The National Green Tribunal has sought responses from the Centre and other authorities over the risks posed by hanging glaciers in the central Himalayas. Recent findings indicate that these glaciers are becoming increasingly unstable, with evidence of glacier retreat, detachment of tributary glaciers, and the destabilisation of previously stable ice formations. The report underscores that this growing environmental threat remains largely overlooked, despite being identified in the ecologically sensitive Alaknanda basin, a crucial headstream of the Ganga.
The study further highlights that human exposure to such hazards is rising due to rapid development in high-altitude regions. In worst-case scenarios, ice avalanches could reach settlements such as Mana, Badrinath, and Hanuman Chatti. It suggests that targeted monitoring of the most high-risk glaciers, despite the vast and difficult terrain, could be a practical step towards mitigating future disasters.
As climate change intensifies, glacier dynamics are being severely affected, directly impacting the fragile Himalayan ecosystem and its people. How to address this growing threat remains a pressing question, with few clear answers so far.