Uttarakhand State PCS

• 25 Apr 2024

Melting Glacier in Uttarakhand

Why in News?

Recently, a glacier slid down towards the Johar Valley along the strategically important Munsiyari–Milam road in Uttarakhand's Pithoragarh district, affecting crucial connectivity to the India–China border and villages in the region.

Key Points

• The Border Roads Organisation (BRO) has initiated efforts to clear the road, but significant challenges persist due to the extensive snow cover.
  • Experts underscore that the glacier's rupture serves as a stark reminder of the escalating impacts of climate change.
  • The Himalayan region, vulnerable to the effects of global warming, faces mounting risks, including accelerated glacier melt.
• Snowfall was observed in the upper regions of Pithoragarh in March 2024. Now, with temperatures rising, the glaciers are melting, leading to avalanches and occasional break-offs.

Border Road Organisation

• BRO was conceived and raised in 1960 by Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru for coordinating the speedy development of a network of roads in the North and the North Eastern border regions of the country.
• It works under the administrative control of the Ministry of Defence.
• It has diversified into a large spectrum of construction and development works comprising airfields, building projects, defence works and tunneling and has endeared itself to the people.