Multiple missions in place to assess, support Himalayan ecosystem: Dr Jitendra

New Delhi, Aug 20: Union Minister Dr Jitendra Singh on Wednesday said that the Central Government has launched multiple missions to assess and support the Himalayan ecosystem and enhance weather forecasting mechanisms.
Speaking in the Lok Sabha on the issues of increasing occurrence of cloudbursts, landslides, and other weather-related events that have caused damage in parts of Jammu & Kashmir such as Kishtwar and Kathua, as well as in other Himalayan states like Uttarakhand and Himachal Pradesh, Dr Singh said, “National Mission for Sustaining the Himalayan Ecosystem (NMSHE) and Mission Mausam have been launched to address environmental and climate challenges faced by the Himalayan region, including Jammu & Kashmir.”
He said that the missions will also focus on managing the effects of urbanization and tourism pressure in these areas.
“Since 2018, the Department of Science and Technology has allocated over ₹111 crore to the NMSHE. The mission conducts studies on climate vulnerabilities in the Himalayan region with particular attention to landslides, soil erosion, glacier changes, and urbanization impacts,” Dr Singh said.
He said that vulnerability assessments have been completed in 698 districts across the country, including those in Jammu & Kashmir, to identify high-risk zones for natural hazards.
Dr Singh said State Climate Change Cells have been set up in 13 Himalayan states and Union Territories to support risk assessment and assist in implementing climate action plans at the state level.
“A National Expert Committee oversees the ongoing research, while the Centre of Excellence for disaster risk reduction has been established at IIT Roorkee. Research institutions such as the Wadia Institute of Himalayan Geology are conducting detailed studies on earthquakes, landslides, and glacier systems,” Dr Singh said, adding, “Mission Mausam was launched by the Ministry of Earth Sciences to improve weather forecasting, disaster management, and the delivery of weather services to local communities. As part of this mission, the India Meteorological Department has developed BharatFS, a weather model with a resolution of six kilometers, which will provide detailed forecasts at block and panchayat levels.”
He said that the ministry is also expanding observational networks, integrating artificial intelligence into forecasting models, and releasing regular climate statements for states. “The government is conducting Deep Ocean Mission projects to explore seabed minerals and map coastal vulnerabilities. Nearly 1,300 new deep-sea organisms have been catalogued, with 23 species newly identified to science” Dr Singh said. (KNO)