Asia Pacific Today. Is India's quest for growth, renewables threatening the Himalayas?

A tragedy occurred recently in Northern India where a part of the Nanda Devi glacier broke off, triggering a massive flood and washing away parts of two hydropower plants and other infrastructure, leaving 50 lives lost and over 150 feared dead.

While some climate experts rushed to declare this a climate change event from rising temperatures, rational observers point to other causes including the construction of back-to-back dams and rush for renewable energy projects that may have destabilised the fragile environment in the Himalayas.

We're joined by Sanjeev Ahluwalia, is an Advisor at Observer Research Foundation, New Delhi. Sanjeev's expertise is in economic regulation, political economy, public sector financial management and governance. He has had experience at senior levels in The Energy Research Institute, Ministries of Finance, Commerce in the Government of India and in Finance and Industry in the Government of Uttar Pradesh.

Sanjeev has a Masters in Economic Policy Management from Columbia University, New York; a post graduate Diploma in Financial Management from Delhi University and a Masters in History from St. Stephens College, Delhi. He hosts a blog: Opinion India (ahlu-india.com) which is also available at Times of India Blogs and writes for the Asian Age; swarajyamag.com and theglobalist.com (Washington DC).