Guwahati: Union home secretary Govind Mohan on Thursday reviewed glacial lake outburst floods (GLOFs) and avalanche preparedness with Arunachal Pradesh and other Himalayan states and UTs.With Arunachal among states at risk from GLOFs and snow avalanches, Mohan stressed continuous monitoring of vulnerable lakes and avalanche-prone areas, faster alerts and evacuation planning.The meeting was attended by the chief secretaries and State Disaster Management Authorities of Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh, Sikkim, Arunachal Pradesh and Jammu & Kashmir, along with senior officers from the ministry of home affairs, National Disaster Management Authority, Central Water Commission, India Meteorological Department and Defence Geoinformatics Research Establishment.It reviewed early-warning systems, identification of high-risk glacial lakes and avalanche zones, flood-flow path mapping, last-mile dissemination of alerts, evacuation preparedness and response mechanisms.The states were asked to ensure that mitigation plans translate into action at the district and community levels, regularly review gaps in warning and evacuation systems, and maintain close coordination among disaster-management authorities, district administrations and scientific institutions.Arunachal has a substantial concentration of high-altitude lakes, particularly in the Dibang Valley, Lohit, Tawang, Upper Siang and West Kameng districts.An official high-altitude lake atlas records 1,672 such lakes across 10 districts, with the Dibang Valley, Lohit and Tawang accounting for particularly large concentrations.The state’s vulnerability is also linked to its position in the Brahmaputra river system, with glacial and high-altitude lakes in the upper reaches feeding rivers such as the Dibang, Lohit and Kameng.Mohan directed the states to expedite GLOF mitigation projects sanctioned by the Centre in 2024 while maintaining continuous monitoring during periods of heightened risk.
