Itanagar, Aug 20: The Arunachal Pradesh State Disaster Management Authority (APSDMA) has sent expedition teams for the first time to six high-risk glacial lakes in Tawang and Dibang Valley to carry out basic studies in context of the possible Glacial Lake Outburst Flood (GLOF) and accessibility to these lakes to initiate mitigation measure.
The teams will cover three high risk glacial lakes in both the districts out of 27 high risk lakes in five districts of Arunachal Pradesh identified by the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA).  
A team comprising of 14 members led by the District Disaster Management Officer, Dibang Valley, Kabang Lego left Anini today to study two glacial lakes in Mipi Circle which has been classified as ‘C’ by the NDMA and has potential to create Glacial Lake Outburst Flood. The team is expected to take 12 days to complete its study of the first two lakes. This will be followed by trek to a high risk glacial lake classified as ‘A’ in Etalin Circle.
In Tawang, the Deputy Commissioner, Kanki Darang is heading the team which left on August 19 last to study the lake in Mago area under Thingbu Circle. The team will also cover two more lakes in Jang Sub-division and Zemithang Sub-division during the expedition. 
The teams with the help of experts from National Institute of Mountaineering and Adventure (NIMAS) will carry out detail studies on the accessibility, geo coordinates, lake boundary, area, elevation, habitations, point location, land use/ land cover of the GLOF potential lakes etc., to facilitate Centre for Development of Advance Computing (C-DAC) and Indian Meteorological Department to install Automatic. 
 Early Warning System and Automatic Weather Station respectively. The installation of these devices is expected to be helpful in averting high intensity of damages to the lives and properties in the downstream of the lakes.
The project is undertaken as a part of initiatives undertaken by National Disaster Management Authority after the catastrophic Glacial Lake Outburst Flood (GLOF) event in South Lhonak Lake, Sikkim in October 2023. National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA), Government of India in collaboration with technical/research institution affiliated to Govt. of India have identified high-risk glacial lakes to GLOF in the Indian Himalayan region. 27 glacial lakes have been identified as high-risk glacial lakes in Arunachal Pradesh located in five districts i.e., Tawang (6), Kurung Kumey (1), Shi Yomi(1), Dibang Valley (16) and Anjaw(3). Considering the risk of these glacial lakes, it was suggested by NDMA that there is an immediate need to take up measures to mitigate GLOF through installation of early warning system, automatic weather station, and other mitigation activities. Centre for Development of Advanced Computing (C-DAC), lead technical agency appointed by NDMA, will be hand holding the State Government in installation of EWS and AWS. 

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Kenter Joya Riba

(Managing Editor)
      She is a graduate in Science with post graduation in Sociology from University of Pune. She has been in the media industry for nearly a decade. Before turning to print business, she has been associated with radio and television.
Email: kenterjoyaz@easternsentinel.in / editoreasternsentinel@gmail.com
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