The environment ministry has informed the National Green Tribunal (NGT) that it will examine the responses of the governments of Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand on the management of abnormal weather conditions in the higher Himalayas.

Himachal Pradesh has stressed the need for a water inflow and flood warning system, whereas Uttarakhand has sought to carry out scientific studies at the national level on the flow of the Ganga and the Yamuna.

The suggestions made by Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand came in separate affidavits filed in response to recommendations made by the joint committee appointed by the NGT on various issues, including abnormal weather conditions, river flow, snowmelt and cloudbursts, in the higher Himalayas.

The reply was filed in a pending suo motu petition by the NGT on the issue related to the protection and declaration of the higher Himalayas as an eco-sensitive zone.

Himachal Pradesh, which has recently witnessed massive floods, informed the NGT that there is a need to develop an inflow and flood warning system basin-wise for all major rivers to get alerts in case of cloudbursts and glacial lake outbursts.

Uttarakhand, where a flash flood in the Kheer Ganga river in Uttarkashi’s Dharali village caused widespread devastation recently, submitted before the NGT that policies and scientific studies must be undertaken at the national level through central institutions on the Ganga and Yamuna rivers.

Avneesh Arputham and Ankit Sharma, appearing for the environment ministry, submitted before a bench headed by NGT chairperson Prakash Shrivastava that they needed four weeks to examine the suggestions of the two states. The tribunal posted the matter for November 28.