New Delhi (PTI): As communities living in the Himalayan mountain regions are likely to be worst affected by global warming, the government is mooting a plan to enhance the adaptation and resilience of the locals in meeting the threats.

Environment Ministry along with the National Institute of Disaster Management and a Kathmandu-based NGO, Icimod, have come together to build capacity of the community to tackle threats arising out of climate change.

"Himalayas will be the first casualty of the rising emissions causing climate change. In fact, changes are being already felt. Hence it is necessary that the local people in the region are equipped enough to tackle the threat," said Anil K Gupta from National Institute of Disaster Management, an autonomous body under the Home Ministry.

During the programme stretched over five years, the experts with the help of locals will chart out maps identifying the hazards both man made as well as natural such as landslide, landscape degradation and floods and recommend measures accordingly.

Focus will be on adaptation and mitigation in the Indian Himalayas which has a total population of 4,03,11,039 as per 2001 census, accounting for about 3.92 per cent population in the country, Gupta said.

He said, though the disaster vulnerability in the Himalayas is purely natural, it is aggravated due to environmental and socio-economic vulnerability.

The experts will also assess the status and dynamics of the scenario, besides generating better and logical understanding of the emerging risk levels in the region.