Climate change making Himalayan states more vulnerable to cloudbursts: Himachal CM Sukhvinder Sukhu

Expressing concern over the growing impact of climate change on Himalayan regions, Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu on Tuesday said incidents of cloudbursts are likely to increase in hill states such as Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand and the North-eastern states in the coming years.

The Chief Minister was speaking at the release of the book ‘City Limits – The Crisis of Urbanisation’, edited by former Deputy Mayor of Municipal Corporation, Shimla, Tikender Panwar, here.

Sukhu said he had recently raised the issue with the Union Home Minister, warning that cloudburst incidents would no longer remain confined to Himachal Pradesh alone. He noted that changing climatic patterns were increasing the vulnerability of fragile Himalayan ecosystems and making extreme weather events more frequent.

Emphasising sustainable development, the Chief Minister said Himachal Pradesh had suffered two major natural disasters during the last three years, resulting in extensive damage across the state. He added that cloudburst incidents were now being scientifically studied as such events were increasingly being reported not only in higher reaches but also in lower altitude areas. Referring to recent incidents in parts of the Seraj Assembly constituency, he said the trend highlighted the seriousness of climate change.

Sukhu also stressed the need to preserve the state’s natural resources, saying Himachal had been blessed with clean air and water. However, he expressed concern over rapid urbanisation and unchecked concretisation in Shimla, recalling that many forested areas from his childhood had now been replaced by buildings.

Former Chief Justice of the Jharkhand High Court Justice Tarlok Singh Chauhan also voiced concern over rising traffic congestion in Shimla, saying local residents too must act responsibly while purchasing vehicles without adequate parking facilities.