Context:

The Indian Himalayan Range (IHR), comprising 11 States and two Union Territories, had a decadal urban growth rate of more than 40% from 2011 to 2021. Towns have expanded, and more urban settlements are developing. However, Himalayan towns require a different definition of urbanisation.

The Indian Himalayan Region (IHR)

Overview

The Indian Himalayan Region (IHR) encompasses the mountainous expanse of the entire Himalayan range within India, stretching approximately 2,500 kilometres across 13 States and Union Territories: Jammu and Kashmir, Ladakh, Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh, Arunachal Pradesh, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland, Sikkim, Tripura, Assam, and West Bengal.

Significance

The Indian Himalayan Range (IHR) is renowned for its towering peaks, including Kanchenjunga, and is often called India’s "water tower" due to its role as the source of major rivers like the Ganges, Yamuna, and Brahmaputra. It is crucial for ecological balance, biodiversity, and supports many endemic and endangered species. The region hosts national parks and biosphere reserves, such as the Valley of Flowers and Nanda Devi National Parks. Its geographical features influence India's climate and monsoon patterns and provide a barrier to cold winds from Central Asia. The IHR is also home to diverse ethnic communities and important pilgrimage sites like Amarnath and Badrinath, holding strategic significance along India’s northern borders with China, Nepal, and Bhutan.

Current Challenges in IHR Towns

Struggles with Civic Management

Many Himalayan towns, including state capitals like Srinagar, Guwahati, Shillong, and Shimla, face severe challenges in managing essential services. Key issues include:

●     Sanitation and Waste Management: Cities grapple with inadequate systems for handling solid and liquid waste. For instance, in Srinagar, approximately 90% of liquid waste is discharged into water bodies without treatment.

●     Water Resource Management: Water bodies are shrinking due to urban sprawl. Srinagar, for example, has seen a reduction in water bodies by nearly 25% over two decades, while built-up areas have increased significantly.

●     Human Resource Shortages: City governments are often understaffed. The Kashmir Valley, excluding Srinagar, has only 15 executive officers for over 40 urban local bodies, revealing a stark gap in administrative capacity.

Uncontrolled Urban Expansion

The expansion of cities into peripheral areas leads to:

●     Encroachment on Commons: Urban growth often encroaches upon open spaces, forest land, and watersheds, exacerbating environmental degradation.

●     Loss of Green Spaces: In Srinagar, built-up real estate has surged from 13.35% to 23.44% of the total municipal area, reflecting a dramatic decrease in open spaces and natural habitats.

Underlying Causes

Pressures from Urbanization and Development

Himalayan towns face multiple pressures including:

●     High-Intensity Tourism: The tourism industry, growing at an average annual rate of 7.9% from 2013 to 2023, exacerbates environmental pressures through inappropriate infrastructure and waste management practices.

●     Unsustainable Infrastructure: Rapid development often replaces eco-friendly infrastructure with poorly designed and environmentally damaging constructions.

●     Climate Change Impacts: Climatic variations, such as changing precipitation patterns and rising temperatures, further strain natural resources, leading to issues like water scarcity, deforestation, and increased pollution.

Inadequate Planning and Financing

●     Inappropriate Planning Models: Planning institutions use models adapted from the plains, which fail to address the unique needs of Himalayan towns. The absence of geological and hydrological vulnerability mapping leads to infrastructure erosion from climate-induced disasters.

●     Financial Constraints: Himalayan towns cannot generate sufficient capital for infrastructure needs. Current intergovernmental transfers amount to only 0.5% of GDP, whereas an increase to at least 1% is necessary to support urban development effectively.

Recommendations for Sustainable Development

Rethink Urban Planning

●     Geological and Hydrological Mapping: Each town should be mapped with detailed layers identifying vulnerabilities. This approach ensures that planning processes account for local environmental risks.

●     Bottom-Up Planning: Engage local communities in the planning process to ensure that development meets their needs and adapts to local conditions.

Shift in Urban Design Approach

●     Climate Resilience: Move away from consultant-driven urban planning towards designs based on climate resilience and local conditions. This ensures that infrastructure can withstand climate-induced challenges.

Enhance Financial Support

●     Urban Financing: The Finance Commission should include a dedicated chapter on urban financing for the IHR, reflecting the unique financial challenges faced by these towns.

●     Increased Intergovernmental Transfers: Raise the share of GDP allocated to urban local bodies to support infrastructure and services more effectively.

Building a Viable and Sustainable Forest-Based Economy

●     Facilities and Waste Management: Implement facilities for tourists, particularly for sanitation and garbage disposal. Expeditions should be required to remove non-degradable items, with local communities involved in site management.

●     Inventory of Pilgrimage Sites: Identify key pilgrimage sites with an understanding of their ecological capacity and fragility. Control visitor numbers and restrict road construction within 10 km of high-altitude pilgrimage areas to create ecological and spiritual buffers.

Valuing Ecosystem Services of Forests

●     Pay for Ecosystem Services: Forests in the Himalayas provide critical ecosystem services, including biodiversity protection, soil erosion prevention, and carbon sequestration. Developing a strategy to "pay" for these services and ensuring funds are shared with local communities is crucial.

●     Policy for Better Valuing Forests: The 12th and 13th Finance Commissions have recommended compensating states for standing forests, but the funds allocated so far have been insufficient. Himachal Pradesh is working on assessing its forests' ecosystem and carbon sequestration services, which should inform a common policy for better valuing forests across Himalayan states.

Conclusion

Himalayan towns require a specialised approach to urban development that addresses their unique environmental and socio-economic challenges. By adopting robust, eco-centric planning processes and increasing financial support, these towns can achieve sustainable growth while preserving their natural heritage.

Source: The Hindu