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.

Residents fear that the continued recession of glaciers could lead to catastrophic glacial lake outburst floods, which have already impacted nearby areas. The government has approved a project to monitor and mitigate the risks posed by these glacial lakes, but locals argue that more must be done to consult with communities and align infrastructure development with the region's sensitive geology. As the climate crisis intensifies, the people of Sukhi find themselves on the frontlines, struggling to adapt to a rapidly changing environment.