![Flood-proof Himalayas](https://cdn.magzter.com/1335344221/1693559085/articles/NCE-qd1L01694506878584/FLOODPROOF-HIMALAYAS.jpg)
THE INDIAN Himalayas grappled with cataclysmic floods this August. Unrelenting downpours propelled by an erratic climate pushed many towns in Himachal Pradesh into a maelstrom of inundation. News reports suggest that the state alone lost more than 150 human lives and incurred damages spiralling to an estimated US $120 million.
Similar destruction has been reported by several towns across the Hindu Kush Himalaya (HKH), which is spread over eight countries. In 2023, a rainless July was followed by destructive floods in August in Bangladesh's low-lying district of Bandarban in the Chittagong Hill Tracts. The floods submerged approximately 80 per cent of Bandarban's municipal expanse under 4.56 m of water. The flood's primary catalyst was an extraordinary 268 mm of rain within 24 hours. The unplanned construction on the riverbank aggravated the disaster by reducing river navigability and obstructing water flow. The resultant catastrophe underscores a sobering reality: the simultaneous affliction of diminished river capacity and a compromised drainage system, culminating in an inefficient channelling of excess water.
For HKH cities to become resilient, it is crucial for local governments to enforce strict town planning, with the use of spatial land-use planning approaches and associated information technologies for climate change adaptation.
Bu hikaye Down To Earth dergisinin September 01, 2023 sayısından alınmıştır.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Giriş Yap
Bu hikaye Down To Earth dergisinin September 01, 2023 sayısından alınmıştır.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Giriş Yap
![Look Beyond Dust](https://reseuro.magzter.com/100x125/articles/762/1719707/LUcfRhjSO1717500619374/crp_LOOK-BEYOND-DUST.jpg)
Look Beyond Dust
Reinvent National Clean Air Programme to focus on fine particulate matter and trans-boundary pollution
![PLAN THEM COOL](https://reseuro.magzter.com/100x125/articles/762/1719707/7f5hMRg3Y1717501540417/PLAN-THEM-COOL.jpg)
PLAN THEM COOL
As urban India turns into a heat trap, the government must focus on improving cities' liveability
![Vision 2030](https://reseuro.magzter.com/100x125/articles/762/1719707/hxj09bnEp1717500184062/crp_VISION-2030.jpg)
Vision 2030
Economic growth must take into account needs of energy transition, climate mitigation, with action aligned as per India's 2030 climate goals
![FIX OUR FOOD](https://reseuro.magzter.com/100x125/articles/762/1719707/xMK2FG_n01717502345831/FIX-OUR-FOOD.jpg)
FIX OUR FOOD
Chemical-dependent farming, lax labelling laws, rising anti-microbial resistance must top the agenda
![BATTLE THE CAR BULGE](https://reseuro.magzter.com/100x125/articles/762/1719707/1rF6Iqiqk1717502158050/BATTLE-THE-CAR-BULGE.jpg)
BATTLE THE CAR BULGE
Clean, affordable, integrated and accessible public transport the only solution
![CONSERVE NOW](https://reseuro.magzter.com/100x125/articles/762/1719707/fnXeqrw561717502067483/CONSERVE-NOW.jpg)
CONSERVE NOW
Disregard for biodiversity conservation over the past two decades needs immediate redressal
![SCRAP THE DUMP](https://reseuro.magzter.com/100x125/articles/762/1719707/agByyU0zV1717501748303/SCRAP-THE-DUMP.jpg)
SCRAP THE DUMP
Disincentivise garbage dumping, invest in behavioural change
![THINK LONG-TERM](https://reseuro.magzter.com/100x125/articles/762/1719707/GUd91olKI1717501199219/THINK-LONGTERM.jpg)
THINK LONG-TERM
India needs continued emphasis on flagship programmes, aligned to long-term planning that focusses on water security and circular economy in a climate-risked era
![OVERHAUL OVERDUE](https://reseuro.magzter.com/100x125/articles/762/1719707/saIOJR5k01717500839449/OVERHAUL-OVERDUE.jpg)
OVERHAUL OVERDUE
Hold polluting industries accountable for public health risks, environmental hazards, climate change; provide them support for green transition
![IT'S NOW OR NEVER](https://reseuro.magzter.com/100x125/articles/762/1719707/u8HQXylCV1717500436337/ITS-NOW-OR-NEVER.jpg)
IT'S NOW OR NEVER
Clean energy sectors need demand-driven markets and domestic industries that can cater to the entire value chain