THIRD POLE CRISIS – CLIMATE CHANGE & THE HINDU KUSH HIMALAYA (HKH)

HKH – The “Third Pole”

• Largest frozen water reserve after Arctic & Antarctica.
• Includes Himalayas, Hindu Kush, and Tibetan Plateau.
• Warming faster than the global average.

Rapid Glacier Melting

• Glaciers receding at an alarming pace.
• IPCC AR4: Glaciers in Himalayas may reduce from 500,000 to 100,000 sq. km by 2035.
• Severe impact predicted for Northeast India & Bangladesh.

Climate Linkage

• Temperature gradient between Himalayan snow mass & Bay of Bengal SST affects Brahmaputra Plains
• Fast glacier melt increases river discharge in summers → higher risk of floods and erosion.

Impact on Infrastructure

• Old infrastructure (bridges, dams, irrigation) at risk:
  • Built with obsolete designs based on outdated flood data.
  • Design upgrades and retrofitting urgently needed.
• Over 30 irrigation headworks in Assam are outdated and underperforming.

Future Water Challenges

• Brahmaputra may dry up in lean season due to glacier retreat.
• Forecast: 50% increase in sediment load in Brahmaputra by end of the century → threatens bridge foundations.

China’s Dam Concerns

• China building a dam in the Great Bend (Yarlung Tsangpo).
• Region is seismically active and geologically unstable.
• Potential threats:
  • Sudden release of excess monsoon water → floods in NE India.
  • Dry season flow reduction in Brahmaputra.
  • Possibility of water diversion by China.

Suggested Solutions

• Build Yingkiong dam in Arunachal with:
  • Large storage capacity.
  • Advanced spillway technology to handle extreme floods.
• Convert old canal systems into Level-Top Canals for In-Canal Storage to adapt to climate change.