Days after a major disaster in Nepal’s Langtang region, the Himalay Unnati Mission (HUM), a coalition of 134 organisations led by The Art of Living and supported by the International Association for Human Values, announced a scientific study on recurring Himalayan hazards.
Mission announces study on Himalayan hazards
The study will focus on cloudbursts, landslides, glacier collapses and other disasters affecting Himalayan regions. Scientists, ecologists, research institutions and disaster-management experts will lead the initiative, while volunteers from partner organisations will assist with field data collection and community engagement across India, Bhutan and Nepal.
Scientists will lead detailed disaster research
The Mission said the findings would be used to develop hazard maps, strengthen monitoring and early-warning systems, and improve disaster preparedness at the community level. It will seek cooperation from the Central Government and Himalayan state governments for the initiative.
Study targets cloudbursts, landslides, glacier collapses
HUM has also called for the creation of a Himalayan Authority at the Centre to coordinate conservation, sustainable development, climate resilience and disaster-risk reduction across Himalayan states and the North-East.
Mission seeks central Himalayan disaster authority
For the Indian Himalayan Region, sustainable development cannot wait for fragmented efforts to converge. It requires one-window visioning, integrated planning and swift implementation, bringing scientists, planners, policymakers, think tanks, practitioners and local communities together,
said Dr Eklabya Sharma, mountain ecologist, Padma Shri awardee and advisor to HUM.
Five years of work across Himalayan regions
According to HUM, the initiative builds on work carried out since 2021. Under Mission Green Himalayas, it has planted more than 22 lakh trees across over 20 landscapes in Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, North Bengal, Sikkim and Arunachal Pradesh.
Trees planted across Himalayan landscapes since 2021
The Mission also said it had installed 613 solar microgrids and solar-powered digital classrooms in 356 border schools, benefiting more than 1.95 lakh people. Its Samvedana disaster-relief programme has involved over 1,000 volunteers supporting 7,248 families and more than 45,000 people affected by floods and landslides.
HUM said more than 5,450 young people had received training at over 43 skill-development centres in India and Nepal, while more than 5,600 farmers had been certified in natural farming.
Experience from previous disasters
The Art of Living has also been involved in relief and rehabilitation following major disasters, including the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami, Hurricane Katrina in 2005 and the 2015 Nepal earthquake.
During the Nepal earthquake, the organisation said more than 8,000 volunteers worked across 12 affected districts, providing relief materials and trauma-support programmes.
HUM said its latest initiative aims to combine scientific research, disaster preparedness and community participation to address Himalayan risks through coordinated action.
