The Utarakhand High Court has directed the State Government to seek the assistance of the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) and the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) to resolve the issue of the glacial lake formed near the Gaumukh glacier in Uttarkashi district. The High Court division bench of Chief Justice KM Joseph and Justice VK Bisht also expressed dissatisfaction at the apathy of the State Government on this issue.
According to the case details, Delhi resident Acharya Ajay Gautam had filed a public interest litigation in the high court stating that a glacial lake had formed near the Gaumukh glacier.
The petitioner has reportedly further stated that learning a lesson from the destruction caused by bursting of the Chaurabadi glacial lake above Kedarnath in 2013, the Government has also been directed by the court to take serious cognisance and take necessary action to address any threat posed by the lake near Gaumukh. The petitioner has also stated that the lake formed near Gaumukh is considerably bigger and hence potentially more dangerous than the Chaurabadi lake. Meanwhile, according to Government officials, the State government is monitoring the situation, taking the help of satellite imagery too to assess the lake near Gaumukh. The state authorities are serious and will comply with the orders of the court, said official sources.