SRINAGAR: Union Home Secretary Govind Mohan on Thursday reviewed the preparedness of Jammu and Kashmir and other Himalayan States and Union Territories to deal with the risks posed by Glacial Lake Outburst Floods (GLOFs) and snow avalanches.
The meeting, held in New Delhi, was attended by Chief Secretaries and State Disaster Management Authorities of Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh, Sikkim, Arunachal Pradesh and Jammu & Kashmir, besides senior officials from the Ministry of Home Affairs, National Disaster Management Authority, Central Water Commission, India Meteorological Department and Defence Geoinformatics Research Establishment.
The meeting focused on the evolving threat of GLOFs in the Himalayan region, with discussions centred on early warning systems, monitoring of vulnerable glacial lakes and snow-covered areas, identification of high-risk locations and flow paths, timely dissemination of alerts, evacuation preparedness and strengthening of response mechanisms.
The participating States and UT presented their preparedness and mitigation measures, including monitoring of vulnerable glacial lakes, strengthening early warning systems, improving last-mile dissemination of alerts, flow-path planning, community preparedness and deployment of response resources in vulnerable areas.
State- and UT-specific vulnerabilities were also discussed, with emphasis on ensuring that mitigation measures translate into concrete action at the district and local levels.
Mohan stressed the need for continuous and proactive monitoring of vulnerable glacial lakes and avalanche-prone areas, particularly during periods of heightened risk.
He called for close coordination among State agencies, district administrations and scientific and technical institutions to ensure that warnings are acted upon promptly and effectively.
The Union Home Secretary said preparedness for GLOFs and snow avalanches must move beyond response-oriented measures and focus on risk-informed planning, preventive mitigation and community-level preparedness.
The States and UTs were advised to regularly review their preparedness plans, identify gaps in early warning and evacuation arrangements and take corrective measures well in advance of any extreme event.
Mohan also directed the States to expedite the implementation of GLOF mitigation projects sanctioned by the Central Government in 2024.
The meeting concluded with directions for continued inter-agency coordination, regular sharing of risk information and further strengthening of early warning and response mechanisms to minimise loss of life and property in vulnerable Himalayan areas.
