Roopkund Lake

The Roopkund lake in Uttarakhand is shrinking every year due to climate change. Policy intervention is needed to preserve it.

About Roopkund Lake:

• It is a glacial lake located in the Chamoli district of Uttarakhand which is famous for more than five hundred human skeletons found on its banks.
• The place is uninhabited and is located 16,500 feet above sea level at the base of Trishul mountain in the Garhwal Himalayas. It is known as the 'Lake of Skeletons'. There are hundreds of human skeletons beneath it.
• The lake attracted world attention in 1942 after a forest officer H.K. Madhwal noticed the presence of human bones in its frozen water.
  • Since then, several theories have been propounded about these skeletons. A 2019 study by scientists from India, the US and Germany debunked the theory that the skeletons belonged to a single group of people who died in a single event.
  • Instead, the research claims that the individuals were genetically diverse and died about 1,000 years apart.
  • Ancient DNA from some of these skeletons suggests Mediterranean migration to India.
• Roopkund Lake is extremely important in unraveling past extreme climate events in the region. Geochemical analysis of the rocks in the lake can provide valuable information about weather extremes thousands of years ago.

Major concerns related to Roopkund Lake:

• Traditionally, the area around Roopkund Lake received snowfall only during rainy season, but now rain is becoming more common, causing the moraine to slide towards the lake.
• The debris brought by the glacier is called 'moraine'.
• This change in rainfall pattern is directly related to climate change and global warming which is changing the natural balance of this region. This may lead to an increase in greenery in the high altitude areas as well as an increase in heat in this region.
• There are about 1,200 lakes in this region. These are classified as Pro-Glacial Lakes or Peri-Glacial Lakes. Pro-glacial lakes are located on the front edge of the glacier (Snout/Front Edge), while peri-glacial lakes are located on the periphery (edges) of the glacier.
  • Roopkund is a peri-glacial lake