No significant decrease in glaciers in Sikkim: Expert


PTI
12 Dec 2009

Gangtok: There has been no significant decrease in glaciers in Sikkim due to global warming and climate change, a leading expert and member of Sikkim Glacier Commission Milap Chand Sharma has said.

There will be no decrease in the accumulation of snow / ice reserves in the glaciers of Sikkim in the near future due to precipitation in Sikkim throughout the year, he said.

Sikkim gets precipitation round the year from the south west monsoons, winter rains and Mediterranean westerlies due to its advantageous location in the eastern Himalayas. At higher altitudes, the precipitation is in the form of snow.

The triple precipitation in Sikkim will always cater to better input for the glaciers compared to the Western Himalayas, Sharma, who carried out an extensive study of the state of glaciers said.

Even the Zemu glacier, the largest in Sikkim, has retreated by only five to seven meters since 1977 despite its surface thining, he said.

The condition of glaciers depended on factors beyond climate change and global warming like morphology of valley, its shape, size and slope, he said.

While there have been a number of glaciers which have retreated during the past several years, there have been other glaciers which have advanced during the same period.

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Largest glacier of Sikkim ‘Zemu glacier’ under threat

Sarabhi Dutta


“The great river Teesta which flows from the frozen fragments of Zemu Glacier could soon be a History, the tributary river contributes a source of fresh water for entire population of West Bengal, Sikkim.”

The global climate change can be felt in Himalayan State of Sikkim, the largest glacier of this place ‘Zemu Glacier’ is said to be depleting many meters down since last ten years. The recent Climate Change summits tabled by Nepalese Cabinet’s in Everest too have raised the issue of continuous breakage of glaciers in Himalayan region. Glaciologists have warned that within next ten to fifteen years if immediate remedy is not stepped then there can arise a mass scarcity of water in Himalayan region. Copenhagen meeting over Global Climate Change which would be chaired by 193 countries, the matter of concern over Himalayan environment issue would also be discussed.

Himalayan Glaciers are the main sources of Indian economy, livelihood if immediate action is not taken then in coming time entire India can come under scarcity of water. The Government should take an immediate measure to avoid any calamities in future from depleting glaciers of Himalayan.