Underscoring the urgent need for effective strategies to address risks associated with glacial lakes, Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Principal Secretary P K Mishra on Tuesday 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.

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Mr Mishra was speaking on the occasion of the 4th Workshop of the Committee on Disaster Risk Reduction (CoDRR) on Strategies for GLOF (Glacial Lake Outburst Flood) Risk Reduction here.

He highlighted mitigating risks associated with glacial lakes in order to ensure a safer future for our communities.

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.

He 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 cautioned.

Quoting Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s words, “Disaster risk reduction is not just about responding to disasters but also about building resilience.” he reiterated the PM’s emphasis that “the best way to deal with disasters is to prevent them,” reminding us that proactive measures are essential in safeguarding our communities.

On the International Cooperation side, Dr. Mishra emphasised that India’s commitment extends beyond national borders; hence 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.

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

Structuring his deliberation, he mentioned 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, Dr. Mishra stressed that the Government of India initiated a coordinating platform named the Committee on Disaster Risk Reduction (CoDRR).

He said our coordinated efforts have resulted in the compilation of a dynamic list of about 200 high-risk glacial lakes from a total of 7,500 surveyed.

Dr. Mishra further added that this iterative process has allowed us to categorize these lakes based on risk levels effectively. He mentioned that states were encouraged to conduct expeditions to assess all A-category lakes in summer 2024, leading to significant engagement from local authorities.

He particularly mentioned about Sikkim teams, who 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.

Present on the occasion were dignitaries including members of NDMA besides other eminent panelists and speakers.