Mains Practice Questions for the Day
- Q. The expansion of glacial lakes has made Glacial Lake Outburst Floods one of the major climate-induced hazards in the Himalayas. Examine the causes, impacts and mitigation measures.
- Q. Geothermal energy can become an important pillar of India’s clean energy transition, but its success depends on technological demonstration and site-specific planning. Discuss with reference to the Puga Valley Geothermal Project.
Q. The expansion of glacial lakes has made Glacial Lake Outburst Floods one of the major climate-induced hazards in the Himalayas. Examine the causes, impacts and mitigation measures.
(GS Paper III – Disaster Management)
Introduction:
Glacial Lake Outburst Floods (GLOFs) occur when natural dams holding glacial lakes suddenly breach, releasing large volumes of water downstream. Recent observations from the Mago Chu Basin in Arunachal Pradesh, where several high-risk glacial lakes have expanded, highlight the growing disaster risk in the Himalayas.
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Causes of Rising GLOF Risk
1. Climate Change and Glacier Retreat
- Rising temperatures are accelerating glacier melting.
- Increased meltwater leads to the expansion of glacial lakes.
2. Elevation-Dependent Warming
- Higher mountain regions are warming faster than lower elevations.
- This intensifies glacier retreat and lake growth.
3. Fragile Moraine Dams
- Many Himalayan glacial lakes are dammed by loose glacial debris.
- Such moraine-dammed lakes are unstable and prone to sudden collapse.
4. External Triggers
- GLOFs may be triggered by avalanches, rockfalls, earthquakes, heavy rainfall and rapid meltwater increase.
Impacts of GLOFs
1. Threat to Downstream Communities
- Sudden floods can cause loss of lives, displacement and livelihood disruption.
2. Damage to Infrastructure
- Roads, bridges, hydropower projects and settlements in narrow Himalayan valleys are highly vulnerable.
3. Ecological and Geomorphic Damage
- GLOFs cause high erosion, sediment transport and valley degradation.
4. Disaster Chain Effects
- Events such as Kedarnath 2013 and South Lhonak Lake 2023 show how GLOFs can combine with landslides and rainfall to create compound disasters.
Mitigation Measures
1. Risk Mapping and Monitoring
- Maintain dynamic glacial lake inventories with seasonal updates.
- Use remote sensing, drones, field surveys and ground-based instruments.
2. Early Warning Systems
- Link lake monitoring with local administration and downstream communities.
3. Institutional Measures
- Implement NDMA Guidelines, CWC risk indexing and dam-safety guidelines for GLOF-prone regions.
4. Climate-Resilient Infrastructure
- Hydropower projects, roads and bridges should undergo GLOF hazard assessment before approval.
5. Transboundary Cooperation
- Himalayan countries must share real-time data for joint monitoring and early warning.
Conclusion:
GLOFs are no longer isolated mountain hazards but a major climate-risk challenge for the Himalayas. India must shift from reactive disaster response to continuous monitoring, early warning, resilient infrastructure and regional cooperation.
Q. Geothermal energy can become an important pillar of India’s clean energy transition, but its success depends on technological demonstration and site-specific planning. Discuss with reference to the Puga Valley Geothermal Project.
(GS Paper III – Science & Technology / Renewable Energy)
Introduction:
Geothermal energy is renewable energy derived from the Earth’s internal heat. The operationalisation of India’s first deep geothermal wells at Puga Valley in Ladakh marks a major step towards India’s first demonstration-scale geothermal power project and supports the vision of Carbon-Neutral Ladakh.
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Significance of Puga Valley Project
1. India’s First Practical Geothermal Step
- The Puga wells mark the beginning of India’s practical geothermal power journey.
- The project can provide important data on drilling, reservoir behaviour and power generation.
2. Round-the-Clock Renewable Energy
- Unlike solar and wind, geothermal energy is not dependent on sunlight or wind speed.
- It can provide stable and continuous power, especially in remote regions.
3. Energy Security
- Geothermal power can reduce dependence on fossil fuels.
- It supports India’s clean energy transition and Net Zero 2070 goal.
4. Remote-Area Energy Access
- Ladakh’s difficult terrain makes conventional energy supply challenging.
- Geothermal energy can support decentralised power generation in interior regions.
5. Technology Demonstration
- The Puga project can become a learning platform for future geothermal exploration in India.
Potential of Geothermal Energy in India
1. Important Geothermal Regions
- India has geothermal prospects in the Himalayan Geothermal Province, Cambay Graben, Andaman and Nicobar Islands, and sites such as Puga, Manikaran, Tattapani, Tapoban and Manuguru.
2. Scope for Advanced Technologies
- Enhanced Geothermal Systems (EGS) can expand geothermal power beyond naturally occurring hydrothermal reservoirs.
- EGS uses controlled drilling and fluid injection to extract heat from hot dry rocks.
Challenges
1. Site-Specific Nature
- Geothermal energy can be developed only where suitable underground heat conditions exist.
2. High Exploration Risk
- Deep drilling is costly, and success is not guaranteed.
3. Technical Complexity
- Projects require expertise in geology, drilling, reservoir management and power systems.
4. Environmental Concerns
- Geothermal fluid handling and induced seismicity risks need careful safeguards.
5. Limited Indian Experience
- India is still at the pilot stage, so commercial scaling needs more data and investor confidence.
Way Forward
1. Treat Puga as a Demonstration Platform
- Use it to generate reliable data on costs, safety, output and reservoir performance.
2. Strengthen Institutional Coordination
- Collaboration among MNRE, ONGC, GSI, research institutions and State governments is necessary.
3. Promote Suitable Technologies
- Binary cycle plants can be explored for moderate-temperature reservoirs.
- EGS should be assessed carefully where natural reservoirs are limited.
4. Ensure Environmental Safeguards
- Projects must include seismic monitoring, fluid management and ecological protection.
Conclusion:
The Puga Valley Geothermal Project is a strategic milestone in India’s renewable energy journey. If supported by scientific exploration, policy clarity, technology development and environmental safeguards, geothermal energy can become a reliable source of clean, round-the-clock power for remote and energy-sensitive regions.
