Informatics Publishing Limited

G. C. S. Negi ¹, R. S. Rawal ¹, S. Sharma ¹, Kireet Kumar ¹, P. P. Dhyani ¹

Affiliations
1 G.B. Pant Institute of Himalayan Environment and Development, Kosi-Katarmal, Almora, IN

Abstract

No Abstract.

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Rajeev Semwal ¹, Kireet Kumar ², P. P. Dhyani ²

Affiliations
1 Mountain Division, Ministry of Environment and Forests, Paryavaran Bhavan, CGO Complex, New Delhi 110 003, IN
2 G. B. Pant Institute of Himalayan Environment and Development, Kosi Katarmal, Almora 263 643, IN

Abstract

No Abstract.

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I. M. Bahuguna ¹, B. P. Rathore ¹, Rupal Brahmbhatt ², Milap Sharma ³, Sunil Dhar ⁴, S. S. Randhawa ⁵, Kireet Kumar ⁶, Shakil Romshoo ⁷, R. D. Shah ², R. K. Ganjoo ⁸, Ajai ¹

Affiliations
1 Space Applications Centre, Ahmedabad 380 015, IN
2 M. G. Science Institute, Ahmedabad 380 009, IN
3 School of Social Sciences, Jawaharlal Nehru University, Delhi 110 067, IN
4 Department of Geology, Government College, Dharamshala 176 215,, IN
5 State Council of Science and Technology, Shimla 171 009, IN
6 G.B. Pant Institute of Himalayan Environment and Development, Almorah 263 643, IN
7 Department of Earth Sciences, University of Kashmir, Srinagar 190 006, IN
8 Department of Geology, Jammu University, Jammu 180 006, IN

Abstract

The Himalayan mountain system to the north of the Indian land mass with arcuate strike of NW-SE for about 2400 km holds one of the largest concentration of glaciers outside the polar regions in its high-altitude regions. Perennial snow and ice-melt from these frozen reservoirs is used in catchments and alluvial plains of the three major Himalayan river systems, i.e. the Indus, Ganga and Brahmaputra for irrigation, hydropower generation, production of bio-resources and fulfilling the domestic water demand. Also, variations in the extent of these glaciers are understood to be a sensitive indicator of climatic variations of the earth system and might have implications on the availability of water resources in the river systems. Therefore, mapping and monitoring of these freshwater resources is required for the planning of water resources and understanding the impact of climatic variations. Thus a study has been carried out to find the change in the extent of Himalayan glaciers during the last decade using IRS LISS III images of 2000/01/02 and 2010/11. Two thousand and eighteen glaciers representing climatically diverse terrains in the Himalaya were mapped and monitored. It includes glaciers of Karakoram, Himachal, Zanskar, Uttarakhand, Nepal and Sikkim regions. Among these, 1752 glaciers (86.8%) were observed having stable fronts (no change in the snout position and area of ablation zone), 248 (12.3%) exhibited retreat and 18 (0.9%) of them exhibited advancement of snout. The net loss in 10,250.68 sq. km area of the 2018 glaciers put together was found to be 20.94 sq. km or 0.2% (±2.5% of 20.94 sq. km).

Keywords

Ablation, Glacier, Himalaya, Retreat, Snout.

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Vaibhav Gosavi ¹, Sandipan Mukherjee ², Ranjan Joshi ², Ravindra K. Verma ², Kireet Kumar ², Pitamber P. Dhyani ²

Affiliations
1 G. B. Pant Institute of Himalayan Environment and Development, Himachal Unit, Mohal-Kullu 175 126, IN
2 G. B. Pant Institute of Himalayan Environment and Development, Kosi-Katarmal, Almora 263 643, IN

Abstract

A national consultation meeting on the Indian Himalayan Region (IHR) was held (i) to foster cooperation on sustainable development across the IHR and promote science-policy-practice connect; (ii) to facilitate dialogue among stakeholders on strategies for climate change adaptation in identified sectors; (iii) to build a vibrant knowledge network to support National and State action plans for climate change, and (iv) to suggest institutional framework for implementation of strategic adaptation plan.

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Jagdish Chandra Kuniyal ¹, Renu Lata ¹, Amit Kumar ¹, Bhim Chand ¹, Nidhi Kanwar ¹, Sheetal Chaudhary ¹, Kireet Kumar ², Pitamber Prasad Dhyani ³

Affiliations
1 G.B. Pant National Institute of Himalayan Environment and Sustainable Development, Himachal Regional Centre, Mohal-Kullu 175 126, IN
2 G.B. Pant National Institute of Himalayan Environment and Sustainable Development, Kosi-Katarmal, Almora 263 643, IN
3 Shri Guru Ram Rai University, Dehradun 248 001, IN

Abstract

The Indian Himalayan Region (IHR), spreading from Arunachal Pradesh in the east to Jammu and Kashmir in the west and covering 530,795 km² of geographical area, holds a special place in the mountain ecosystems of the world. The IHR is also known as the third water tower of the earth and supplies water to a larger part of the Indian subcontinent. Due to the rich water potential of the IHR and the ever-increasing energy demands of the country, the Government of India recognized that hydropower potential needs to be harnessed to the maximum for economic development.

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Lalit Giri ¹, P. Hareesh Chandra ¹, K. Chandra Sekar ¹, Ashutosh Tiwari ¹, Ravindra Kumar Verma ¹, Kireet Kumar ¹

Affiliations
1 G. B. Pant National Institute of Himalayan Environment and Sustainable Development, Kosi-Katarmal, Almora - 263 643, IN

Abstract

Mountain ecosystems are globally important as centres of biological diversity and they are receiving increasing priority on global conservation agenda1. The Himalaya is recognized as one of the global biodiversity hotspots in view of its rich, unique biodiversity and vulnerability to perturbations. The goods and services emanating from this ecosystem are vitally important for ecological and economic security of a major part of the Indian subcontinent. Despite its global importance, the Himalaya is considered as a data-deficient region2. Recognizing the significance of the Himalaya as an important biological hotspot, the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEF&CC), Government of India (GoI) launched the National Mission on Himalayan Studies (NMHS) as a Central Sector (CS) Grant-in-Aid Scheme in late 2015, with a vision to support the sustenance and enhancement of the ecological, natural, cultural and socio-economic capital assets and values of the Indian Himalayan Region (IHR).

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Harish Bisht ¹, Meenu Rani ¹, Kireet Kumar ¹, Saurabh Sah ¹, Prakash Chandra Arya ²

Affiliations
1 G.B. Pant National Institute of Himalayan Environment and Sustainable Development, Kosi-Katarmal, Almora - 263 643, IN
2 Centre of Earth Sciences, Indian Institute of Science, Bengaluru - 560 012, IN

Abstract

The regular monitoring of glaciers is important to determine their retreating rate and mass balance for overall glacier health. Chaturangi glacier, a major inactive tributary of the Gangotri glacier system was selected for the present study due to its dynamic nature and also because there are no previous records of its retreating rates. In order to reconstruct past retreating rates, total area loss, volume change and shift in snout position were measured through multi-temporal satellite data from 1989 to 2016 and kinematic GPS survey from 2015 to 2016. The results obtained from satellite data indicate that in the last 27 years Chaturangi glacier snout has retreated 1172.57 ± 38.3 m (average = 45.07 ± 4.31 m/year) with a total area and volume loss of 0.626 ± 0.001 sq. km and 0.139 km³ respectively. The field measurements through differential global positioning system survey revealed that the annual retreating rate was 22.84 ± 0.05 m/year. The large variations in results derived from both the methods are probably because of higher difference in their accuracy. Nevertheless, the results derived from both the methods are in agreement that Chaturangi glacier is retreating at a considerable rate.

Keywords

Glacier Snout, Kinematic Survey, Retreat Rate, Satellite Data.

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Jagdish Chandra Kuniyal ¹, Nidhi Kanwar ¹, Ajay Singh Bhoj ¹, Kuldeep Singh Rautela ¹, Pramod Joshi ¹, Kireet Kumar ¹, Mohd Sharjeel Sofi ², Sami Ullah Bhat ², Irfan Rashid ³, Mahindra Singh Lodhi ⁴, Ch. Anniebesant Devi ⁵, Huidrom Birkumar Singh ⁵

Affiliations
1 Govind Ballabh Pant National Institute of Himalayan Environment, Kosi-Katarmal, Almora 263 643, IN
2 Department of Environmental Science, School of Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Kashmir, Srinagar 190 006, IN
3 Department of Botany, University of Kashmir, Srinagar 190 006, IN
4 Govind Ballabh Pant National Institute of Himalayan Environment, North-East Regional Centre, Itanagar 791 113, IN
5 CSIR: North-East Institute of Science and Technology, Branch Laboratory, Lamphelpat, Imphal 795 004, IN

Abstract

Mountains are considered as the early indicators of climate change. The study aims to understand how the Himalayan communities perceive climate change, and how this change has impacted the livelihood and sustenance of local people particularly in the remote and rural areas of the region. In view of this, 994 households of 25 villages were interviewed from five basins (five villages per basin) of the Indian Himalayan Region. Their perceptions mainly of climate change were validated/compared with the available climatic indices. People perceived rainfall pattern to be less predictable, greater change in land-use pattern, adverse impacts on forests and human health and overall reduction in their harvests. Seasonal increase in temperature was also reported. Capacity-building programmes for the inhabitants, including the most vulnerable communities in the wake of climate change would be significantly fruitful by way of mitigation and adaptation strategies.

Keywords

Adaptive Strategies, Climate Change, Glacierfed and Non-glacier-fed Ecosystems, People’s Perception.

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Vaibhav E. Gosavi ¹, Sandipan Mukherjee ¹, Ashutosh Tiwari ¹, Kireet Kumar ¹, Vasudha Agnihotri ¹, Ranjan Joshi ¹

Affiliations
1 G.B. Pant National Institute of Himalayan Environment, Kosi-Katarmal, Almora 263 643, India, IN

Abstract

No Abstract.

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