Veteran CPM leader and former minister Ashok Bhattacharya has demanded that the entire Himalayan belt of India, stretching from Arunachal Pradesh to Ladakh, be brought under the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution to safeguard the land rights of the indigenous hill communities and prevent indiscriminate construction in the ecologically fragile region.
"The Himalayan region is extremely fragile by nature. Over the years, these areas have been used for defence and various development projects. In the process, the land rights of indigenous people have often been compromised. Constitutional protections need to be strengthened to ensure that development does not come at the cost of the environment and local communities. The best option is to include all such areas under the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution," Bhattacharya said.
The former minister alleged that unrestricted use of the region's natural resources and land had increased its vulnerability to disasters.
He cited last Wednesday's devastating floods in Nepal and the glacial lake outburst flood (GLOF) in Sikkim in October 2023 as examples of threats facing the Himalayan ecosystem.
"As long as these lands were protected by tribal and indigenous communities, such large-scale interventions were limited. Once land transfers and unrestricted development began, excessive intervention in natural resources and mountain landscapes started having an adverse impact on the environment. Ensuring the land rights of residents through special constitutional protection is therefore essential to prevent such disasters in the future," Bhattacharya said.
After the 2023 GLOF, Sikkim has stepped up monitoring of its high-altitude glacial systems. The state government conducted a multidisciplinary expedition from July 23 to August 8 this year to scientifically assess selected high-risk glacial lakes in Mangan district.
The expedition collected bathymetric, geological, geophysical, hydrological, geomorphological and meteorological data for GLOF hazard assessment, monitoring and mitigation planning. Sikkim has around 320 glacial lakes, of which 14 have been identified as high-risk.
Sources said the Centre has approved ₹150 crore for the National GLOF Risk Mitigation Project for Sikkim, Arunachal Pradesh, Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand. Sikkim's component is worth ₹40 crore, including a ₹36-crore central share, and will cover hazard assessment, monitoring, early-warning systems and mitigation measur