In an order issued on November 19, the bench headed by the NGT chairperson Justice Prakash Shrivastava and expert member A Senthil Vel said, “The report notes that the surface area of glacial lakes in India has increased by 33.7 per cent from 2011 to 2024.”The tribunal also noted that a recent report by the Central Water Commission (CWC) has also highlighted a significant expansion of glacial lakes in the Himalayan region, with an increase of 10.81 per cent in surface area from 2011 to 2024.”The report identifies 67 lakes in India that have seen an increase of over 40 per cent in surface area, placing them at the high-risk category for potential GLOFs,” the tribunal said.The order also noted that the expansions have been observed in regions such as Ladakh, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Sikkim, and Arunachal Pradesh.The tribunal stressed the urgent need for enhanced monitoring, early warning systems, and improved flood management strategies to mitigate the potential damage.
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