Ladakh’s protest, a hunger for justice

  • April 2, 2024
  • Posted by: OptimizeIAS Team
  • Category: DPN Topics
No Comments

 

 

Ladakh’s protest, a hunger for justice

Subject: Geography

Section: Indian Phy geo

Climate Change threat to Ladakh region:

  • Climate change poses several threats to Ladakh, significantly impacting its environment and communities over the last two decades. The region has experienced numerous catastrophic events, such as floods, landslides, and extreme rainfall.
  • Notable incidents include the deadly flash floods in Leh in August 2010, resulting in 255 deaths, and glacial lake outburst floods (GLOFs) in August 2014 and August 2021, which caused substantial damage to infrastructure.
  • Research indicates an increase in the number and size of glacial lakes in the Himalayas due to global warming, leading to glacier shrinkage and heightened GLOF risks in Ladakh.
  • This situation is exacerbated by permafrost degradation, triggering mudflows, and an observed slight increase in the region’s minimum temperature over recent years, indicating a warming trend.
  • The challenges posed by climate change are further compounded by human activities. The burgeoning interest in mining and renewable energy development, along with a rise in tourism, introduces additional environmental pressures.
  • Increased vehicular pollution accelerates snow and ice melting, while mining activities risk enhancing slope instability and making areas more prone to landslides.
  • Furthermore, dust from mining activities settling on glaciers is likely to hasten their melting, presenting a multifaceted threat to the region’s ecological balance and the well-being of its inhabitants.

Glacial lake outburst floods (GLOFs)

  • A glacial lake outburst flood is a type of catastrophic flood that occurs when the dam containing a glacial lake fails, releasing a large volume of water.
  • This type of flood is typically caused by the rapid melting of glaciers or the buildup of water in the lake due to heavy precipitation or the inflow of meltwater.
  • In February 2021, Chamoli district in Uttarakhand witnessed flash floods which are suspected to have been caused by GLOFs.
  • Causes:
    • These floods can be triggered by a number of factors, including changes in the volume of the glacier, changes in the water level of the lake, and earthquakes.
    • According to NDMA (National Disaster Management Authority), glacial retreat due to climate change occurring in most parts of the Hindu Kush Himalayas has given rise to the formation of numerous new glacial lakes, which are the major cause of GLOFs.

Some important glaciers in the Ladakh region:

GlaciersDescription
Parkachik Glacier
  • It is a mountain glacier in Kargil, Ladakh, India.
  • Located at Parkachik, it is a mass of ice moving slowly down the Nun-Kun slopes. This ice mass falls finally into the Suru River, providing views of the huge ice fall.
Siachen Glacier
  • Located in the eastern Karakoram range in the Himalayas, it is near the northeast endpoint of the Line of Control between India and Pakistan.
  • At 76 km (47 mi) long, it’s the longest glacier in the Karakoram and the second-longest in the non-polar areas of the world.
  • Its altitude ranges from 5,753 m (18,875 ft) at Indira Col on the India–China border down to 3,620 m (11,875 ft) at its terminus.
  • Since 1984, the entire Siachen Glacier, including all major passes, has been under India’s administration, within the union territory of Ladakh, despite Pakistan’s territorial claim over it.
  • The glacier is positioned south of the drainage divide between the Eurasian Plate and the Indian subcontinent, in a region often referred to as the “Third Pole” due to its extensive glaciation.
  • It lies between the Saltoro Ridge to the west and the main Karakoram range to the east.
Machoi Glacier
  • It is a 9-kilometer-long glacier in the Himalayan Range in Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh, India.
  • It is situated 30 kilometres west of Drass, Ladakh, India and 8 kilometers east from Sonamarg on the southern side of NH 1D at Zojila.
  • The glacier is the source of the Sind River which flows westwards, and the Dras River which flows eastwards.
Shafat Glacier
  • The Shafat Glacier — Parkachik Glacier is a 14-kilometre (9 mi) long glacier in the Himalayan Range in Ladakh, India.
  • The melt waters add to the flow of the Suru River which is a tributary of the Indus River.
  • The Shafat Glacier/Parkachik Glacier is a broken, ice-falling glacier melting at an alarming rate due to Global warming.
Chumik Glacier
  • It is located in the Siachen region.
  • Located on the west of Saltoro ridge, it is a 4-mile-long offshoot of the Bilafond Glacier.
    • Bilafond Glacier is located in the Siachen region across the Karakoram Range in Pakistan. It is a main source of the Saltoro River. It is under Pakistani control.

Source: TH

Geography Ladakh’s protest