sankhyasagar.com

Category: Environment

  • India’s Climate Reality — Flash Floods, Avalanches & the Call for Resilience

    India’s Climate Reality — Flash Floods, Avalanches & the Call for Resilience

    A Wake-Up Call from the Himalayas

    On 5 August 2025, a sudden cloudburst—or possibly a glacial lake outburst flood—triggered massive flash floods in Dharali village, Uttarkashi, Uttarakhand. Torrents of water, debris, and mud swept away homes, roads, shops, and at least four to five lives, with more than 50 people initially reported missing.

    Rescue efforts were hampered by landslides, blocked roads, and relentless rain. The Army, NDRF, SDRF, drones, tracker dogs, earth-moving equipment, and even makeshift ziplines were deployed to evacuate survivors. Over 130 to 200 individuals were rescued despite extreme challenges.

    This calamity is not isolated—Uttarakhand remains highly susceptible to ecological disasters due to its fragile terrain, rapid unplanned development, and an accelerating climate crisis.

     Flash Floods, Landslides & Avalanches: A Pattern Repeats

    Avalanche in February 2025

    Earlier this year, an avalanche near Mana village buried 54 Border Roads Organisation workers, resulting in eight fatalities. This tragedy underscores the volatility of high-altitude environments now increasingly destabilized by warming temperatures.

    Landslides & Monsoon Swells

    In 2024, Uttarakhand recorded over 1,800 landslides, double that of the previous year, due to intense rain, deforestation, and unsafe construction practices. These incidents claimed 82 lives, with many still missing.

    Events like the 2013 Kedarnath disaster—a deadly combination of cloudburst and glacial lake outburst—serve as haunting reminders of what unchecked development and changing climate can cause.

    Climate Change: What the Data Shows

    India’s climate is changing at a rapid pace. Warmer air holds more moisture, leading to heavier rainfall events. Over the past few decades:

    • Pre-monsoon extreme rainfall events have doubled
    • There’s been a 56% increase in monsoon rainfall and 40% in post-monsoon
    • Flash floods are rising notably across the Ganga, Brahmaputra, and Krishna river basins

    In the Himalayas, studies have shown rising maximum temperatures, fewer cold days, more intense precipitation, and accelerated warming in higher elevations. These trends contribute to glacier retreat and slope instability—key factors in landslides and avalanches.

    Infrastructure Gaps Worsen Flood Risks

    India’s urban infrastructure struggles to cope with extreme weather. Cities like Mumbai have outdated drainage systems, designed for 25 mm/hour of rainfall, but recent events have brought over 50 mm/hour. Meanwhile, Chennai has lost much of its natural wetland buffers due to unchecked urbanization, worsening flood vulnerability.

    In mountain regions like Uttarakhand, lack of early warning systems, poor land-use planning, and unsafe construction aggravate the damage caused by natural disasters.

    Sustainable Solutions: From Planning to Community Action

    Urban & Watershed Resilience

    • Implement integrated watershed management across river basins
    • Adopt Sustainable Urban Drainage Systems (SUDS), sponge cities, and restore wetlands
    • Improve urban flood preparedness and revise infrastructure capacity

    Mountain-Specific Measures

    • Enforce stricter land-use policies and sustainable infrastructure norms in ecologically fragile zones
    • Strengthen early warning systems with real-time data, community engagement, and local emergency plans

    Climate Adaptation & Governance

    • Retrofit buildings and invest in climate-resilient infrastructure
    • Promote decentralized planning that includes local voices and long-term risk reduction
    • Shift disaster response from reactive to proactive, with strong coordination among agencies

    Conclusion: A Call for Climate Resilience

    From Uttarakhand’s flash floods and avalanches to devastating floods in Vijayawada (2024) and Sikkim (2023), India’s climate reality is stark. Extreme weather events are becoming more frequent and intense, and the cost—in lives, infrastructure, and ecosystems—is growing.

    But nature’s fury needs not be fatal. With science-driven planning, community-based action, and forward-thinking governance, India can build a future that’s not only safer but also more sustainable and climate-resilient.

  • Plant Variety Protection and Farmers’ Rights Act, 2001 – A Milestone in Agricultural Legislation

    Plant Variety Protection and Farmers’ Rights Act, 2001 – A Milestone in Agricultural Legislation

    In a country like India where agriculture has been the cornerstone of civilization for centuries, farmers have traditionally played a critical role in the conservation and development of plant varieties. Recognizing their invaluable contribution, the Government of India enacted the Plant Variety Protection and Farmers’ Rights Act in 2001. This landmark legislation strikes a unique balance between the rights of plant breeders and those of farmers, an approach not seen in many other countries.

    What is the PPVFR Act, 2001

    The Plant Variety Protection and Farmers’ Rights Act 2001 was enacted to provide for the establishment of an effective system for the protection of plant varieties. It encourages the development of new varieties of plants and recognizes and protects the rights of farmers in respect of their contributions made in conserving, improving and making available plant genetic resources. India is one of the few countries in the world to recognize farmers as not just cultivators but also as breeders and conservers.

    Key Features of the Act

    Farmers’ Rights
    Farmers have the right to save, use, sow, resow, exchange, share or sell their farm produce including seeds of protected varieties except branded seeds. If a registered variety fails to perform as promised under given conditions, farmers can claim compensation.

    Breeders’ Rights
    Plant breeders can register their new plant varieties and have exclusive rights to produce, sell, market, distribute, import or export them. These rights are granted after evaluation of novelty, distinctiveness, uniformity and stability.

    Registration System
    Both new and extant already existing plant varieties can be registered under the Act. Registration is done through the Protection of Plant Varieties and Farmers’ Rights Authority.

    Benefit Sharing
    When a new variety is developed using traditional varieties, the local communities or individuals responsible for conserving the traditional varieties are entitled to a share in benefits monetary or otherwise.

    Protection Against Infringement
    The Act includes strict provisions to safeguard registered varieties against unauthorized use and infringement while still protecting the traditional rights of farmers.

    Why is the Act Significant

    It bridges the gap between modern agricultural science and traditional knowledge.
    It complies with the WTO’s TRIPS agreement while safeguarding Indian farmers’ interests.
    It encourages public private partnerships in agricultural innovation.
    It gives formal recognition to informal innovation by farmers.

    Challenges and the Road Ahead

    Despite its progressive features, the Act faces some implementation challenges such as lack of awareness among farmers, complex application procedures and the need for greater institutional support for registration and benefit sharing. However, with ongoing efforts by the government and NGOs, more farmers are becoming aware of their rights and the Act continues to serve as a strong model for farmer-centric legislation globally.

    Conclusion

    The PPVFR Act 2001 is more than just a piece of legislation. It is a recognition of the role farmers play as guardians of biodiversity. By giving legal strength to their age-old practices and knowledge, this Act ensures that innovation, equity and sustainability go hand in hand in Indian agriculture.