Union Home Secretary Reviews Preparedness of Himalayan States/UT for GLOF and Snow Avalanches

The Union Home Secretary chaired a high-level meeting in New Delhi to review the preparedness of Himalayan States and Union Territories—specifically Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh, Sikkim, Arunachal Pradesh, and Jammu & Kashmir—against Glacial Lake Outburst Floods (GLOFs) and snow avalanches. The meeting focused on early warning systems, monitoring vulnerable glacial lakes, flow path identification, timely alert dissemination, and evacuation readiness. Discussions involved key agencies including the MHA, NDMA, CWC, IMD, and DGRE. The Union Home Secretary emphasized shifting from response-oriented measures to risk-informed planning, preventive mitigation, community-level preparedness, and expediting GLOF mitigation projects sanctioned by the Central Government in 2024.