Himalayan glaciers retreating at alarming rate

New Delhi: A Parliamentary panel has recommended that the Centre make adequate financial allocation and infrastructure available for an extensive study of the Himalayan ecosystem to measure the extent of glacial retreat and the ways to mitigate its effects. Noting that glaciers in the Himalayan region are retreating at an "alarming rate" and that there is a need to regulate tourism activities, the panel has also suggested that the Centre constitute a committee of experts to formulate the guidelines to be observed while preparing the roadmap for Himalayan Eco-tourism.

The Committee on Estimates (2018-19), in its 30th report on performance of the National Action Plan on Climate Change (NAPCC), said that urgent steps are required to create a mechanism involving all stakeholders who are directly or indirectly affected by the changes in the Himalayan system so that an integrated approach is adopted in the entire region.

Such a platform will need international cooperation from all countries falling in or connected to the Himalayan range.