The Himalayan region, renowned for its breathtaking landscapes and cultural heritage, currently faces the urgent need to address overlooked sanitation problems, overshadowed by issues of illegal construction and a surge in tourism. The Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) recently conducted an analysis that brought attention to the concerning state of sanitation systems in the Himalayan states.
Findings from the Analysis
The study revealed significant challenges with water supply and wastewater generation. As per Swachh Bharat Mission-Gramin guidelines, each hill town receives around 150 liters per capita of water supply. But it’s alarming to note that 65-70% of this water ends up as wastewater.
Moreover, grey water management is also a significant issue, especially in Uttarakhand, where only 31.7% of households are connected to sewerage systems. The majority depend on on-site sanitation facilities, with households and smaller hotels often using soak pits to manage grey water, which mainly comes from bathrooms and kitchens. Consequently, unregulated grey water flows into unlined open drains in some towns, increasing its infiltration into the ground.
Soil composition in the Himalayan region is particularly delicate due to its makeup of clayey, loamy, and metamorphosed schist, phyllite, and gneiss rocks. Excessive seepage of water and wastewater into the ground can make the soil softer, increasing vulnerability to landslides.
Other Challenges in the Indian Himalayan Region
Spanning 2,500 km across 13 Indian States/Union Territories, the Indian Himalayan Region (IHR) is home to approximately 50 million people. It’s known for its diverse demographic, economic, environmental, social, and political systems, along with its majestic landscapes, rich biodiversity and cultural heritage.
However, the region is grappling with significant challenges. Environmental degradation and deforestation are rampant, upsetting the fragile ecological balance. Construction for infrastructure and urbanization results in habitat loss, soil erosion, and disturbed water flows.
Climate change also poses a significant threat to this sensitive region. Rising temperatures lead to glacier retreat which affects the timing and availability of water resources for downstream communities. The region is also highly prone to natural disasters like earthquakes, landslides, and flash floods. Inadequate disaster-resilient infrastructure and early warning systems worsen these impacts.
The IHR is also witnessing an erosion of cultural and indigenous knowledge. It is home to diverse indigenous communities with unique knowledge and practices that have sustained them for generations. However, these valuable traditions risk being lost due to modernization.
Potential Solutions
Several solutions can be proposed to address these issues in the IHR. Developing sustainable and responsible tourism that benefits local communities while minimizing environmental impact is crucial. Innovative methods to capture and store meltwater from glaciers during summer are also necessary. Investment in comprehensive disaster management plans, early warning systems, evacuation plans, and community training is paramount.
Implementing greywater recycling systems that collect and treat household greywater for agricultural use can be beneficial as well. The treated greywater can then be directed towards local farms for irrigation, providing a sustainable water and nutrient source to enhance crop growth.
Designating specific areas as bio-cultural conservation zones can help preserve both natural biodiversity and indigenous cultural practices, maintaining the intricate relationship between local communities and their environment.
UPSC Civil Services Examination Questions
A 2012 question for UPSC Civil Services Examination Prelims was, “When you travel in Himalayas, you will see the following: Deep gorges, U-turn river courses, Parallel mountain ranges, Steep gradients causing land sliding. Which of the above can be said to be the evidence for Himalayas being young fold mountains?” The correct answer is all four.
For Mains, a 2013 question asked to bring out the causes for more frequent landslides in the Himalayas than in Western Ghats. Another from 2021 asked about the various causes and effects of landslides and the important components of the National Landslide Risk Management Strategy.