BENGALURU: There is an ecological crisis in the Himalayas. Glaciologists and experts working in the region have expressed serious concerns over depleting water levels in rivers and streams, including the Indus river.
This is impacting the water requirement of not just local communities and those living downstream, but also across international borders, experts said. Water levels have been thinning for the last decade, but it has been markedly apparent this year, they added.
Prof Anil Kulkarni, noted glaciologist and distinguished scientist, Divecha Centre for Climate Change, Indian Institute of Science, Bengaluru, said there are various dimensions to the depleting water levels and reducing snow cover in the Himalayas. Rising human activity and reduced accumulation of snow mass are the two primary reasons, he added.
Parts of Himalayas warmer than plains
“This year, a reduction in snow mass has been seen. Higher altitudes are getting warmer than expected and in some cases, the temperatures are higher than in the plains. To address this, the concept of ice stupas (a grafting technique to create artificial glaciers for storing water for winters and harsh times) is being popularised,” he added.
Issues in the Himalayan mountains are different and much more complex compared to other regions. They are different locally, across borders and internationally, he said.
The impact on the Indus river would be gradual and not immediate and depends on the amount of water generated from the snow fields and ice fields, experts said.
Prof Kalachand Sain, Director, Wadia Institute of Himalayan Geology, Dehradun, said this year and particularly this season, the snow was less and protection the snow cover provides to glaciers has also been less. This has affected the health of glaciers, impacting water levels in local regions and in Indus, Ganga and Brahmaputra rivers. The rate at which glaciers are melting has also changed. The environment and local factors are also playing a crucial role in these changes, he added.
Experts said shifting rainfall patterns in high altitudes, ranging from 2,800 metres to 3,000-3,500 metres, is also another rising concern. They called for an urgent need to take up studies on total water levels in flowing water bodies and in glaciers, the melt out of the glaciers, the rainwater accumulation and ground water levels. There is a need to ascertain sustainability, and prepare models accordingly, they said.
