Nature-friendly development for Himalayan fragility

Projects such as the Tehri dam play a role in exacerbating the effects of disasters, as seen during the 2021 Chamoli flash floods, especially in the Himalayan ecosystem.

• The Himalayas are ecologically fragile and economically underdeveloped, with geo-environmental constraints imposing severe limitations on the level of resource productivity.
• Consequently, subsistence agriculture constitutes the main source of livelihood in the region.
• The rapid growth of tourists in the region has brought about extensive land-use changes in the region, mainly through the extension of cultivation and large-scale deforestation.
• This irrational land transformation process has not only disrupted the ecological balance of the Himalayan watersheds through reduced groundwater recharge, increased run-off and soil erosion, but has also adversely affected the ecology and economy of the adjoining Indo-Gangetic plains by recurrent floods and decreased irrigation potential.

Formation of Himalayas:

• The Himalayas formed 50 million years ago due to a continental drift wherein the Indian landmass crossed the prehistoric Tethys Sea and bumped into the Asian mainland, which is still quite fragile.
• The mountain range, whose rocks are made of sediment from the bottom of the Tethys, is still rising slowly and is susceptible to earthquakes.
• As the Himalayas evolved, the slopes were covered with vegetation of oak and rhododendron that firmly held the soil and water, preventing erosion or landslides.

The development projects and disasters:

• The Hindu Kush Himalayan region is prone to numerous types of disasters because of its;
  • Steep terrain
  • fragile geology
  • intense and variable precipitation
  • Common incidents of floods and landslides
  • Neo-tectonic mountain-building processes, like earthquakes, landslides, floods, etc.
• Other factors:
  • Overexploitation of the ecosystem(tourism, increased consumerism)
  • Exploitative development projects: The indiscriminate exploitation of the fragile Himalayan region in the name of development projects has extracted a heavy price in terms of environmental damage.
  • Fragmentation of natural resources: A string of hydroelectric and road projects in the Himalayan States have already resulted in the fragmentation of natural systems.

Suggestive measures:

• Regulated tourism practice: There is a need to establish regulated tourism practices with the promotion of sustainable agendas for the Indian Himalayan region (IHR).
• Also, there is a need for the maintenance of proper tourist capacity in every tourist place.
• Vigilance and patrolling: Protected areas require vigilance and regular patrolling to reduce unwanted wildlife-tourist interaction as well as habitat destruction due to off-road driving and encroachment.
• Early Warning System: It is important to have early warning and better weather forecast systems in order to forecast the disaster and alert the local population and tourists.
• Regional Cooperation: There is a need for a transboundary coalition of Himalayan countries to share and disseminate knowledge about the mountains and the preservation of the ecology there.
• Area-Specific Sustainable Plan: What is most critical is to review the area’s present status and draw up a sustainable plan that respects the specific requirements of this fragile region and the impact of the climate crisis.
• Promote Ecotourism: Initiating a dialogue on the adverse impacts of commercial tourism and promoting ecotourism.