The carrying or bearing capacity, which is the highest population level that an ecosystem can support without being degraded, is a topic on which the Supreme Court is keen to establish an expert group for undertaking a complete and comprehensive investigation.
Source: Open Magazine
The Himalayan region is allegedly suffering from ‘unsustainable and hydrologically disastrous’ structures, including hotels, homestays, and hydel projects, which have had a negative impact on the drainage and waste management systems. The petition is currently being heard by the court.
The National Mission for Sustaining the Himalayan Ecosystem (NMSHE), which was established under the National Action Plan on Climate Change, had its action plan approved by the Union Cabinet in February 2014.
The major goals of the mission are to develop policy solutions to maintain the ecological resilience of the Himalayan region and to conduct a scientific assessment of the region’s susceptibility to climate change. However, during the past ten or so years, the condition of the world’s youngest mountain range has only become worse.
Source: Pathfinder by Unacademy
To find the implementation gaps in the NMSHE, a quick review is necessary. The Himalayan ecosystem’s growing vulnerabilty is having a negative effect on a number of significant industries, including tourism, agriculture, the environment, and forestry. It is urgently necessary to protect the Himalayas from predatory pillage disguised as development and tourism operations since catastrophic weather occurrences are becoming the new norm.
Controlling the number of visitors so that they don’t overwhelm the ecosystem’s carrying capacity or threaten local livelihoods is a significant challenge. The crucial question that decision-makers and other stakeholders must answer before it’s too late is how much is too much.
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