National Mission for Sustaining the Himalayan Ecosystem

This mission is aimed to evolve management measures for sustaining and safeguarding the Himalayan glaciers and mountain ecosystem. Himalayas, being the source of kept perennial rivers, the mission would, inter alia seek to understand, whether and the extent to which, the Himalayan glaciers are in recession and how the problem could be addressed. The national mission aims to exchange information with the South Asian countries and countries sharing the Himalayan ecology. An observation and monitoring network for the Himalayas environment will also be established to assess freshwater resources and health of the ecosystem. The Himalayan ecosystem has 51 million people who practice hill agriculture and whose vulnerability is expected to increase on account of climate change. Community based management of these ecosystems will be promoted with incentives to community organizations and panchayats for protection and enhancement of forested lands. In mountainous regions, the aim will be to maintain two-thirds of the area under forest covers in order to prevent erosion and land degradation and ensure the stability of the fragile eco-system.