Page 60 - CIJ Nov 2024 Digital Edition

DIFFERENT STROKES

Indian Himalayan Region
A Greying Green Belt

lastic is ubiquitous, regions of India demand greater irregular topography, open dumping
from mountain tops attention and redressal. of waste, slower composting
to the ocean’s deepest The Indian Himalayan Region process, improper waste collection
trenches and everything (IHR) extending from the and disposal and open burning of
Pin between, including Indus River in the west to the waste leading to release of black
inside human lungs and placenta. Brahmaputra in the east covers carbon and other pollutants that
Microplastics are formed by the 533,604sqkm across 11 hill states may cause snow darkening and
degradation and the fragmentation and two UTs of India. Based on an glacier melt.
of large plastic pieces that are ISRO report, IHR is about 16.2% The lack of MSW facilities for
improperly disposed. Deposition of the country’s total geographical collection, segregation, processing
and accumulation of microplastics area covering 40,563sqkm with and disposal of waste is a major
has been found in the Himalayan 16,627 glaciers, and forest cover issue in the region since it is more
mountains, rivers, lakes and of about 205,563sqkm. The region complex in the mountains than
streams. Based on a study, is a critical source of water in the the plains due to the remoteness,
the Indian Himalayan Region subcontinent, feeding a number of topographical configuration, harsh
(IHR) generates 22,372 tonnes major rivers, including the Indus, climate and vulnerability to natural
of MSW per day, equivalent to Ganges and Brahmaputra River hazards and disasters. Since proper
over 8.1 million tonnes annually systems. MSW facilities are not in place,
and contributing to 14% of open burning is practiced for the
the country’s total MSW. The Reckless plastic disposal is disposal of waste releasing major
challenges in waste management causing soil and water pollution pollutants including black carbon
in the remote and less accessible in the IHR and impacting its and other light-absorbing impurities
biodiversity, which is having an
adverse impact on fresh water into the air, often linked to glacier
from the 30-50% annual flow from retreat.
glacier melt-offs and fulfil the water The other informal means of
requirements of those residing disposal practiced is the dumping
across the Indo-Gangetic plains. of unsegregated waste in the gorges
According to a study by the and rivers, resulting in polluted
CSIR-Institute of Himalayan freshwater streams leading to a
Bioresource Technology, the much larger footprint, thousands of
primary challenges are open kilometres downstream.
littering due to the While the special needs of
rise in tourism regions are recognised by the
activities, regulatory

NOVEMBER 2024•Clean India Journal
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