Nathula Pass area, on Friday, sending temperatures in Sikkim plummeting to sub-zero levels. The sudden weather change disrupted movement along key mountain routes and prompted authorities to issue a red alert. According to the India Meteorological Department (IMD), heavy to very heavy snowfall was reported in Nathula, Kupup, and Tsomgo (Changu) Lake since early morning. The IMD warned of continued severe weather conditions over the next 24 hours. Tourists and transport operators have been advised to avoid high-altitude travel as several routes remain slippery due to snow accumulation. Border Roads Organisation (BRO) teams are clearing the snow to restore movement and maintain essential connectivity. Officials said the Nathula region could experience further temperature drops overnight, marking one of the earliest and heaviest snowfalls of the season. The state government has placed disaster response teams on alert. Meanwhile, the National Biodiversity Authority (NBA) released Rs 8.3 lakh to Biodiversity Management Committees (BMCs) in Uttar Pradesh and Sikkim under the Access and Benefit Sharing framework of the Biological Diversity Act, 2002. The funds were transferred to the Narrau village BMC in Aligarh, Uttar Pradesh, and the Lampokhari Lake BMC in Aritar, Sikkim, to strengthen grassroots biodiversity conservation and sustainable resource management. The Ministry of Environment stated that one company used crop materials from Narrau village for producing fermentable compounds, while another accessed microorganisms from Lampokhari’s water and soil for research. Earlier, the NBA had released Rs 1.36 crore to support local biodiversity initiatives in Maharashtra and Uttar Pradesh, reinforcing its commitment to empowering communities as custodians of natural resources.
Red alert in Sikkim as heavy snowfall blankets Indo-China border
