From Deluge to Drought: Rethinking Climate Policy in Himachal

(UNI SPECIAL)Pranjali Chowdhary and Nimish SinghNew Delhi, April 1 -- Traditionally, the days following Holi mark a gradual shift in weather as winter gives way to the summer months. Climate change has upended such traditions of slow transition. Within a single year, Himachal Pradesh swung from deluge to drought.

For this western Himalayan region, climate extremes are no longer aberrations. They are reshaping fiscal planning, infrastructure design, and administrative priorities. The irony is that Himachal Pradesh contributes less than 1 per cent of India's greenhouse gas emissions. Yet, it absorbs the negative effects of climate change disproportionately. However, such negative effects won't be limited to just this "mountain state".

In 20...