Himalayan states' GLOF, avalanche preparedness reviewed by home secretary Govind Mohan

New Delhi: Union Home Secretary Govind Mohan reviewed the preparedness of Himalayan States and Union Territories against the risks of Glacial Lake Outburst Floods (GLOFs) and snow avalanches on Thursday.

During the meeting, he took stock of early warning systems, monitoring of vulnerable glacial lakes and snow-covered areas, identification of high-risk locations, flow path, timely dissemination of alerts, evacuation preparedness and strengthening of response mechanisms, the home ministry said.

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The chief secretaries and State Disaster Management Authorities of Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh, Sikkim, Arunachal Pradesh and Jammu and Kashmir, along with senior officers of the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA), Central Water Commission (CWC), India Meteorological Department (IMD) and the Defence Geoinformatics Research Establishment (DGRE) attended the meeting.

During the meeting, the states and UTs presented their respective preparedness and mitigation strategies, including measures being undertaken for monitoring vulnerable glacial lakes, strengthening early warning systems, improving last-mile dissemination of alerts, flow path planning, community preparedness and deployment of response resources in vulnerable areas.

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Vulnerabilities and preparedness measures specific to each state and UTs were discussed in detail, with emphasis on ensuring that mitigation measures are translated into concrete actions at the district and local levels.

Mohan emphasised the need for continuous and proactive monitoring of vulnerable glacial lakes and avalanche-prone areas, particularly during periods of heightened risk.

"The states/UTs were advised to maintain close coordination among state agencies, district administrations and scientific and technical institutions so that warnings are acted upon promptly and effectively," the home ministry said in a statement.

The home secretary asked states to be prepared for GLOFs, snow avalanches and move beyond response-oriented measures towards risk-informed planning, preventive mitigation and community-level preparedness.

"States/UTs were advised to regularly review their preparedness plans, identify gaps in early warning and evacuation arrangements, and undertake necessary corrective measures in advance of any extreme event. He also highlighted that states need to expedite the progress of GLOF mitigation project sanctioned for the states by the Central Government in 2024," it said.

The meeting concluded with directions for continued inter-agency coordination, regular sharing of risk information and strengthening of early warning and response mechanisms to minimise loss of life and property in vulnerable Himalayan areas, it said.