Uttarakhand's Himalayan ecosystem faces challenges such as the Kedarnath floods and the sinking of Joshimath. Over 1,000 forest fires this year have impacted more than 1,400 hectares, with Nainital, Almora, Pithoragarh, Pauri, and Uttarkashi being the worst-hit districts. Rapid development and urbanization are contributing factors.
Reporter: Ashwani Sharma
Camera: Suresh K Pandey
Script: Divya Tiwari
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#Uttarakhand #Kedarnath #ClimateChange #Floods #ForestFires #Environment #Nature
Reporter: Ashwani Sharma
Camera: Suresh K Pandey
Script: Divya Tiwari
Follow us:
Website: https://www.outlookindia.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Outlookindia
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/outlookindia/
X: https://twitter.com/Outlookindia
Whatsapp: https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029VaNrF3v0AgWLA6OnJH0R
Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@OutlookMagazine
Dailymotion: https://www.dailymotion.com/outlookindia
#Uttarakhand #Kedarnath #ClimateChange #Floods #ForestFires #Environment #Nature
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NewsTranscript
00:00In Kedarnath, more than 5,500 villages were submerged, more than 6,000 people died,
00:30more than 1 lakh pilgrimages were trapped in the peak summer.
00:34Climate change or climate crisis, it is the biggest factor which is impacting the Himalaya.
00:41I am Ashwini Sharma, I am from Outlook.
00:43We have been travelling in the higher hills of Uttarakhand,
00:47especially Podi Garhwal and Tiri Garhwal,
00:50to observe what impact the climate change is having under the present climate change scenario.
00:56Uttarakhand is the most affected state.
01:00Different kinds of disasters with variable intensities.
01:05We have about 1,000 glaciers and about 1,200 glacial lakes in Uttarakhand.
01:11So, it is important to pay attention to how we can improve the glacial health locally.
01:16So, what will happen in this region?
01:17A few weeks ago, we saw forest fires in this region.
01:24Forest fires also have an impact on the land degradation in a region,
01:29where the land turns black.
01:31There, fauna and flora, biodiversity is impacted.
01:40First, the fire.
01:42The fire has destroyed all the water resources.
01:45Second thing, it used to rain every month, almost every two to three months.
01:50This year, I am seeing that it has not rained since November onwards.
01:53Even if it has rained, it does not stop the water from flowing.
01:59So, when we need water, it keeps the water moist for 8 to 10 hours continuously.
02:03This year, it did not happen.
02:05We have been seeing this problem for the last six to seven months.
02:07Because of that, my kiwi trees are also drying up.
02:10And even now, the government is saying,
02:12in fact, look at Google,
02:13that it is raining today.
02:14Even today, it was showing that it will rain heavily.
02:17But I am seeing that there is no problem.
02:19You are also saying that it will rain today, but there is no sign of rain.
02:24Look, the climate change affects the entire landscape,
02:27the entire landscape, all the resources.
02:30Glacier is one of them.
02:32It affects the glacier as well.
02:33It affects the forest there.
02:36It affects the spring water there.
02:38Because it affects the water supply of all these rivers.
02:42And when it affects all these things,
02:44somewhere or the other, it becomes a hurdle in social and economic development.
02:50But locally, the factors like biomass burning
02:53and heavy construction material,
02:56the warming that is happening in the local region,
02:59it is important for us to pay attention to that.
03:01It is important to do it in a scientific way.
03:03We are seeing that due to urbanization,
03:05the density of the forest is also decreasing.
03:09We have to increase it.
03:10We all have to look at forest afforestation as well.
03:15By not burning biomass in that way,
03:17we should utilize biomass in a different way.
03:20So that the environmental pollution,
03:23the increase in air temperature,
03:25is not happening locally.
03:27If we do this, we will be able to maintain the health of Uttarakhand Glacier.
03:31The way global warming is happening these days,
03:33the way climate change is having an impact,
03:36it is basically not a local phenomenon.
03:39It has a global impact.