Wadia Institute Of Himalayan Geology To Monitor Uttarakhand Glacial Lakes
With Wadia Institute Of Himalayan Geology as nodal agency, central institutes namely IRS, IMD, CWC and NIH, are working together to study state's glacial lakes.
Published : January 20, 2026 at 1:56 PM IST
By Rohit Kumar Soni
Dehradun: Approximately 1200 glacial lakes exist among the 968 glaciers in the Himalayan region of Uttarakhand of which, five glacial lakes have been categorised as 'highly vulnerable'. In view of this, the Uttarakhand government has engaged the Wadia Institute of Himalayan Geology as the nodal agency for monitoring the 'highly vulnerable' and 'sensitive' glacial lakes in the state.
In 2024, the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) released a report after studying the glacial lakes in the Himalayan region of the country. Following this, the concerned states were instructed to monitor these periodically.
According to the NDMA report, 13 out of the 1200 glacial lakes in Uttarakhand were categorised as 'sensitive' and 'highly sensitive'. After this, the Uttarakhand State Disaster Management Department (USDMA) decided to monitor the five glacial lakes, categorised as 'highly vulnerable'.
In 2024, a team of experts was formed to study the Vasudhara glacial lake located in Chamoli district and then efforts were also taken to study two of the four 'highly vulnerable' glacial lakes located in Pithoragarh district. Subsequently, a team was formed in 2025 to study these lakes but it could not be completed due to the natural disaster that occurred during the monsoons last year.
The USDMA has now decided to have the 'highly vulnerable' and 'sensitive' glacial lakes studied by experts and has designated the Wadia Institute of Himalayan Geology as the nodal agency for this. Wadia Institute will collaborate with other central institutions to study the lakes with the USDMA working in a collaborative and coordinating role.
Disaster Management Secretary Vinod Kumar Suman said Wadia Institute of Himalayan Geology is the nodal agency for studying glacial lakes and its Director will head the initiative. Several rounds of meetings have already been held with the Director of Wadia Institute regarding this, he said.
"A comprehensive report has been prepared by the Central Water Commission (CWC) and there are also related reports from other institutions, including National Institute of Hydrology (NIH) and Geological Survey of India (GSI). The Wadia Institute will compile all these reports and further strategies will be prepared based on these reports. Moreover, sensors and sirens will be installed at every glacial lake. The Wadia Institute is working on the specifications of these sensors and sirens," Suman said.
Speaking to ETV Bharat, Vineet Gehlot, Director of the Wadia Institute of Himalayan Geology, said, "The USDMA has designated the Wadia Institute of Himalayan Geology as the nodal agency and many central institutions, including Indian Remote Sensing (IRS), India Meteorological Department (IMD), CWC and NIH are participating in the study. During a recent meeting, it was discussed that tasks will be undertaken at two levels, operational and research. Currently, the Wadia Institute is focusing on the operational aspect rather than research, so the process can begin as soon as possible."
The director said the aim is to ensure that if any disaster or problem occurs during the next monsoon season, everyone can work together effectively. Discussions are underway regarding the contributions and data sharing among central institutions because if any institution shares its information or data, it needs to have the assurance that its data will remain secure, he added.
"The most important thing is to ensure better coordination among all the institutions. It is also being discussed whether to begin the study with a single glacial lake or to initiate the study with all glacial lakes simultaneously," Gehlot said.
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