GLOF mitigation projects are a type of scheme and concept focused on reducing the catastrophic impact of a Glacial Lake Outburst Flood (GLOF), which is the sudden release of a large volume of water from a glacial lake due to the failure of its natural dam. The risk of GLOFs is increasing in the Himalayan region due to climate change and glacier retreat, which causes existing lakes to expand and new ones to form.
The urgency for a structured national response was highlighted by the devastating GLOF disaster at South Lhonak Lake in Sikkim on October 3, 2023. In response, the Centre approved the National Glacial Lake Outburst Flood (GLOF) Risk Mitigation Project (NGRMP) in 2024. This scheme is an institutional shift from post-disaster relief to a coordinated, preventive approach.
The NGRMP is a scheme with a total financial outlay of Rs. 150.00 crore, with the Central share of Rs. 135.00 crore coming from the National Disaster Mitigation Fund (NDMF). It is implemented in four states: Arunachal Pradesh, Himachal Pradesh, Sikkim, and Uttarakhand. The mechanism works through a "tri-focal lens" of assessment, monitoring, and mitigation. Key provisions include strengthening Early Warning Systems (EWS) with last-mile connectivity and deploying sensors, such as those developed by C-DAC in Sikkim. Mitigation also involves engineering measures, such as gradually lowering lake levels through pumping, as proposed for Shako Chho in Sikkim, or installing downstream flood-retention structures.
The project connects to the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA), which is the nodal agency for this preventive approach. It is also linked to the broader issue of transboundary climate change risk, as GLOFs can originate outside India's borders in the Hindu Kush Himalaya region. The NGRMP initially covered 56 lakes but has since expanded its focus to 195 at-risk glacial lakes identified by the National Remote Sensing Centre. Sikkim is also developing India's first dedicated GLOF Risk Mitigation Protocol.