Occurrence of snowfall in abundance as experienced in different parts including in lower pockets of the hill State this winter, will add to the health of Himalayan glaciers in Uttarakhand. And, more importantly, abundance of glaciers can be described as indication of making the Himalayan State less vulnerable to natural calamity.
It is worth mention here that glaciers play a significant role in maintaining ecological system. But any adverse impact on the glaciers due to excessive human interventions will leads to occurrence of disaster like situation. However, the experts here believe, better level of snowfall this year is useful for the health of Himalayan glaciers. Higher degree of snowfall as experienced this year is good for health of the glaciers, said Engineer Kireet Kumar, senior scientist at the GB Pant Institute of Himalayan Environment and Development (GBPIHED), Kosi-Katarmal, Almora, while talking to The Pioneer in an exclusive interview.
The fact is that occurrence of better level of snowfall maintains the Himalayan glaciers in the form of advance and retreat, he added. It is to note that the GBPIHED is conducting a study of monitoring snow and glaciers in Goriganga valley and Dhauliganga velley in Pithoragarh under the supervision of scientist Kireet Kumar. The focus of this project is on studying the pattern of these glaciers in terms of advance and retreat using satellite data and field studies and its impact on river flow. Other objectives of this study are measurement of mass balance and velocity of glaciers.
Mapping of glaciers has been completed. But we could not complete our study regarding monitoring of river flow and collection of water sample due to devastating monsoon last June in Pithoragarh. The field work for data collection and monitoring started on June 14, 2013, but due to extreme rainfall and cloud bursts, we had to withdraw from that mission last monsoon, informed Kumar.
The project work will be started again this year from May /June, he further said, adding we are also trying to conduct similar exercise in the Gangotri glaciers this summer to assess the behavior of the glaciers in this Gangotri reigon. It is worth mention here that the Himalayan glaciers contribute fresh water to the major river systems of the north India during critical summer months and make these rivers perennial. Glaciers are highly sensitive to change in the climate. Change in the mountain glaciers in the form of advance and retreat is considered a reliable indicator of climate change. The glacier valleys are highly fragile and prone to disasters like flash flood.