Op-ed: A warming Himalaya demands a rethink of how the mountains are developed
If glaciers are losing ice twice as fast as before, can roads, dams and tunnels keep being built the old way?
Published 13 October 2026. Written by Pratidin from the reports linked at the end; every fact checked by a separate review before publishing. How we work
An article in The Hindu on 13 October 2026 argues that the Indian Himalayan Region keeps suffering frequent, severe climate-linked disasters because repeated calls for sustainable development have gone unheeded, and that infrastructure policy for the mountains now needs a fundamental rethink. The writer notes that warming in the Himalaya is not uniform: the western Himalaya is warming faster, especially at night and in winter, and the high mountains of Asia are warming at about 0.3 degrees Celsius per decade, nearly twice the global average.
The piece draws on two recent warnings. Reports released by the International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD) on 21 March 2026 found that ice-loss rates across the Hindu Kush Himalaya have doubled since 2000; between 1990 and 2020 the region's glaciers lost about 12% of their area and 9% of their estimated ice. On 26 August 2026 a large mass of ice and rock collapsed near Langtang Lirung in Nepal, temporarily damming the Lhende Khola river before it burst into a destructive flood. The article explains the mechanism: warmer temperatures tip glaciers towards melting and faster flow, while thawing permafrost (ground that stays frozen for at least two years) weakens steep rock walls and triggers avalanches, landslides and debris flows.
The writer recommends regional cooperation and real-time data sharing; high-altitude surveillance with satellites, drones and acoustic and hydrological sensors; continuous monitoring and engineered drainage of glacial lakes; and redrawing river flood zones using valley slope to decide where structures may go. It recalls that the Avay Shukla and Ravi Chopra committees had sought curbs on large hydropower projects, says the proposed Chenab-Beas river-link in Himachal Pradesh needs serious reconsideration, and calls for a moratorium on development projects until they are reassessed for environmental impact and climate resilience. Supporters of mountain infrastructure argue that roads, power and connectivity are vital for border security and local livelihoods; the article's case is that these must be planned around a hazard map that is changing fast.
Prelims facts
- ICIMOD reports released on 21 March 2026 found ice-loss rates in the Hindu Kush Himalaya have doubled since 2000.
- From 1990 to 2020, Hindu Kush Himalayan glaciers lost about 12% of their area and 9% of their estimated ice reserves.
- On 26 August 2026 an ice and rock collapse near Langtang Lirung in Nepal dammed the Lhende Khola and caused a flash flood.
- Permafrost is ground that stays at or below 0 degrees Celsius for at least two consecutive years; its thaw destabilises steep slopes.
- The article cites the Avay Shukla and Ravi Chopra committees and calls for a moratorium on Himalayan projects pending climate-resilience reassessment.
Quick recall
- By how much have ice-loss rates in the Hindu Kush Himalaya changed since 2000 (ICIMOD, 2026)?
- They have doubled.
- Glacier area and ice lost in the Hindu Kush Himalaya, 1990 to 2020?
- About 12% of area and 9% of estimated ice reserves.
- When were ICIMOD's 2026 glacier reports released?
- 21 March 2026, for the World Day for Glaciers.
- Where is ICIMOD headquartered?
- Kathmandu, Nepal.
- Define permafrost.
- Ground that stays at or below 0 degrees Celsius for at least two consecutive years.
- Which river was dammed by the 26 August 2026 Langtang collapse?
- The Lhende Khola, in Nepal.
- What did the Ravi Chopra expert body find after the 2013 Kedarnath floods?
- 23 of 24 proposed hydropower projects in the Alaknanda and Bhagirathi basins would have an irreversible impact.
- Which 2023 GLOF damaged the Teesta III dam?
- The South Lhonak lake outburst in Sikkim, October 2023.
Prelims practice question
With reference to the International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD), consider the following statements:
1. It is headquartered in Kathmandu.
2. India is one of its regional member countries.
3. Its 2026 reports found that ice-loss rates in the Hindu Kush Himalaya have halved since 2000.
Which of the statements given above are correct?
- 1 and 2 only
- 2 and 3 only
- 1 and 3 only
- 1, 2 and 3
Show answer
Answer: (a) 1 and 2 only. 1 and 2 are correct: ICIMOD is based in Kathmandu and has eight regional member countries including India. 3 is wrong: the reports found ice-loss rates have doubled, not halved, since 2000.
Use this in UPSC Mains: previous-year questions
Recurring theme: Climate change, Himalayan hazards and development in fragile regions
- How to use this
Use the warming-Himalaya evidence and the committees' recommendations to show how development and disaster-risk reduction can be reconciled through siting, monitoring and cumulative assessment.
- ICIMOD (March 2026): Hindu Kush Himalaya ice-loss rates have doubled since 2000; glaciers lost 12% area between 1990 and 2020.
- Ravi Chopra expert body, after Kedarnath 2013, found 23 of 24 projects in Alaknanda and Bhagirathi basins would cause irreversible impact.
- Tools: satellite and sensor surveillance, engineered drainage of glacial lakes, flood zoning by valley slope, basin-level impact studies.
- How to use this
Use the glacier and permafrost evidence to show how climate change raises disaster risk in India's Himalayan States.
- Ice-loss rates in the Hindu Kush Himalaya have doubled since 2000 (ICIMOD, March 2026).
- Thawing permafrost destabilises slopes, causing avalanches and debris flows like the August 2026 Langtang collapse in Nepal.
Tests glacier-river geography in the Himalaya, the static base for this story.
Mains practice question
Recurring disasters in the Himalaya show that climate change has altered the risk calculus for development in mountain regions. Discuss the measures needed to make infrastructure in the Indian Himalayan Region climate-resilient. (250 words)
Model answer
The Himalaya is warming faster than the global average, and ICIMOD's 2026 reports show ice-loss rates in the Hindu Kush Himalaya have doubled since 2000. Infrastructure planned for yesterday's climate now sits on moving ground.
How the risk has changed
- Glacier retreat: 12% of glacier area and 9% of ice lost between 1990 and 2020.
- Thawing permafrost weakens rock walls, causing avalanches and debris flows.
- Cascading hazards: the 26 August 2026 Langtang collapse in Nepal dammed the Lhende Khola before flooding downstream.
- Earlier lessons: the 2013 Kedarnath floods and the 2021 Chamoli disaster.
Measures for resilience
- Know the hazard: satellite, drone and sensor surveillance; continuous monitoring and engineered drainage of glacial lakes; early-warning systems.
- Zone the land: redraw flood zones using valley slope; keep structures out of high-risk reaches.
- Rethink hydropower: follow the Ravi Chopra expert body (which found 23 of 24 projects in two Uttarakhand basins would have irreversible impact) and basin-level studies urged by the Avay Shukla committee.
- Cumulative assessment: evaluate projects, including river links like the proposed Chenab-Beas link, basin-wide, not one at a time.
- Regional cooperation: real-time data sharing through ICIMOD and with neighbours.
- Design standards: slope-stable road cutting, debris management and climate-proofed codes.
Balancing needs
- Roads and power matter for border security and livelihoods, so the aim is safer siting and design, not a halt to all development.
In a fast-warming Himalaya, resilience means planning with a hazard map that is redrawn constantly.
The basics
Why this matters
The Himalaya holds the largest store of ice outside the poles and feeds rivers that nearly two billion people depend on. It is also where India is building highways, tunnels, dams and river links. When the ice and frozen ground that hold slopes together start to fail, every one of those projects faces a new kind of risk. UPSC asks about Himalayan disasters, landslides and the clash between development and disaster-risk reduction almost every year.
The scale of the ice
The region has more than 63,700 glaciers covering nearly 55,782 square km. Between 1990 and 2020 they lost about 12% of their area and 9% of their estimated ice reserves. Small glaciers, under half a square km and about three-quarters of the total, are shrinking fastest. More in Glacier retreat in the Hindu Kush Himalaya.
How warming turns into disaster
Ice does not just melt quietly. Warming sets off a chain of hazards, which scientists call a cascade.
- 1WarmingHigher temperatures shift the balance between snowfall and melt
- 2WeakeningGlaciers thin and flow faster; frozen ground in rock walls thaws
- 3FailureIce and rock collapse, or a glacial lake breaches its dam
- 4DammingDebris blocks a river and a temporary lake forms
- 5FloodThe blockage bursts, sending water and debris downstream
The 26 August 2026 collapse near Langtang Lirung in Nepal followed this pattern: the Lhende Khola was blocked, then flooded. The thawing of frozen ground is explained in Permafrost and slope failure; lake bursts in Glacial lake outburst floods.
The development question
- Disasters are frequent because sustainability warnings were ignored
- Revisit big hydropower and river-link plans
- Pause projects until they are reassessed for climate resilience
- Roads and power serve border areas and local livelihoods
- Connectivity aids disaster response too
- Risk can be cut by better siting, design and warning systems
Expert committees have long urged caution: see Hydropower in the Himalayas. The common ground is that projects must be planned on a hazard map that keeps changing, with monitoring, zoning and early warning built in from the start.
Go deeper
In one line: An op-ed argues that rapid warming is destabilising the Himalaya, so infrastructure and hydropower plans must be reassessed for climate risk.
Why it matters for UPSC
GS1 asks about Himalayan landslides and glaciers; GS3 asks about disaster management and about reconciling infrastructure with disaster-risk reduction in fragile areas (2026). This piece supplies fresh data and policy options.
The core idea
Warming is speeding up Glacier retreat in the Hindu Kush Himalaya. As ice thins and frozen ground thaws, slopes fail: see Permafrost and slope failure. Meltwater collects in lakes that can burst: see Glacial lake outburst floods. Large projects in narrow valleys sit in the path of these hazards, which is why expert committees questioned Hydropower in the Himalayas. The writer wants monitoring, zoning and a moratorium on new projects until they are reassessed.
Numbers and dates to remember
- ICIMOD reports: released 21 March 2026; ice-loss rates doubled since 2000.
- 1990 to 2020: about 12% glacier area and 9% ice reserves lost.
- More than 63,700 glaciers; nearly two billion people downstream.
- High mountains of Asia: warming about 0.3 degrees Celsius per decade, per the article.
- 26 August 2026: ice and rock collapse near Langtang Lirung, Nepal; Lhende Khola dammed.
Where to go next
- Glacier retreat in the Hindu Kush Himalaya: what ICIMOD found.
- Permafrost and slope failure: why mountains crumble as they warm.
- Glacial lake outburst floods: the flood hazard from meltwater lakes.
- Hydropower in the Himalayas: what expert committees said about dams.
Go deeper: build, pause or redesign?
The case for a pause. The article argues that disasters keep recurring because warnings were ignored. ICIMOD's finding that ice-loss rates have doubled since 2000 (see Glacier retreat in the Hindu Kush Himalaya) means hazard maps drawn a decade ago are out of date. The Langtang collapse showed how one slope failure can block a river and send a flood far downstream. The writer cites the Avay Shukla committee, set up by the Himachal Pradesh High Court, and the Ravi Chopra expert body formed after the 2013 Kedarnath floods, which found that 23 of 24 proposed projects in the Alaknanda and Bhagirathi basins would have an irreversible impact. It asks for the proposed Chenab-Beas river link to be reconsidered and for a moratorium until projects are reassessed.
The case against a blanket halt. Mountain States need roads, power and jobs, and border areas need all-weather connectivity. A moratorium on all projects could stall these without making existing settlements safer. Many experts favour risk-based siting and better engineering rather than a stop.
The middle path. Several measures in the article fit either view: high-altitude surveillance with satellites, drones and sensors; monitoring and engineered drainage of glacial lakes (Glacial lake outburst floods); flood zoning by valley slope; slope stabilisation where permafrost is thawing (Permafrost and slope failure); cumulative, basin-level impact assessment for Hydropower in the Himalayas; and regional data sharing. The article also notes that Nepal, which it says produces about 0.1% of global emissions, is seeking compensation for loss and damage, a reminder that this is a climate-justice issue too.
Glacier retreat in the Hindu Kush Himalaya
What ICIMOD's 2026 reports found.
In one line: Glaciers across the Hindu Kush Himalaya are shrinking, and the rate of ice loss has doubled since 2000.
The evidence
Two reports by the International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD), released on 21 March 2026 for the World Day for Glaciers, found that between 1990 and 2020 glaciers lost about 12% of their area and 9% of their estimated ice reserves. Since 1975 some have lost up to 27 metres of ice thickness. The region has more than 63,700 glaciers covering nearly 55,782 square km, feeding at least ten major Asian rivers on which nearly two billion people depend.
What ICIMOD is
ICIMOD is an intergovernmental knowledge centre based in Kathmandu, Nepal, with eight regional member countries: Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, China, India, Myanmar, Nepal and Pakistan.
Why it matters
Faster melt first swells rivers and lakes, raising flood risk, and later threatens dry-season water supply.
Where to go next
Permafrost and slope failure
Why mountains crumble as they warm.
In one line: Permafrost is ground that stays at or below 0 degrees Celsius for at least two consecutive years; in high mountains it acts like glue holding rock walls together.
How thaw causes collapse
Ice in cracks and pores of rock binds steep slopes. As temperatures rise, this ice melts and water seeps in, reducing friction and strength. Slopes that were stable for centuries can then fail as rock avalanches, landslides and debris flows. Glaciers that thin also stop buttressing the valley walls beside them.
Examples in the news
The 26 August 2026 collapse near Langtang Lirung in Nepal involved a large mass of ice and rock that dammed the Lhende Khola before flooding downstream. India's own 2021 Chamoli disaster in Uttarakhand was also triggered by a rock and ice avalanche.
Why it matters for planning
Thawing slopes mean landslide hazard maps must be updated, and roads and tunnels in high, steep terrain need stronger slope protection and monitoring.
Where to go next
Glacial lake outburst floods
The flood hazard from meltwater lakes.
In one line: A glacial lake outburst flood (GLOF) is the sudden release of water from a lake dammed by ice or loose glacial debris.
How they form
As glaciers retreat they leave lakes held back by moraines (heaps of rock and soil) or ice. An avalanche, landslide, earthquake or heavy rain can breach the dam and release huge volumes of water and debris in minutes. Lakes can also form on glacier surfaces (supraglacial lakes) or behind landslide debris.
Indian experience
In October 2023 a GLOF from South Lhonak lake in Sikkim swept down the Teesta valley and damaged the Teesta III dam at Chungthang. The National Disaster Management Authority has issued guidelines on managing GLOFs.
What reduces the risk
Mapping and monitoring lakes, lowering water levels through engineered drainage or siphoning, early-warning sensors and keeping settlements and projects out of flood paths. The op-ed asks for continuous monitoring and engineered drainage of glacial lakes.
Where to go next
Glacial lake outburst floods: every story that connects to it (2)
Hydropower in the Himalayas
What expert committees said about dams in fragile valleys.
In one line: Himalayan rivers offer large hydropower potential, but dams and tunnels in narrow, unstable valleys can magnify disaster risk.
What committees found
- Avay Shukla committee: set up by the Himachal Pradesh High Court after a case on tree felling by a hydel project; around 2010 it urged river-basin studies instead of judging each project separately.
- Ravi Chopra expert body: formed after the 2013 Kedarnath floods; it found that 23 of 24 proposed projects in the Alaknanda and Bhagirathi basins of Uttarakhand would have an irreversible impact on ecology.
The core concern
Many projects on one river add up: muck dumping, tunnelling and blasting weaken slopes, and dams can be hit by floods carrying debris. This is why experts ask for cumulative, basin-level assessment.
In the news
The op-ed cites both committees and asks for the proposed Chenab-Beas river link in Himachal Pradesh to be reconsidered.
Where to go next
Take the 13 October 2026 quiz: 30 Prelims-style questions with answers