Sikkim High Court Urges Centre And State To Install Early Warning Systems

The <b>Sikkim High Court</b> has urged the central and state governments to take immediate steps to install <b>early warning systems</b> for vulnerable glacial lakes. This directive aims to prevent a recurrence of the devastating October 2023 glacial lake outburst flood disaster in the region. During the proceedings of a Public Interest Litigation, official records revealed that Sikkim hosts <b>40 high-risk glacial lakes</b> as identified by the National Disaster Management Authority. The bench noted that neighboring Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, and Bhutan have already deployed similar preventive measures. Legal proceedings continue as authorities review suggestions to appoint dedicated nodal officers under the Sikkim State Disaster Management Authority. These officials will closely monitor the vulnerable water bodies to significantly strengthen regional disaster preparedness against climate change impacts.