434 extreme weather events in 7 years: Himachal Pradesh government to SC

NEW DELHI: Himachal Pradesh has experienced 434 extreme weather events in the last seven years,, resulting in the loss of 123 lives, the state govt told Supreme Court. More worryingly, it said that the higher Himalayan region were facing glacial retreat and scanty rainfall, which were adversely impacting the alpine ecosystem, reports Dhananjay Mahapatra. There were more signs of warming in the higher reaches.

There are signs of warming in the higher reaches of the Himalayas, which could spell danger for the country's riverine system, this could also mean the favourite destination of Delhiites and residents of north India to witness winter snow could get drier with passage of decades, unless mitigating steps are urgently put in place.

The Himachal Pradesh govt through advocate general Anup Rattan told an SC bench of Justices Vikram Nath and Sandeep Mehta that the "higher or Great Himalayas, including areas of districts namely Lahaul-Spiti, Kinnaur and parts of Pangi, are facing harsher effects such as glacial retreat, reduced snowfall and increased dryness, impacting water availability and alpine ecosystem." The middle Himalayas, covering areas such as Shimla, Kullu, Mandi and Kangra districts, are experiencing rising temperatures, erratic rainfall and increased incidents of flash floods, landslides and cloudbursts that threaten agriculture, forests and human settlements, it said, adding that the impact is milder on lower regions of Kangra, Una and Sirmour, though these also experienced heatwaves and erratic rainfall that impacted agriculture and livelihoods.

The bench had taken suo motu notice of the issues related to ecology and environmental conditions in the state and had sought the govt's response, which came in 162 pages. Amicus curiae and senior advocate K Parameswaran flagged more issues and after hearing both sides, the bench reserved judgment and said orders would be pronounced on Sept 23. The state identified the causes impacting the ecology - hydro-electric power projects, destruction caused by four-laning of roads due to use of heavy machinery and explosives, deforestation due to development, construction of multi-storeyed buildings and flowing of waste water into rivers. The state acknowledged the shortcomings in existing measures and said it intends to set up a core group of officers with experts to identify lascunae.

The amicus curiae also posed a series of questions including what is the forest cover percentage of the state's geographical area and how much has vanished in the last five decades? Does the state have a climate change policy?