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INDIAN HIMALAYAN REGION

INDIAN HIMALAYAN REGION

The Himalayas (from the Sanskrit words hima, “snow,” and alaya, “abode”), the loftiest mountain system in the world, form the northern limit of India. That great, geologically young mountain arc is about 1,550 miles (2,500 km) long, stretching from the peak of Nanga Parbat (26,660 feet [8,126 metres]) in the Pakistani-administered portion of the Kashmir region to the Namcha Barwa peak in the Tibet Autonomous Region of China. Between those extremes the mountains fall across India, southern Tibet, Nepal, and Bhutan. The width of the system varies between 125 and 250 miles (200 and 400 km).

These dynamics have turned tourism into a key driver of socioeconomic development. For local mountain people, tourism provides valuable economic and business opportunities, and for state governments and private entrepreneurs it brings revenues and profits.But the prevailing model of tourism in the IHR is viewed as a source of environmental damage and pollution, a threat to socio-cultural heritage, a heavy use of scarce resources, and potential cause of negative externalities in society.

Importance of Himalayas for India

• Source of Rivers: Abundant rainfall and vast snow-fields as well as large glaciers in Himalayas are the feeding grounds of the mighty rivers of India.The great rivers and their tributaries carry enormous quantities of alluvium while descending from the Himalayas. This is deposited in the Great Plain of North India in the form of fertile soil, making the plain one of the most fertile lands of the world.
• Sustaining the Monsoon: The Himalayas play a very significant role in influencing the climate of India. By virtue of their high altitude, length and direction, they effectively intercept the summer monsoons coming from the Bay of Bengal and Arabian Sea and cause precipitation in the form of rain or snow.
• Tourism: By virtue of their scenic beauty and healthy environment, the Himalayan ranges have developed a large number of tourist spots. The hilly areas in the Himalayas offer cool and comfortable climate when the neighboring plains are reeling under the scorching heat of the summer season.

Challenges Associated With Himalayas in India

• Unsustainable Tourism: Unfortunately, our mountains are treated only as tourist destinations without realizing that over draining resources beyond a point can be disastrous. Also, mountains also have their own microclimate. Its unique fauna and flora have a short reproductive time frame and are sensitive to disturbance. Unsustainable tourism can upset the natural balance.
• Faulty Infrastructure Projects: The development of hydroelectricity is important as it provides the country with a renewable source of energy and is a revenue source for the state. But it is also clear that the impact of the flood is exacerbated because of the number and poor construction of the hydropower projects.
• Lack of waste Management: The cities of the Himalayas are growing and beginning to see the same root as the cities of the plains from mountains of garbage and plastic, untreated sewage, unplanned urban growth and even local air pollution because of vehicles.

Solutions  for  Himalayas in India

• Environmental Impact Assessment: The state should encourage tourism, but the goal should be responsible tourism, which means that before opening up new tourism areas, an assessment of the effect of such endeavors must be conducted.
• International Collaboration: Himalayan countries need to build an international network that will monitor risks such as those from glacial lakes, and give early warning of hazards similar to the tsunami warning systems installed around the Indian Ocean over the past decade
• Revisiting the Policies: A common policy should be developed to improve forest value in Himalayan states by discussing agriculture practices in hilly regions. For instance, Sikkim has promoted organic cardamom crop, but finds that forest laws do not allow it to take benefit of cultivation on these lands, which is done without destroying forests.