India makes big push to study Himalayan ecology

Urbanisation, irresponsible tourism, overuse of water, badly planned power and infrastructure projects and deforestation are all affecting the Himalayas, acknowledged a report released by the government here Tuesday. Prepared by the Almora-based G.B. Pant Institute of Himalayan Environment and Development for the Ministry of Environment and Forests, the report lists guidelines and 'best practices' in each of these areas. The report will form a key input into the formulation of India's National Mission for Sustaining the Himalayan Ecosystem, under India's National Action Plan for Climate Change, Minister of State for Environment and Forests Jairam Ramesh told reporters while releasing the report. To study the Himalayan ecosystem - one of the worst victims of climate change - the government is also setting up 15 weather monitoring stations as well as asking the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) to use its satellites to track changes to the environment. A national institute of Himalayan glaciology is also being set up as part of the Dehradun-based Wadia Institute of Himalayan Glaciology, Ramesh said. With widespread fears that Himalayan glaciers - that supply water to major river systems of South Asia including the Ganga, Brahmaputra and Indus - are receding due to global warming, Ramesh said: 'India must have its own capacity to monitor the health of the glaciers.' He expected the plan for the National Mission for Sustaining the Himalayan Ecosystem to be ready in a couple of months