NEW DELHI: Once seen as a source of clean and pure water, rain clouds over the Himalayas have now been found to carry poisonous heavy metals, according to a new scientific study raising alarm over the health and environmental threats this poses to one of the world’s most fragile ecosystems.
Researchers have discovered that clouds drifting across the Eastern Himalayas contain pollution levels 1.5 times higher than expected, largely due to vehicular emissions and industrial pollution from the plains. These airborne pollutants including lead, arsenic, and mercury are carried by wind systems into the upper reaches of the Himalayas, contaminating rainwater that eventually feeds rivers and groundwater.
The consequences are deeply concerning. Toxic metals in rainfall can seep into soils, agricultural lands, and water bodies leading to chronic exposure through drinking water and food chains. Health experts warn of long-term impacts ranging from cancer and organ damage to developmental disorders in children.
Environmentalists are calling for urgent policy-level action, including stricter emission regulations, better air quality monitoring, and protection of critical mountain catchments.
This revelation also comes at a time when the Ganga River is reportedly losing more than 50% of its water volume without notice much of which originates from the same Himalayan rainfall system now compromised by heavy metal pollution.
As the climate crisis deepens and human activity continues to reach even the highest altitudes, this discovery marks a serious warning: the Himalayan skies are no longer as pure as they seem.
By Vaishali Verma