Himalayan Alarm: IIT Kharagpur Scientist Urges Climate Risk Calendar for Melting Peaks

A new study led by IIT Kharagpur scientist Jayanarayanan Kuttippurath reveals alarming findings: Jammu and Kashmir high-altitude regions have warmed by nearly 1°C over the past two decades, with mountain stations heating up significantly faster than lower elevations. This rapid warming is accelerating glacier melt, altering river flows, and intensifying natural disasters, directly impacting critical resources like drinking water and agriculture across North India. At the heart of this crisis is 'Elevation-Dependent Warming' – a phenomenon where higher mountain regions experience disproportionately faster temperature increases, particularly at night, reducing the natural cooling needed to preserve snow and ice. The consequences are stark, with the Amarnath Yatra already facing heightened risks from cloudbursts, flash floods, and an unprecedented early melting of the sacred Ice Shivling in 2026, prompting urgent calls for systemic changes to pilgrimage management. Kuttippurath is now advocating for a 'Climate Risk Calendar' to guide activities like the Amarnath Yatra, basing decisions on scientific data to mitigate hazards. As the Himalayas warm at rates two to three times the global average, this scientific appeal underscores the critical need for proactive, data-driven adaptation strategies to safeguard the region's fragile ecosystem and the livelihoods of billions dependent on its rivers.