IIT Mandi study flags 9-12 critical glacial lakes in Himachal

An IIT Mandi study on 2,000 glacial lakes in Himachal Pradesh has classified 9-12 as critical. Researchers cite rising tourism, pollution, and climate change as key drivers of glacial and permafrost melting, causing terrain instability.

Dericks P Shukla, founding chairperson and Associate Professor at the School of Civil and Environmental Engineering, IIT Mandi (Photo/ANI)

IIT Mandi has conducted a study on 2,000 glacial lakes and classified nine to twelve lakes as critical amid the expansion of water bodies due to glacial melting.

Causes and Consequences of Glacial Melting

Dericks P Shukla, founding chairperson and Associate Professor at the School of Civil and Environmental Engineering, IIT Mandi, told ANI that rising tourism, which causes pollution and dust deposits on glaciers, has led to melting and climate change, which also cause permafrost melting, leading to instability in terrain.

Shukla said, "There are many aspects to it. The glaciers are melting, and with a rise in tourism, there is carbon and dust deposition. This deposition is enhancing glacial melting. There is permafrost in the areas where the average temperature for two years is below zero degrees. There is permafrost in the Himalayan region, and when it melts, the layer above moves and causes instability in the terrain."

He noted that along with glacier collapse, permafrost melting also occurred in Nepal, ahead of the August 26 flash flood, which has led to 1,127 deaths. "In the disaster in Nepal, it is being said that permafrost also occurred. The connectivity is good, but it should have been done in a controlled way. The tunnels have allowed a round-the-year influx of tourists. This is causing pollution and dust to deposit on glaciers. It deposits a black layer which absorbs energy and causes melting," he noted.

Critical Lakes Identified in Himachal Pradesh

He said that while the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) has identified four lakes that require immediate attention, IIT Mandi has identified at least nine critical lakes. He noted that the lakes in Himachal Pradesh have expanded by 30 to 60 per cent in the last 10 years. "We conducted research on over 2,000 lakes in the state and studied numerous glaciers. The NDMA has identified four glacial lakes in Himachal Pradesh that could pose a threat in the future: Ghepan Lake, Vasuki Lake, Kashang Lake, and a lake near Baspa. These require immediate attention. However, based on two types of surveys, IIT Mandi has identified between 9 and 12 lakes that could be classified as critical. Regarding the risk to the general public, the greatest danger stems from Ghepan Lake, Yoche, and Kali Kund, as they are undergoing continuous changes and their sizes are expanding annually. While Vasuki Lake is also changing in size, the absence of human settlements for several kilometers downstream minimizes the associated risk. These lakes in Himachal have expanded by 30-60 percent over the last decade," Shukla said.

IIT Mandi's research comes in the backdrop of the devastating flood in Nepal, which, according to a theory by the scientists, was caused by a glacier collapse and landslide. The glacier collapsed into the Lhende Khola River, a tributary of the Bhotekoshi River, which flows from China into Nepal, leading to the disaster. (ANI)

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