DEMAND TO FORM A HIGH LEVEL COMMITTEE TO SAVE GLACIERS IN INDIA

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Mains General Studies: 3

(Issues and challenges related to environment)

Context :

  • During the last few years, there has been an increase in the incidence of glacier melting in the country.
  • In the Himalayan regions, the incidence of floods has increased due to the bursting of glaciers, glacial rivers and potential glacial lakes. To deal with this concern in the future, recently a special committee of the Parliament has demanded the central government to form a high-level committee.

Headlines :

  • The special committee of the Ministry of Jal Shakti has recommended to the Central Government to deal with this situation in future.
  • This report has been prepared by the Department of Water Resources, River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation of the Ministry of Jal Shakti and the chairman of the committee, ParbatbhaiSavabhai Patel, tabled it in the Lok Sabha.

Recommendations of the Special committee

  • A total of 31 members of Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha were included in this committee.
  • Under this, a high-level committee should be formed to save the glacier and monitoring of the Himalayan region should be increased.
  • With these initiatives, a way will be found to fight these natural calamities.
  • A separate dedicated mountain hazard and research institute should be established so that a detailed data assessment of the site is available and early warning systems can be implemented.
  • Apart from this, there is a need to make adequate budgetary allocation for glacier research, with the help of which the research related activities will be stopped due to lack of funds.

Main cause of melting glaciers

  • The Committee stated that it was informed by the Geological Survey of India (GSI) that there are 9775 glaciers in the Indian Himalayan region. In addition, a total of 1306.1 cubic km of ice is preserved in the glacial basins of the Indus, the Ganges, and the Brahmaputra.
  • However, the quantity of ice and snow water separately is not available with the government.
  • Warming of the Himalayan Karakoram region is the main reason for melting of glaciers: The committee pointed out in the report that the Department of Science and Technology (DST) has informed that the Himalayan Karakoram region is warming at a rate of 0.5 degree Celsius above the global average. Due to which the infrastructure will also be damaged due to rain and snow events.
  • Smaller glaciers in the Himalayan region are more vulnerable to climate change and their rate of shrinkage is higher than larger glaciers.
  • Because of this, according to the estimates made between 2006 and 2018, the global average sea level is rising at a rate of about 3.7 mm per year.

About Himalayan Glacier

  • The Himalayan mountain range is the third largest store of ice and snow in the world after Antarctica and the Arctic.
  • This stock of 600 billion tonnes of ice is spread over two thousand kilometers in the Himalayan region.
  • 9775 glacial glaciers in the Himalayan region are the main sources of irrigation, hydroelectricity and drinking water for about 800 million people.
  • More than 750 million people in India, including Pakistan and Bangladesh, receive water from rivers originating from Himalayan glaciers.
  • The Gangotri Glacier located in the Himalayan region is one of the largest glaciers in the region from which the river Ganges originates. This river helps in increasing the agricultural economy of Bangladesh including India.

Main causes for the melting of glaciers

  • Human activities are believed to be the main reason behind the melting of glaciers.
  • Glaciers are melting faster due to rising temperature due to emission of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases.
  • According to scientists, at this rate of rapid emission of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases, the ice in the Arctic region will disappear completely by the summer of 2040.
  • Global warming caused by climate change is also considered a major reason for the melting of glaciers.
  • The rate of melting of glaciers has increased due to local air pollution as well as rapidly increasing commercial activities in the mountains.
  • Increasing tourist activities in the Himalayan region has also been one of the main reasons for affecting the ecology of the area around the glaciers.
  • Indiscriminate deforestation has affected the ecosystem which has contributed to the melting of glaciers.

Impact of melting of glaciers:

  • A sudden rise in the water level of other sources of water like rivers, lakes and seas.
  • Melting of glaciers causes huge damage to biodiversity and habitats of animals and animals are destroyed.
  • Rising water temperature and water level become a threat to marine biodiversity, it affects all the aquatic animals and aquatic plants of the sea.
  • It also affects coral reefs, which require sunlight for photosynthesis, but when the water level rises, sunlight does not reach them in sufficient quantity.
  • The melting of glaciers increases the possibility of reduction in the amount of fresh water.

Significance of glaciers

  • The sediments of glaciers provide fertile soil for crops.
  • Sand and gravel are used to make concrete and asphalt.
  • Glaciers are the largest source of fresh water. Many rivers depend on the snow of glaciers for water.
  • The basins of most of the world's lakes are formed due to glaciers.
  • Ice acts as a protective shield for the Earth and the oceans. It keeps the Earth cool by sending excess heat back to space.
  • Glaciers can be several hundred to several thousand years old, providing a scientific record of how climate has changed over time.

Conclusion :

  • To reduce the rate of melting of glaciers, all countries around the world should work on a concrete strategy so that the livelihood of millions of people dependent on glaciers is not affected.

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