What is happening to the glaciers in the Bhagirathi basin?

The glaciers in the Bhagirathi basin, including the Gaumukh and Bandarpunch glaciers, are rapidly retreating, with snow cover now lasting only 1-2 months instead of year-round.

How are the people of Sukhi village affected by the glacier changes?

Residents of Sukhi village, such as the Rana family, are struggling with the impacts of glacier loss, including deteriorating apple harvests, unpredictable monsoons, and the looming threat of glacial lake outburst floods.

What is the government doing to address the issues in the Bhagirathi basin?

The government has approved a project to monitor and mitigate the risks posed by glacial lakes in the region, but locals argue that more consultation with communities is needed to align infrastructure development with the sensitive local geology.

Home / Environment / Himalayan Glaciers Vanish, Imperiling Livelihoods in Bhagirathi Basin

Himalayan Glaciers Vanish, Imperiling Livelihoods in Bhagirathi Basin

13 Oct

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Summary

Glaciers in Bhagirathi basin retreating rapidly, snow cover down to 1-2 months
Villagers in Sukhi witness drastic changes, with apple crops and water supply threatened
Concerns over increased monsoon rains and glacial lake outburst floods in the region

Himalayan Glaciers Vanish, Imperiling Livelihoods in Bhagirathi Basin

As of October 2025, the glaciated peaks surrounding Sukhi village in the Bhagirathi basin have lost much of their snow cover, with exposed grey rock now visible where there was once year-round ice. Locals have observed drastic changes to the region's glaciers over the past decade, with Gaumukh glacier having retreated by several kilometers since the 1970s.

Farmers like Gobind Singh and his son Sanjeev Rana have borne witness to the alarming transformation. They report that the once-stable glaciers now appear fragile and discolored, with the Bandarpunch glacier having shifted from its characteristic icy blue to a darker, moraine-covered state. This loss of glacial ice has coincided with increasingly erratic monsoon patterns, including unusually heavy rainfall that has devastated the village's apple orchards.