Himalaya Diwas, also known as Himalaya Day, is annually observed across India, especially in the state of Uttarakhand on 9 September to raise awareness about the importance of the Himalayan mountain range and its ecosystem.
- 9 September 2024 marks the 15th edition of Himalaya Diwas.
Significance:
i.The day highlights the significance of the Himalayas for India’s environmental, cultural, and economic well-being.
ii.The day recognises the role of these majestic mountains in safeguarding nature and protecting the region from adverse weather conditions.
iii.It also brings community participation to conserve and maintain the Himalayan biodiversity and promotes sustainable development practices in the region.
Background:
i.Himalaya Diwas was first observed in Uttarakhand in 2010 as an initiative of a group of environmentalists including Sunderlal Bahuguna, Anil Prakash Joshi, and Radha Behen.
ii.In 2014, Harish Rawat, the then Chief Minister (CM) of Uttarakhand officially declared September 9 as ‘Himalaya Diwas’, to promote conservation of the Himalayan ecosystems across the state.
- The proposal was supported by Ajay Bhatt, senior Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader and Leader of the Opposition.
iii.In 2015, the Uttarakhand government began celebrating Himalaya Diwas officially, with the 1st State government-recognized observance held on 9 September 2015.
About the Himalayas:
i.The name “Himalayas” is derived from Sanskrit in which “Hima” means snow and “Alaya” means “dwelling abode”, representing that the mountains are covered with snow and glaciers.
ii.It is a spectacular range of mountains located in the subtropical high-pressure belt region of the Earth.
- It encompasses parts of 8 South Asian territories Afghanistan, Pakistan, China, India, Nepal, Bhutan, Bangladesh, and Myanmar (Burma).
iii.The Indian Himalayan Region (IHR) is spread across 13 Indian States/Union Territories (UTs), stretching across 2500 kilometers (km) in length.
- It stretches from Nanga Parbat (8138 meters (m)) in the northwest to Namcha Barwa (7756 m) in the northeast.
- The 13 States/UTs are Jammu and Kashmir (J&K), Ladakh, Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh, Arunachal Pradesh, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland, Sikkim, Tripura, Assam and West Bengal.
iv.The width varies from 350 km in the west (Kashmir) to 150 km in the east (Arunachal Pradesh) and the elevation range varies from 122 m to 7,023 m.
Peaks:
i.Himalayas is the highest mountain range in the world and has 9 out of 10 of the world’s highest peaks, including Mount Everest.
ii.The 10 peaks exceeding 8000 m in elevation in the Himalayan mountain ranges of central Asia are:
- Shisha Pangma, Annapurna, Nanga Parbat, Manaslu, Dhaulagiri, Cho Oyu, Makalu, Lhotse, Kangchenjunga, and Mount Everest.
iii.These mountains, known as the “Third Pole,” are the source of key Asian rivers and play a crucial role in regulating the global climate.
iv.Moreover, there are 40 mountains over 7000 m above sea level. That’s why the Himalayas is the highest mountain range on Earth.
Few UNESCO World Heritage Sites in the Himalayas:
i.Sagarmatha National Park (SNP), including the highest point on the Earth’s Surface, Mount Sagarmatha (Everest; 8,848 m), Nepal (Cultural UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1979)
ii.Nanda Devi and Valley of Flowers National Parks, Uttarakhand (Natural UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1988)
iii.Great Himalayan National Park Conservation Area (GHNPCA), Himachal Pradesh (Natural UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2014)
iv.Khangchendzonga National Park, Sikkim (India’s 1st and sole Mixed UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2016).
Assessment of the Himalayan Region:
According to the State of India’s Environment 2024 (SOE 2024) report, released by the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) and Down To Earth (DTE) magazine.
i.Between 2013 and 2022, the IHR accounted for 44% of India’s disasters including floods, landslides, and thunderstorms, totaling 192 incidents.
ii.The rise in average surface temperatures in the Himalayas is causing glaciers to melt rapidly rapidly.
- According to a study by the Nepal-based International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD), the Hindu Kush Himalayas (HKH) experienced a 65% faster loss of glacier mass from 2010-19.
iii.The ice melt from the glaciers is forming glacial lakes across the Himalayan range.
- Uttarakhand and east of Himachal Pradesh saw a rise in such glacial lakes from 127 in 2005 to 365 in 2015.
iv.Overall, the Himalayas have already lost more than 40% of their ice, and are likely to lose up to 75% by the end of this century.
2024 Event:
i.Himalayan Elevation Kashmiri Saffron, a brand under Tata Consumer Products Limited, celebrated Himalayan Day on 9 September 2024. This initiative highlights the preservation of the unique Himalayan ecosystem and its communities.
ii.Institute of Bioresources and Sustainable Development (IBSD), Department of Biotechnology, Ministry of Science and Technology, Government of India, celebrated Himalayan Diwas by organising a seminar on “Importance of Himalaya and the need for its conservation”.
Note: Tata Consumer Products is the 2nd largest branded tea company in the world. Its key beverage brands include Tata Tea, Tetley, Organic India, etc.
Key Focus for 2024:
Support Kashmiri saffron farmers from Pampore, Kashmir, struggling with declining saffron yields.
