Team constituted to study two glacial lakes in Kinnaur

Kinnaur, June 28

The monsoon season brings with it chaos and large-scale damage, particularly in the upper hilly regions. Every year, preparations are made in advance to minimise the possible damage from heavy rains. Keeping in mind the damage caused and the loss of life over the years, Kinnaur Deputy Commissioner Amit Kumar Sharma has announced the formation of a team to conduct an expedition to evaluate risks associated with two glacial lakes formed at Sangla Kanda and Kashan Kanda.

The initiative involves various departments, including the Army, ITBP, Revenue Department, local residents, officials of the National Remote Sensing Centre and C-DAC. The team will assess the status of these lakes to determine if these are a cause for concern for the local population. The expedition is tentatively scheduled for the second week of July.

Glacier-formed lakes, also known as glacial lakes, in the hilly regions pose significant risks primarily due to their potential for outburst floods. These lakes are formed when water melted from glaciers accumulates at places having natural depressions. The risks associated with glacial lakes include outburst floods, infrastructure damage, loss of life, environmental impact, etc.

Mitigation strategies include monitoring glacial lakes and developing early warning systems. Therefore, a meeting was held recently at the Deputy Commissioner’s office at Reckong Peo in Kinnaur to review preparations for the monsoon season. The meeting stressed the need to identify sensitive areas in the district and prepare for any emergency situation that may arise during the monsoon season.