Source: NIE
Context: Uttarakhand’s Pithoragarh faces environmental degradation as tourism and emissions accelerate glacier melt in the Panchachuli range.
About Panchachuli Mountain Range:
- Group of Peaks: Comprises five snow-capped peaks, forming a part of the Kumaon Himalayas in Uttarakhand, India.
- Altitude Range: Peaks rise from 6,334 m (20,781 ft) to 6,904 m (22,651 ft), with Panchchuli II being the tallest.
- Geographical Significance: Lies at the watershed between the Gori and Darmaganga valleys, near Munsiyari, and on the Gori Ganga-Lassar Yankti divide.
- Cultural Legend: Named after the Pandavas’ “Five Chulis” (cooking hearths) from Indian mythology.
- First Ascent: Panchchuli II was first scaled by an Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) team led by Mahendra Singh on May 26, 1973.
- Tourism Impact: Located 138 km from Pithoragarh, the peaks attract trekkers and pilgrims but face environmental degradation due to human activities.
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