NGT Issues Notice to Centre Over Hanging Glacier Risks in Central Himalaya
The National Green Tribunal (NGT) took suo motu cognisance of a scientific report on hanging glacier risks in the central Himalaya and issued notices to the Union government. The tribunal flagged potential violations of the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986 and raised concerns over compliance with environmental norms in ecologically fragile Himalayan zones. Separately, a research team from IIT Guwahati mapped 493 high-risk sites for future glacial lake formation in the Eastern Himalayas, highlighting growing glacial lake outburst flood (GLOF) risks.
Key Facts & Details
7 points- 1NGT takes suo motu cognisance of hanging glacier risks in central Himalaya
- 2Notices issued to Centre over possible Environment Protection Act violations
- 3IIT Guwahati study identifies 493 high-risk glacial lake sites in Eastern Himalayas
Deep Dive
- +Glacial Lake Outburst Floods (GLOFs) are a growing risk due to accelerating glacier melt from climate change
- +The 2021 Chamoli disaster in Uttarakhand was triggered by a rock and ice avalanche, killing over 200 people
- +India's Himalayan states — Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh, Sikkim, and Arunachal Pradesh — are most vulnerable
- +The NGT is a specialized judicial body established under the NGT Act, 2010
Exam Focus
Likely MCQ: The National Green Tribunal was established under which Act? → Answer: NGT Act, 2010
Related Topics
Exam Relevance & Angle
Key for Environment & Ecology: Climate change impacts, glacial hazards, and environmental governance.
Target Exams
Background & Context
The National Green Tribunal (NGT) was established in 2010 under the National Green Tribunal Act, 2010 for the effective and expeditious disposal of cases relating to environmental protection and conservation of forests. It has its principal bench in New Delhi and regional benches in Bhopal, Pune, Kolkata, and Chennai.
Hanging glaciers are glaciers that cling to steep mountain slopes and are particularly prone to collapse, potentially causing devastating avalanches, landslides, and floods in downstream valleys. Climate change is accelerating glacier retreat in the Himalayas.
A Glacial Lake Outburst Flood (GLOF) occurs when the dam containing a glacial lake (typically composed of ice or moraine) fails, releasing massive volumes of water downstream. The 2021 Chamoli disaster in Uttarakhand, where a flash flood killed over 200 people, highlighted the catastrophic potential of such events.
Related GK Concepts
Must KnowTest Yourself
1 / 3Where is the principal bench of the National Green Tribunal located?
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