Ecological Disasters in Sikkim

Why in News?

Recently, the state of Sikkim in Northeast India was hit by a major landslide caused by heavy rainfall, wreaking havoc among the population.

Why Sikkim is prone to ecological disasters?

• Incessant rainfall – It records one of the highest annual rainfalls in the country.
• Landslides – With a steep altitude variation over a span of longer areas, it has always remained vulnerable to landslides.
• It ranges from from 231 meters above sea level in the south to 8,500 meters in the northwest, over a span of just 114 kilometers.
  • There has been a noticeable increase in the frequency of landslides since 1995, with another significant increase starting in 2007.
• Earthquake – It lies in the high seismic zones IV and V in earthquake prone Himalayas.
  • In 2011, the region experienced one of the most fatal earthquakes in its history.
• GLOF – A Glacial Lake Outburst Flood in 2023 affected about 88,400 people.

A Glacial Lake Outburst Flood (GLOF) are sudden and often catastrophic events that occur when water contained within or underneath a glacier or a moraine-dammed glacial lake is released rapidly.

• Higher population pressure – From just one urban town in 1981, the number of towns increased to eight by 2001.
• The population living in urban areas rose from 2% percent in 1951 to 11% in 2011.
  • The introduction of the North East Industrial and Investment Promotion Policy in 2007 saw a push for rapid urbanization and industrialization.
• Rampant construction of dams – Large-scale developmental activity in Sikkim began with the West Bengal government’s damming of the Teesta River in 1975.
  • As of 2019, there were more than 40 hydropower projects in different stages of development in Sikkim.
• Security-Development projects – A significant construction activity has been undertaken to build a railway line connecting Sevoke in West Bengal to Rangpo in Sikkim, with the ultimate aim of extending it to the Nathu La Pass bordering China.
• The railway line construction, meanwhile, involved blasting 14 tunnels in an already precarious landscape.

What are the impacts of disasters in Sikkim?

• Destruction of ecosystem – Disasters destroys the natural landscape of Sikkim and alters it making it non-conducive for living both for humans and wildlife.
• Damage to property – It causes severe damage to roads, bridges, and homes.
• The 2023 GLOF occurred in South Lhonak Lake in northern Sikkim, rupturing one of the region’s highest dams on the Teesta River, the Chungthang or Teesta III dam.
• Loss of life – 2023 GLOF have engulfed everything in its downstream areas including the life of 23 Indian Army soldiers.
• Affect tourism – About 1,500 tourists, including international visitors, were stranded in northern Sikkim and later rescued.
• Disconnect the state – Roads connecting Sikkim and north Bengal to the plains of India were cut off for a long time.

What lies ahead?

• Strengthening the regulation – Regulating, monitoring and planning of land use, land-use change and forestry in the Himalaya is needed.
• Granting rights – The local communities be given constitutional, land and forest governance rights.
• Efficient implementation - Constitutional provisions and laws that support decentralised governance and decision-making should be efficiently implemented.
• Following best practices – Encourage transparency, knowledge sharing and exchange so that indigenous knowledge and local communities can also be part of governance.
• Building resilient societies – Making the locals as equitable and sustainable can ensure the proper implementation of SC/ST Sub plans in mountain states
• Better disaster management – Have a strong disaster response system ready, including time-bound and full union government support whenever extreme events occur.

Reference

The Diplomat| Ecological Disasters in Sikkim