in February 2021 and caused havoc to infrastructure along the Alaknanda. 
      • In February of 2023, Joshimath started sinking as its topsoil had been fatally loosened by the rising incidence and ferocity of cloudbursts, indiscriminate construction along the banks of the Alaknanda River, and the disturbance of the Earth’s crust by a hydropower project of the National Thermal Power Corporation (NTPC). 
      • The most recent glacial lake burst occurred in Sikkim on October 4, 2023, and claimed more than 400 lives.

• Glacier Retreat: 

  • In the west of Himachal Pradesh and Ladakh, glaciers are receding in the Hindu Kush Himalayan range by 5.9 to 6.7 m every year.
• Growth of Invasive Species: With rise in temperatures, new habitats become available for invasive species, which disrupt the delicate balance of ecosystems and threaten the survival of native species.

Way Forward to Protect Himalayan Region

Supreme Court Initiative: In August 2023, the Supreme Court mooted a re-evaluation of the load-carrying capacity of hill towns and cities, for which the Centre has proposed forming a 13-member technical committee. There is a five-point agenda to consider:

• Understand Environmental Stress Factor: 

  • Need to understand the effect of slope, drainage and cover (high vegetation and forest land) on the stress that an area can take and then accordingly authorities must declare zones and subzones fit or unfit for construction. 

• Assessing Climate Exposure and Vulnerabilities: 

  • Projections and simulations are needed to gauge climate exposure and map vulnerable areas as with the rise in extreme weather events, the scale of loss and damage is high. 

• Mainstreaming Risk and Impact Assessments: 

  • Development regulations must take these into consideration, by mainstreaming risk-likelihood and cumulative impact assessments. Since, the development works are soaring and have severe impacts such as forest fragmentation, change in river course, biodiversity loss etc.

• Enhancing Adaptive Capacity and Community Involvement: 

  • By augmenting services and infrastructure, the adaptive capacity can be improved while prioritising solutions with lesser environmental footprint, and by roping in communities. Since, the populations of hill towns increase, their capacity to adapt to climate change shrinks. 

• Tourism and Resource Management: 

• • By focusing on Sound tourism and resource management strategies, including for traffic, water and waste as hilly areas see a large influx of floating population.

Other Important Steps that Need to be Taken

• Technological Advancements: The accuracy, precision and reliability of meteorological services in India have improved a great deal in recent years and need to be updated more. 
• More Financial Support: The need now is for additional budgetary provisions to monitor glaciers and glacial lakes, for the early draining of excessive water, and much better forecasting and forewarning of disasters, so that preventive measures can be taken and timely evacuation, relief, and resettlement and rehabilitation can be started. 
• Alternatives for Fossil Fuels: There is a need to reduce the demand for fossil fuels and rapidly replacing the energy source with renewables.
• Transboundary Collaboration: Himalayan countries need to build an international network that will monitor and give early warnings. 
• Education and Awareness: People need to be made more aware of the geological vulnerability and ecological fragility with associated laws and regulations to protect it. 
• Action by Local Governments: Local Governments can play a more proactive role while granting approval to buildings and other related laws. 

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