GANGTOK,: Lok Sabha MP from Sikkim, Indra Hang Subba, has been consistently
pressing the Parliament and Government of India for extensive studies and robust
measures to safeguard the Himalayan region from the risks and challenges of
climate change, including Glacial Lake Outburst Floods (GLOFs).
At this ongoing
winter session of the Parliament, Indra Hang Subba submitted his concerns and
questions to the Union Ministry of Environment, Forest & Climate Change.
Through a written question, he asked the Ministry on fund allocations for study
of effects of climate change in the Himalayas and reports published, and funds
allocated to Sikkim to mitigate the situation caused by the Teesta Basin flood
as a consequence of climate change, informs a press release.
In reply, the
Ministry informed that the Government of India has allocated funds for studying
the effects of climate change in the Himalayan region through various
ministries.
The Department
of Science & Technology (DST) has launched the National Mission for
Sustaining the Himalayan Eco-System (NMSHE) as a key component of the National
Action Plan on Climate Change (NAPCC), aimed at understanding the impact of
climate change in the Himalayan region, said the Ministry.
It was informed
that the Ministry of Earth Sciences (MoES), through the National Centre for
Polar and Ocean Research (NCPOR), studies the effects of climate change on
Himalayan glaciers and its contribution to water sustainability. The Polar and
Cryosphere Research (PACER) sub-scheme of MoES also supports studies and
monitoring of glaciers in the Himalayas.
The G.B. Pant
National Institute of Himalayan Environment (NIHE), an autonomous institute,
undertakes studies on different aspects of climate change impact on the
Himalayan environment. The National Mission on Himalayan Studies (NMHS)
implemented by Environment ministry supports innovative studies towards
sustenance and enhancement of natural and human capital of the Indian Himalayan
Region.
Detailed
findings on biodiversity shifts, glacial melting, livelihood impacts,
vulnerability and risk assessment in the Himalayan region due to climate change
have been published as reports and journal papers.
The ministry
said that as per information provided by the State Government of Sikkim, Rs 40
crore has been approved for the State of Sikkim under the National Disaster
Mitigation Fund for GLOF.
“I welcome the
Ministry's responses, which indicate that the Union Government is making
significant efforts to address the adverse impacts of climate change on the
Himalayan region and its communities. As studies progress and more data is
gathered, I trust that the Central Government will continue to recalibrate its
policies and measures to tackle the challenges posed by climate change in the
region including Sikkim”, said the Lok Sabha MP.
Indra Hang
maintained that it is crucial that discussions among policymakers on climate
change remain ongoing, focusing on the protection of the Himalayas and the
continued adaptation to climate change in this sensitive area.
He added that
the Sikkim Government led by Chief Minister Prem Singh Tamang has already
formed a commission earlier this year in October to address glacial threats for
Sikkim. The 13-member Sikkim Commission on Glacial Hazards is tasked to
evaluate vulnerable glacial lakes in Sikkim and suggest strategies to mitigate
future glacial hazards, the release mentions.
