Himalayan Fragility and Unsustainable Development

11.09.2025

Himalayan Fragility and Unsustainable Development

Context:
Recent floods and landslides across northern Himalayan states expose dangers of deforestation and unregulated construction. Experts and the Supreme Court warn unchecked development threatens fragile ecosystems, risking irreversible ecological collapse.

About the Himalayas:

• The Himalayas are the youngest and highest fold mountain range in the world.
• Stretching approximately 2,400 km across India, Nepal, Bhutan, China, and Pakistan.
• They form the northern boundary of the Indian subcontinent and act as a climatic, cultural, and ecological divide.
• Home to the tallest peaks, including Mount Everest (8,849 m) and Kanchenjunga (8,586 m).

Formation:

• Around 200 million years ago, the supercontinent Pangaea split into Laurasia (north) and Gondwana (south).
• Between these landmasses lay the shallow Tethys Sea, where millions of years of sediment deposition occurred.
• About 140 million years ago, the Indian plate separated from Gondwana and drifted northwards, eventually colliding with the Eurasian plate around 50 million years ago.
• This collision caused the uplift of sediments and gave rise to the Himalayas, which continue to rise at approximately 5 mm per year.

Fragility of the Himalayas:

• Being geologically young, the Himalayas are unstable and prone to seismic activity and landslides.
• Warming in the region exceeds global averages, causing glacier retreat and irregular rainfall.
• Steep slopes and fast-flowing rivers increase risks of floods and soil erosion.
• Over 25,000 glacial lakes pose threats of sudden glacial lake outburst floods (GLOFs).
• The region is a biodiversity hotspot, harboring unique species and ecosystems, all threatened by degradation.

Drivers of Degradation:

• Unregulated infrastructure projects like highways, tunnels, and hydropower dams destabilize slopes via blasting and excavation.
• Large-scale deforestation removes soil-binding trees like deodar, especially for tourism and urban expansion.
• Weak or bypassed Environmental Impact Assessments (EIA) lead to increased ecological risks.
• Growing tourism demand strains land resources and accelerates erosion.

Consequences:

• Human loss due to disasters like Kedarnath (2013) and Chamoli (2021).
• Soil erosion, biodiversity loss, and forest degradation reduce the region's resilience.
• Poorly planned development converts heavy rainfall events into catastrophic floods and landslides.
• Economic loss occurs from infrastructure damage, disrupted agriculture, and loss of tourism revenue.
• Social trust in governance diminishes when people are not consulted and their safety is compromised.

Way Forward:

• Develop distinct, mountain-specific development models based on regional carrying capacity.
• Ensure strict and independent ecological and disaster impact assessments prior to project approval.
• Promote nature-based solutions such as afforestation, slope stabilization, and watershed management.
• Strengthen climate literacy, encourage eco-tourism, and empower local governance for resilience.
• Reduce dependency on hydropower by shifting toward solar, wind, and decentralized energy sources.

Conclusion:
The Himalayas stand at a tipping point where unchecked development, combined with climate change, threatens their long-term viability. Sustainable development models that respect ecological balance, support local communities, and balance growth are essential to preserving these "living mountains" for future generations.