Need to mitigate risks linked with glacial lakes: Principal secy Mishra

P K Mishra, principal secretary to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, on Tuesday stressed the need for mitigating risks associated with glacial lakes to ensure a safer future for communities.

Mishra asserted that through the tri-focal lens of assessment, monitoring and mitigation, India has made substantial progress in this area.

He made the remarks at the 4th Workshop of the Committee on Disaster Risk Reduction (CoDRR) on Strategies for GLOF (Glacial Lake Outburst Flood) Risk Reduction here.

Complimenting the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) and the Department of Water Resources for organising the workshop, he focused on international perspectives and experiences, pertinently India's experiences, gaps and challenges in mitigating the risks and related aspects.

 

Mishra said the discussions on Sikkim glacial lake outburst flood disaster has brought to focus the enormity of the challenge.

Indeed, the South Lhonak GLOF was a wake-up call for all of us, he said.

Mishra underscored the urgent need for effective strategies to address risks associated with glacial lakes.

Quoting Prime Minister Modi's words, he said, "Disaster risk reduction is not just about responding to disasters but also about building resilience."  Mishra reiterated PM's emphasis that "the best way to deal with disasters is to prevent them".

"We must work together across borders and disciplines to create a safer world," he said, highlighting the importance of collaboration in addressing global challenges like GLOF risks.

On international cooperation, Mishra emphasised that India's commitment extends beyond national borders and highlighted the vital aspect of engaging with GLOF experts from countries such as Bhutan, Nepal, Peru, Switzerland and Tajikistan.

He iterated that such collaboration is vital to enhancing our understanding of response strategies.

Mishra underlined the key contributions from experts from the country and abroad who have enriched understanding of the critical issues.

He also talked about the challenges including the confusion over the quantum of the problem defined in terms of the number of glacial lakes and their risk factors.

He said earlier attempts to mitigate risks from the South Lhonak Lake were not successful and plans were primarily restricted to scientific hazard assessments and geo-spatial monitoring of lake size increases, while there was diffused responsibility among states and central agencies, causing confusion regarding roles.

In response to these challenges, Mishra stressed that the government of India initiated a coordinating platform named the Committee on Disaster Risk Reduction (CoDRR).

He said this platform has enabled the country to host a series of meetings followed by regular feedback, renewed communication between central scientific agencies and states on this critical subject, and clearly delegate primary responsibility to states, while ensuring adequate support from central agencies.

He asserted that through the tri-focal lens of assessment, monitoring and mitigation, India has made substantial progress.

"Our coordinated efforts have resulted in the compilation of a dynamic list of approximately 200 high-risk glacial lakes from a total of 7,500 surveyed," Mishra said.

He further added that this iterative process has allowed the country to categorise these lakes based on risk levels effectively.

Mishra also talked about Sikkim teams, which visited 18 out of 40 designated lakes with representation from various agencies such as CWC, GSI, CDAC, Army, ITBP and local academic institutions.

He said the plans for mitigation measures have been initiated at five lakes in Sikkim.

This will be backed by the government of India's approval for the National GLOF Risk Mitigation Programme with an allocation of Rs 150 crore for four states, he said.

Looking ahead, Mishra suggested that states and Union Territories must continue to lead monitoring and mitigation efforts concerning glaciers and glacial lakes with sustained support from central scientific institutions.

He said strengthening State Disaster Management Authorities (SDMAs) will be vital in enhancing our capacity to respond effectively.

Highlighting the need to think of innovative ways to have a dedicated financial window for GLOF risk reduction across these affected states and UTs, he said this initiative would contribute to safeguarding our water security because the health of our glaciers is indeed at the heart of it.