Global warming plays truant, Pindari glacier melts

THE Pindari glacier in the upper Himalayas has retreated significantly, sparking concerns about the impact of global warming on Uttarakhand's environment and tourism industry.

- NARENDRA SETHI

"The Pindari glacier has retreated by more than half a kilometer in the last 60 years," said Padma Shri awardee Anoop Sah, a member of the Uttarakhand State Wildlife Board, after his recent visit to the glacier. Researchers at the Wadia Institute of Himalayan Geology have corroborated Sah's statement through their studies. "It's true that the glacier has retreated. This is a continuous process, and glaciers can also regain their original form," Manish Mehta, a glaciologist at the Wadia Institute, told this newspaper.

"Glaciers are dynamic systems, and their retreat or advancement is a natural phenomenon. However, human activities and climate change can exacerbate the process," he said.