Ameesha Chauhan, a survivor of the<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/traffic-jam-on-everest-as-two-more-climbers-die-reaching-summit-221113"> Everest "traffic jam" </a>who is in the hospital recovering from frostbite, said climbers without basic skills should be barred to prevent a recurrence of this year's deadly season on the world's highest peak.

Ten people have died in little more than two weeks after poor weather cut the climbing window, leaving mountaineers waiting in long queues to the summit, risking exhaustion and running out of oxygen.&nbsp;

Nepal issued a record 381 Everest permits this season, and several hundred of the summiteers are not properly trained, take poor decisions and "put their own life in risk and also the Sherpa guides", Chauhan said.&nbsp;

The 29-year-old Indian had to wait 20 minutes to come down from the 8,848-metre (29,029-foot) peak, but others were held up for hours.

"I saw some climbers without basic skills fully relying on their Sherpa guides. The government should fix the qualification criteria," she told AFP in Kathmandu's general hospital, all the toes on her left foot black and blue and her face weather-worn.

"Only trained climbers should be granted the permit to climb Everest."

As well as the Everest deaths, nine climbers have died on other 8,000-metre Himalayan peaks, while one is missing.

Watch: The world's highest dumping ground; the garbage trail up Everest

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/wion-gravitas-the-worlds-highest-dumping-ground-the-garbage-trail-up-everest-145352/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>
</div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">×</a></div>

At least four deaths on the world's highest mountain have been blamed on over-crowding with teams waiting sometimes for hours in the "death zone" where the cold is bitter, the air dangerously thin and the terrain treacherous.

This year's Everest toll is the highest since 2014-15 when huge earthquakes triggered devastating avalanches.

The crowding was laid bare in a photo taken last week by Nirmal Purja, a former Gurkha soldier, of a long queue of climbers snaking up to the summit.

The photo by the head of the Project Possible charity aiming to climb the 14 8,000 metre-plus peaks in the world in seven months has gone viral from his @nimsdai Twitter handle and highlighted the dangers amidst the mania to climb Everest.

"Many climbers' oxygen was running out," Chauhan said.&nbsp;

"Some climbers died due to their own negligence. They insisted on reaching the top even if their oxygen is running out, which risks their life," she said.

Another climber, the "adventure filmmaker" Elia Saikaly, posted on Instagram on Sunday that he had reached the summit of Everest and "cannot believe what I saw up there".

"Death. Carnage. Chaos. Lineups. Dead bodies on the route and in tents at camp 4. People who I tried to turn back who ended up dying. People being dragged down. Walking over bodies," Saikaly wrote.

"Everything you read in the sensational headlines all played out on our summit night."

$11,000 ticket&nbsp;

Mountaineering has become big business since Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay made the first ascent of Everest in 1953, with the mountain becoming a favourite "bucket list" feat.

Nepal's permits this season cost $11,000 each, providing the impoverished Himalayan country with much-needed foreign currency.&nbsp;

At least 140 others were granted permits to climb from the northern flank in Tibet.

Although final numbers are yet to be released with the season set to wrap up this week, this could take the total past last year's record of 807 people reaching the summit.

The dead included four climbers from India and one each from the United States, Britain and Nepal. An Irish mountaineer is presumed dead after he slipped and fell close to the summit.

Another Austrian and an Irish climber died on the northern Tibet side.

One of the Indians who died on the Nepal side, 27-year-old Nihal Bagwan, had to wait for more than 12 hours and died on his way back from the summit.

Donald Lynn Cash, 55, collapsed at the summit as he was taking photographs, while Anjali Kulkarni, also 55, died while descending after reaching the top.

Kulkarni's expedition organiser, Arun Treks, said heavy traffic at the summit had delayed her descent and caused the tragedy.

"She had to wait for a long time to reach the summit and descend," said Thupden Sherpa. "She couldn't move down on her own and died as Sherpa guides brought her down.

Watch: Three Indian climbers died due to traffic jam on Mt. Everest

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/three-indian-climbers-died-due-to-traffic-jam-on-mt-everest-221570/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>
</div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">×</a></div>

&nbsp;

Ameesha Chauhan, a survivor of the Everest "traffic jam" who is in the hospital recovering from frostbite, said climbers without basic skills should be barred to prevent a recurrence of this year's deadly season on the world's highest peak.

Ameesha Chauhan, a survivor of the Everest "traffic jam" who is in the hospital recovering from frostbite, said climbers without basic skills should be barred to prevent a recurrence of this year's deadly season on the world's highest peak. Ten people have died in little more than two weeks after poor weather cut the climbing window, leaving mountaineers waiting in long queues to the summit, risking exhaustion and running out of oxygen. Nepal issued a record 381 Everest permits this season, and several hundred of the summiteers are not properly trained, take poor decisions and "put their own life in risk and also the Sherpa guides", Chauhan said. The 29-year-old Indian had to wait 20 minutes to come down from the 8,848-metre (29,029-foot) peak, but others were held up for hours. "I saw some climbers without basic skills fully relying on their Sherpa guides. The government should fix the qualification criteria," she told AFP in Kathmandu's general hospital, all the toes on her left foot black and blue and her face weather-worn. "Only trained climbers should be granted the permit to climb Everest." As well as the Everest deaths, nine climbers have died on other 8,000-metre Himalayan peaks, while one is missing. Watch: The world's highest dumping ground; the garbage trail up Everest × At least four deaths on the world's highest mountain have been blamed on over-crowding with teams waiting sometimes for hours in the "death zone" where the cold is bitter, the air dangerously thin and the terrain treacherous. This year's Everest toll is the highest since 2014-15 when huge earthquakes triggered devastating avalanches. The crowding was laid bare in a photo taken last week by Nirmal Purja, a former Gurkha soldier, of a long queue of climbers snaking up to the summit. The photo by the head of the Project Possible charity aiming to climb the 14 8,000 metre-plus peaks in the world in seven months has gone viral from his @nimsdai Twitter handle and highlighted the dangers amidst the mania to climb Everest. "Many climbers' oxygen was running out," Chauhan said. "Some climbers died due to their own negligence. They insisted on reaching the top even if their oxygen is running out, which risks their life," she said. Another climber, the "adventure filmmaker" Elia Saikaly, posted on Instagram on Sunday that he had reached the summit of Everest and "cannot believe what I saw up there". "Death. Carnage. Chaos. Lineups. Dead bodies on the route and in tents at camp 4. People who I tried to turn back who ended up dying. People being dragged down. Walking over bodies," Saikaly wrote. "Everything you read in the sensational headlines all played out on our summit night." $11,000 ticket Mountaineering has become big business since Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay made the first ascent of Everest in 1953, with the mountain becoming a favourite "bucket list" feat. Nepal's permits this season cost $11,000 each, providing the impoverished Himalayan country with much-needed foreign currency. At least 140 others were granted permits to climb from the northern flank in Tibet. Although final numbers are yet to be released with the season set to wrap up this week, this could take the total past last year's record of 807 people reaching the summit. The dead included four climbers from India and one each from the United States, Britain and Nepal. An Irish mountaineer is presumed dead after he slipped and fell close to the summit. Another Austrian and an Irish climber died on the northern Tibet side. One of the Indians who died on the Nepal side, 27-year-old Nihal Bagwan, had to wait for more than 12 hours and died on his way back from the summit. Donald Lynn Cash, 55, collapsed at the summit as he was taking photographs, while Anjali Kulkarni, also 55, died while descending after reaching the top. Kulkarni's expedition organiser, Arun Treks, said heavy traffic at the summit had delayed her descent and caused the tragedy. "She had to wait for a long time to reach the summit and descend," said Thupden Sherpa. "She couldn't move down on her own and died as Sherpa guides brought her down. Watch: Three Indian climbers died due to traffic jam on Mt. Everest ×

Everest 'traffic jam' survivor calls for tougher rules

An Indian mountaineer was among 14 climbers who successfully scaled the world's highest peak <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/two-more-indian-mountaineers-die-another-missing-in-nepal-219404">Mount Everest</a> on Monday, officials said.&nbsp;

Seven foreign mountaineers from China, Greece and India, and seven Nepalese Sherpas reached atop the 8848-metre peak on Monday morning, according to the Mountain Division of Ministry of Tourism.

Nepal opened the climbing route to the world's highest peak on May 14, when a team of eight Sherpas successfully scaled the Mount Everest, becoming the first team to reach the summit.

Among the seven climbers who scaled the summit, four are from China, two from Greece and one from India.

The Indian mountaineer was identified as Pranay Bandbuch by the ministry.&nbsp;

Around 378 climbers, part of 41 different teams, have obtained climbing permits for Mount Everest from the department of tourism this spring season.

More than 200 climbers have already headed to the high camps to make their final summit pushes starting Tuesday.&nbsp;

"The summit window may last for the next four days," said Gyanendra Shrestha, a liaison officer from Ministry of Tourism.&nbsp;

Last week, two Indian mountaineers, including an Indian Army soldier, died while another went missing after one of them successfully scaled the world's highest peak.

An Indian mountaineer was among 14 climbers who successfully scaled the world's highest peak Mount Everest on Monday, officials said. Seven foreign mountaineers from China, Greece and India, and seven Nepalese Sherpas reached atop the 8848-metre peak on Monday morning, according to the Mountain Division of Ministry of Tourism.

An Indian mountaineer was among 14 climbers who successfully scaled the world's highest peak Mount Everest on Monday, officials said. Seven foreign mountaineers from China, Greece and India, and seven Nepalese Sherpas reached atop the 8848-metre peak on Monday morning, according to the Mountain Division of Ministry of Tourism. Nepal opened the climbing route to the world's highest peak on May 14, when a team of eight Sherpas successfully scaled the Mount Everest, becoming the first team to reach the summit. Among the seven climbers who scaled the summit, four are from China, two from Greece and one from India. The Indian mountaineer was identified as Pranay Bandbuch by the ministry. Around 378 climbers, part of 41 different teams, have obtained climbing permits for Mount Everest from the department of tourism this spring season. More than 200 climbers have already headed to the high camps to make their final summit pushes starting Tuesday. "The summit window may last for the next four days," said Gyanendra Shrestha, a liaison officer from Ministry of Tourism. Last week, two Indian mountaineers, including an Indian Army soldier, died while another went missing after one of them successfully scaled the world's highest peak.

Indian climber Pranay Bandbuch among 14 who scaled Mount Everest

The tented city at the foot of<a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/five-tons-of-garbage-collected-from-mount-everest-217208"> Mount Everest</a> is bustling as mountaineers brace for potentially the busiest year yet on the world's highest peak, prompting concerns about overcrowding and safety.

Since<a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/sagarmatha-campaign-3000-kg-garbage-collected-from-mount-everest-in-15-days-214407"> Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay </a>made the first ascent in 1953 more than 4,000 climbers have reached the top of Everest, according to the authoritative Himalayan Database.

Recent years have seen especially rapid growth, with the mountain opening up to more people as competition between expedition organisers has caused costs to plummet.

But rising numbers mean greater risk -- a higher chance of bottlenecks as larger teams lumber their way to the summit, potential shortages of oxygen tanks, and increased risk of frostbite and even death.

A photo of a huge traffic jam below the summit in 2012 prompted calls for better crowd management and even a cap on the number of permits issued annually.&nbsp;

Nepal currently grants permits to all who apply and are willing to pay $11,000 to scale the 8,848-metre (29,029-foot) peak. This year the government has handed out 378 climbing permits according to the tourism department.

That tops the previous record of 373 in 2017.

Most Everest aspirants will need the help of Nepali guides to reach the summit, meaning about 750 climbers will tread the same path to the top in the coming weeks when the weather is expected to be most favourable.

And at least 140 others are preparing to scale Everest using the northern route from Tibet, according to expedition operators, taking the potential total past the 2018 record of 807 when five people died.

'Put a limit'&nbsp;

Spring is the busiest time of year on the mountain as the icy winds and bone-chilling temperatures are more forgiving than at other times.

Even so, the climbing season is short, with ascents expected to begin in the coming days and usually wrap up by the end of May or the first week of June.

Ice doctors, the elite Sherpa mountaineers who set the ropes to the summit for hundreds of paying clients to climb, are currently waiting for a favourable weather window to begin their ascent.

But powerful jet streams raging around the top of Everest have expedition operators worried about the number of summit days, raising the likelihood of many climbers going up at the same time.

Mountaineering blogger Alan Arnette said that problems could arise at the end of the season due to overcrowding when desperate climbers push onward to the summit despite a narrowing weather window.&nbsp;

"Perhaps Nepal should put a limit as China has done or the US Park Service for Denali," Arnette said.

"But I doubt Nepal ever will do this because there is too much money at stake and they seem unable to refuse business, regardless of the risks," he said.

Nepal has raked in over $4 million in Everest permit fees alone in 2019, a much-needed source of revenue for the cash-strapped country.

Expedition operator Dawa Steven Sherpa of Asian Trekking conceded that while "there are some concerns about overcrowding", mountaineering companies have become better at crowd management and are working together to schedule their teams.

"It is also a little too early to talk about (whether) the weather will impact the summit days," he said.

&nbsp;'Adventure of our lives'&nbsp;

Many of the climbers are now completing their acclimatisation ascents.

Among them is accomplished mountaineer Kami Rita Sherpa, 49, who is planning his 23rd ascent of the peak, breaking his own record for the most summits of Everest.

This season, the Nepal route will also see more women than ever before, with 76 female climbers attempting the feat.

"This is not easy to break in a male-dominated industry, but we are here to climb and prove that we can do it," Nima Doma Sherpa told AFP last month before leaving for base camp.

American climber Cory Richards and Ecuadorian Esteban Topo Mena are attempting to establish a new route on Everest, a decade after a South Korean team successfully ascended the mountain after carving a new path along its southwest face.

"Our bodies and minds feel strong and we are getting our spirits ready for the adventure of our lives," Mena said in an Instagram post on Tuesday. The duo will climb "alpine style" -- without supplemental oxygen.

The tented city at the foot of Mount Everest is bustling as mountaineers brace for potentially the busiest year yet on the world's highest peak, prompting concerns about overcrowding and safety.

The tented city at the foot of Mount Everest is bustling as mountaineers brace for potentially the busiest year yet on the world's highest peak, prompting concerns about overcrowding and safety. Since Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay made the first ascent in 1953 more than 4,000 climbers have reached the top of Everest, according to the authoritative Himalayan Database. Recent years have seen especially rapid growth, with the mountain opening up to more people as competition between expedition organisers has caused costs to plummet. But rising numbers mean greater risk -- a higher chance of bottlenecks as larger teams lumber their way to the summit, potential shortages of oxygen tanks, and increased risk of frostbite and even death. A photo of a huge traffic jam below the summit in 2012 prompted calls for better crowd management and even a cap on the number of permits issued annually. Nepal currently grants permits to all who apply and are willing to pay $11,000 to scale the 8,848-metre (29,029-foot) peak. This year the government has handed out 378 climbing permits according to the tourism department. That tops the previous record of 373 in 2017. Most Everest aspirants will need the help of Nepali guides to reach the summit, meaning about 750 climbers will tread the same path to the top in the coming weeks when the weather is expected to be most favourable. And at least 140 others are preparing to scale Everest using the northern route from Tibet, according to expedition operators, taking the potential total past the 2018 record of 807 when five people died. 'Put a limit' Spring is the busiest time of year on the mountain as the icy winds and bone-chilling temperatures are more forgiving than at other times. Even so, the climbing season is short, with ascents expected to begin in the coming days and usually wrap up by the end of May or the first week of June. Ice doctors, the elite Sherpa mountaineers who set the ropes to the summit for hundreds of paying clients to climb, are currently waiting for a favourable weather window to begin their ascent. But powerful jet streams raging around the top of Everest have expedition operators worried about the number of summit days, raising the likelihood of many climbers going up at the same time. Mountaineering blogger Alan Arnette said that problems could arise at the end of the season due to overcrowding when desperate climbers push onward to the summit despite a narrowing weather window. "Perhaps Nepal should put a limit as China has done or the US Park Service for Denali," Arnette said. "But I doubt Nepal ever will do this because there is too much money at stake and they seem unable to refuse business, regardless of the risks," he said. Nepal has raked in over $4 million in Everest permit fees alone in 2019, a much-needed source of revenue for the cash-strapped country. Expedition operator Dawa Steven Sherpa of Asian Trekking conceded that while "there are some concerns about overcrowding", mountaineering companies have become better at crowd management and are working together to schedule their teams. "It is also a little too early to talk about (whether) the weather will impact the summit days," he said. 'Adventure of our lives' Many of the climbers are now completing their acclimatisation ascents. Among them is accomplished mountaineer Kami Rita Sherpa, 49, who is planning his 23rd ascent of the peak, breaking his own record for the most summits of Everest. This season, the Nepal route will also see more women than ever before, with 76 female climbers attempting the feat. "This is not easy to break in a male-dominated industry, but we are here to climb and prove that we can do it," Nima Doma Sherpa told AFP last month before leaving for base camp. American climber Cory Richards and Ecuadorian Esteban Topo Mena are attempting to establish a new route on Everest, a decade after a South Korean team successfully ascended the mountain after carving a new path along its southwest face. "Our bodies and minds feel strong and we are getting our spirits ready for the adventure of our lives," Mena said in an Instagram post on Tuesday. The duo will climb "alpine style" -- without supplemental oxygen.

Everest braces for record year amid overcrowding fears

At least a third of the ice in the Himalayas and the Hindu Kush will thaw this century as temperatures rise, disrupting river flows vital for growing crops from China to India, scientists said on Monday.

Vast glaciers make the Hindu Kush Himalaya (HKH) region — which is home to the world's highest peaks topped by Mount Everest and K2 — a "third pole" behind Antarctica and the Arctic region, they said.

"This is <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/to-defeat-obesity-hunger-climate-change-govts-must-curb-influence-of-big-corporations-lancet-193275">the climate crisis you haven't heard of</a>," said Philippus Wester, who led the report.

"Global warming is on track to transform the frigid, glacier-covered mountain peaks of the HKH cutting across eight countries to bare rocks in a little less than a century," said Wester of the International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD).

The report, by 210 authors, said that more than a third of the ice in the region will melt by 2100 even if governments take tough action to limit global warming under the 2015 Paris climate agreement.

And two-thirds of the ice could vanish if governments fail to rein in greenhouse gas emissions this century. "To me, this is the biggest worrying thing,” Wester told Reuters on the sidelines of an event to launch the report in Kathmandu.

Glaciers have thinned and retreated across most parts of the region since the 1970s. Ice in the Hindu Kush Himalaya region would push up sea levels by 1.5 metres if it all melted, Eklabya Sharma, deputy director general of ICIMOD, told Reuters.

Mountain climate hotspots

The region stretches 3,500 km (2,175 miles) across Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, China, India, Myanmar, Nepal and Pakistan.

The study said the thaw will disrupt rivers including the Yangtze, Mekong, Indus and Ganges, where farmers rely on glacier meltwater in the dry season. About 250 million people live in the mountains and 1.65 billion people in river valleys below.

Changes in river flows could also harm hydropower production and cause more erosion and landslides in the mountains.

But more research is needed to gauge exactly how glaciers affect distant crops, said Wouter Buytaert, of Imperial College in London, who was not involved in the study.

"While glacier meltwater propagates downstream, it mixes with water from other sources such as direct rainfall, wetlands, and groundwater, up to a point where the impact of glacier melting may become negligible," he said.

The authors said that people living in small island states were often viewed as the most vulnerable to climate change because of rising sea levels.

"It's not just occupants of the world's islands that are suffering," said Dasho Rinzin Dorji, an ICIMOD board member from Bhutan. He said in a statement that mountain regions were also extremely vulnerable as "climate hotspots".

At least a third of the ice in the Himalayas and the Hindu Kush will thaw this century as temperatures rise, disrupting river flows vital for growing crops from China to India, scientists said on Monday.

At least a third of the ice in the Himalayas and the Hindu Kush will thaw this century as temperatures rise, disrupting river flows vital for growing crops from China to India, scientists said on Monday. Vast glaciers make the Hindu Kush Himalaya (HKH) region — which is home to the world's highest peaks topped by Mount Everest and K2 — a "third pole" behind Antarctica and the Arctic region, they said. "This is the climate crisis you haven't heard of," said Philippus Wester, who led the report. "Global warming is on track to transform the frigid, glacier-covered mountain peaks of the HKH cutting across eight countries to bare rocks in a little less than a century," said Wester of the International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD). The report, by 210 authors, said that more than a third of the ice in the region will melt by 2100 even if governments take tough action to limit global warming under the 2015 Paris climate agreement. And two-thirds of the ice could vanish if governments fail to rein in greenhouse gas emissions this century. "To me, this is the biggest worrying thing,” Wester told Reuters on the sidelines of an event to launch the report in Kathmandu. Glaciers have thinned and retreated across most parts of the region since the 1970s. Ice in the Hindu Kush Himalaya region would push up sea levels by 1.5 metres if it all melted, Eklabya Sharma, deputy director general of ICIMOD, told Reuters. Mountain climate hotspots The region stretches 3,500 km (2,175 miles) across Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, China, India, Myanmar, Nepal and Pakistan. The study said the thaw will disrupt rivers including the Yangtze, Mekong, Indus and Ganges, where farmers rely on glacier meltwater in the dry season. About 250 million people live in the mountains and 1.65 billion people in river valleys below. Changes in river flows could also harm hydropower production and cause more erosion and landslides in the mountains. But more research is needed to gauge exactly how glaciers affect distant crops, said Wouter Buytaert, of Imperial College in London, who was not involved in the study. "While glacier meltwater propagates downstream, it mixes with water from other sources such as direct rainfall, wetlands, and groundwater, up to a point where the impact of glacier melting may become negligible," he said. The authors said that people living in small island states were often viewed as the most vulnerable to climate change because of rising sea levels. "It's not just occupants of the world's islands that are suffering," said Dasho Rinzin Dorji, an ICIMOD board member from Bhutan. He said in a statement that mountain regions were also extremely vulnerable as "climate hotspots".

At least one-third of Himalayan ice will melt this century: Report

I recall my Siachen Glacier stint in the year 2003. Largely nothing much has changed ever since when you see things from a distance. But a lot has gone into when you see things up close. One such major challenge of all times was that of the drinking water. We use to melt the snow and use the water for cooking and drinking purposes. It tasted flat and tasteless. More so regular use of this water killed the appetite big time.

On this issue, things have begun to change. All credit goes to the master innovator, Mr Sonam Wangchuk from Leh. This water storage and supply concept appealed to the Brigade Commander of &nbspSiachen Brigade, Brigadier Bhupesh Hada, Shaurya Chakra, so much that he set his team to task. They studied this concept and adapted it to the usage of troops on the glacier.

Today this concept of water storage or rather the Artificial Glacier Water Supply Scheme (AGWSS) has been put into practice at the highest battlefield on the earth at 18,000-22,000 feet.

&nbspWhat exactly is this AGWSS? Let me try and explain.

AWSS basically is developed around the concept of freezing and holding the water that otherwise keeps flowing and wasting away down the subsurface glacial streams throughout the winters.

It comes very handily during the summertime when soft snow has melted away baring the rock hard glacial blue ice. Water becomes a huge challenge especially during the months of May, June and July. The troops go on foot long distances to search for soft snow in shadow areas. They lug it on their backs to melt this collected snow into the water for their daily routine usage. Mind you the height of these operations being above 18,000 feet, oxygen is very low thus making a simple walk of even a kilometre look like a full marathon.

With this AGWSS constructed at such forward posts which are denuded of their water source when the complete soft snow has melted during late summer, a major boon.

AGWSS are developed by freezing stream water vertically in the form of ice towers or cones of 30 to 50 metres (100-165 feet) high and can store a tremendous amount of water. An artificial glacier is formed by piping mountain stream water into a vertical pipe. The stream water is collected from a source at a higher altitude than the storage making the site gravity fed. Because of the simple law of nature that the water always maintains its level, it soon reaches the same height as the source.

Following this simple rule, the stream run-off is pushed all the way to the bottom of the pipe and forces out of the top. The water sprouts geyser-like from the pipe, freezing into a cone of ice shaped like a Stupa. Because of the temperatures as low as minus 40-50 degrees, the water almost instantly freezes as soon as it exits the pipe. Its geometrical shape makes the ice melt slower by exposing the lesser surface area to direct sunlight.

This innovation of Sonam Wangchuk and adaptation by Bhupesh Hada’s team has now resulted in saving many a man hours in collecting the soft snow and melting to convert into potable water. Now the time saved will get dedicated towards operational tasks more meaningfully.

I wish we had such an innovation to our service, the food would have tasted much better, life would have been a little better.&nbsp

This simple and great innovation should not stop here but extend all the way to our scientific station at Antarctica. &nbspAnd also to other places in our Himalayan region for usage by troops and civilian villages.&nbsp

&nbsp

(Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)

Artificial Glacier Water Supply Scheme has now resulted in saving many a man hours in collecting the soft snow and melting to convert into potable water. This simple and great innovation should not stop here but extend in our Himalayan region for usage by troops and civilian villages

I recall my Siachen Glacier stint in the year 2003. Largely nothing much has changed ever since when you see things from a distance. But a lot has gone into when you see things up close. One such major challenge of all times was that of the drinking water. We use to melt the snow and use the water for cooking and drinking purposes. It tasted flat and tasteless. More so regular use of this water killed the appetite big time. On this issue, things have begun to change. All credit goes to the master innovator, Mr Sonam Wangchuk from Leh. This water storage and supply concept appealed to the Brigade Commander of &nbspSiachen Brigade, Brigadier Bhupesh Hada, Shaurya Chakra, so much that he set his team to task. They studied this concept and adapted it to the usage of troops on the glacier. Today this concept of water storage or rather the Artificial Glacier Water Supply Scheme (AGWSS) has been put into practice at the highest battlefield on the earth at 18,000-22,000 feet. &nbspWhat exactly is this AGWSS? Let me try and explain. AWSS basically is developed around the concept of freezing and holding the water that otherwise keeps flowing and wasting away down the subsurface glacial streams throughout the winters. It comes very handily during the summertime when soft snow has melted away baring the rock hard glacial blue ice. Water becomes a huge challenge especially during the months of May, June and July. The troops go on foot long distances to search for soft snow in shadow areas. They lug it on their backs to melt this collected snow into the water for their daily routine usage. Mind you the height of these operations being above 18,000 feet, oxygen is very low thus making a simple walk of even a kilometre look like a full marathon. With this AGWSS constructed at such forward posts which are denuded of their water source when the complete soft snow has melted during late summer, a major boon. AGWSS are developed by freezing stream water vertically in the form of ice towers or cones of 30 to 50 metres (100-165 feet) high and can store a tremendous amount of water. An artificial glacier is formed by piping mountain stream water into a vertical pipe. The stream water is collected from a source at a higher altitude than the storage making the site gravity fed. Because of the simple law of nature that the water always maintains its level, it soon reaches the same height as the source. Following this simple rule, the stream run-off is pushed all the way to the bottom of the pipe and forces out of the top. The water sprouts geyser-like from the pipe, freezing into a cone of ice shaped like a Stupa. Because of the temperatures as low as minus 40-50 degrees, the water almost instantly freezes as soon as it exits the pipe. Its geometrical shape makes the ice melt slower by exposing the lesser surface area to direct sunlight. This innovation of Sonam Wangchuk and adaptation by Bhupesh Hada’s team has now resulted in saving many a man hours in collecting the soft snow and melting to convert into potable water. Now the time saved will get dedicated towards operational tasks more meaningfully. I wish we had such an innovation to our service, the food would have tasted much better, life would have been a little better. This simple and great innovation should not stop here but extend all the way to our scientific station at Antarctica. &nbspAnd also to other places in our Himalayan region for usage by troops and civilian villages. (Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)

Opinion: Troops are thankful, wish for innovations like AGWSS by Sonam Wangchuk

I recall my Siachen Glacier stint in the year 2003. Largely nothing much has changed ever since when you see things from a distance. But a lot has gone into when you see things up close. One such major challenge of all times was that of the drinking water. We use to melt the snow and use the water for cooking and drinking purposes. It tasted flat and tasteless. More so regular use of this water killed the appetite big time.

On this issue, things have begun to change. All credit goes to the master innovator, Mr Sonam Wangchuk from Leh. This water storage and supply concept appealed to the Brigade Commander of &nbsp;Siachen Brigade, Brigadier Bhupesh Hada, Shaurya Chakra, so much that he set his team to task. They studied this concept and adapted it to the usage of troops on the glacier.

Today this concept of water storage or rather the Artificial Glacier Water Supply Scheme (AGWSS) has been put into practice at the highest battlefield on the earth at 18,000-22,000 feet.

&nbsp;What exactly is this AGWSS? Let me try and explain.

AWSS basically is developed around the concept of freezing and holding the water that otherwise keeps flowing and wasting away down the subsurface glacial streams throughout the winters.

It comes very handily during the summertime when soft snow has melted away baring the rock hard glacial blue ice. Water becomes a huge challenge especially during the months of May, June and July. The troops go on foot long distances to search for soft snow in shadow areas. They lug it on their backs to melt this collected snow into the water for their daily routine usage. Mind you the height of these operations being above 18,000 feet, oxygen is very low thus making a simple walk of even a kilometre look like a full marathon.

With this AGWSS constructed at such forward posts which are denuded of their water source when the complete soft snow has melted during late summer, a major boon.

AGWSS are developed by freezing stream water vertically in the form of ice towers or cones of 30 to 50 metres (100-165 feet) high and can store a tremendous amount of water. An artificial glacier is formed by piping mountain stream water into a vertical pipe. The stream water is collected from a source at a higher altitude than the storage making the site gravity fed. Because of the simple law of nature that the water always maintains its level, it soon reaches the same height as the source.

Following this simple rule, the stream run-off is pushed all the way to the bottom of the pipe and forces out of the top. The water sprouts geyser-like from the pipe, freezing into a cone of ice shaped like a Stupa. Because of the temperatures as low as minus 40-50 degrees, the water almost instantly freezes as soon as it exits the pipe. Its geometrical shape makes the ice melt slower by exposing the lesser surface area to direct sunlight.

This innovation of Sonam Wangchuk and adaptation by Bhupesh Hada&rsquo;s team has now resulted in saving many a man hours in collecting the soft snow and melting to convert into potable water. Now the time saved will get dedicated towards operational tasks more meaningfully.

I wish we had such an innovation to our service, the food would have tasted much better, life would have been a little better.&nbsp;

This simple and great innovation should not stop here but extend all the way to our scientific station at Antarctica. &nbsp;And also to other places in our Himalayan region for usage by troops and civilian villages.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

(Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)

Artificial Glacier Water Supply Scheme has now resulted in saving many a man hours in collecting the soft snow and melting to convert into potable water. This simple and great innovation should not stop here but extend in our Himalayan region for usage by troops and civilian villages.

I recall my Siachen Glacier stint in the year 2003. Largely nothing much has changed ever since when you see things from a distance. But a lot has gone into when you see things up close. One such major challenge of all times was that of the drinking water. We use to melt the snow and use the water for cooking and drinking purposes. It tasted flat and tasteless. More so regular use of this water killed the appetite big time. On this issue, things have begun to change. All credit goes to the master innovator, Mr Sonam Wangchuk from Leh. This water storage and supply concept appealed to the Brigade Commander of Siachen Brigade, Brigadier Bhupesh Hada, Shaurya Chakra, so much that he set his team to task. They studied this concept and adapted it to the usage of troops on the glacier. Today this concept of water storage or rather the Artificial Glacier Water Supply Scheme (AGWSS) has been put into practice at the highest battlefield on the earth at 18,000-22,000 feet. What exactly is this AGWSS? Let me try and explain. AWSS basically is developed around the concept of freezing and holding the water that otherwise keeps flowing and wasting away down the subsurface glacial streams throughout the winters. It comes very handily during the summertime when soft snow has melted away baring the rock hard glacial blue ice. Water becomes a huge challenge especially during the months of May, June and July. The troops go on foot long distances to search for soft snow in shadow areas. They lug it on their backs to melt this collected snow into the water for their daily routine usage. Mind you the height of these operations being above 18,000 feet, oxygen is very low thus making a simple walk of even a kilometre look like a full marathon. With this AGWSS constructed at such forward posts which are denuded of their water source when the complete soft snow has melted during late summer, a major boon. AGWSS are developed by freezing stream water vertically in the form of ice towers or cones of 30 to 50 metres (100-165 feet) high and can store a tremendous amount of water. An artificial glacier is formed by piping mountain stream water into a vertical pipe. The stream water is collected from a source at a higher altitude than the storage making the site gravity fed. Because of the simple law of nature that the water always maintains its level, it soon reaches the same height as the source. Following this simple rule, the stream run-off is pushed all the way to the bottom of the pipe and forces out of the top. The water sprouts geyser-like from the pipe, freezing into a cone of ice shaped like a Stupa. Because of the temperatures as low as minus 40-50 degrees, the water almost instantly freezes as soon as it exits the pipe. Its geometrical shape makes the ice melt slower by exposing the lesser surface area to direct sunlight. This innovation of Sonam Wangchuk and adaptation by Bhupesh Hada’s team has now resulted in saving many a man hours in collecting the soft snow and melting to convert into potable water. Now the time saved will get dedicated towards operational tasks more meaningfully. I wish we had such an innovation to our service, the food would have tasted much better, life would have been a little better. This simple and great innovation should not stop here but extend all the way to our scientific station at Antarctica. And also to other places in our Himalayan region for usage by troops and civilian villages. (Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)

Actor-turned-politician Rajinikanth is currently on his annual spiritual journey to the Himalayas. He arrived in Jammu on Sunday and said that he will not engage in any political conversations or interactions during this period.&nbsp;

&quot;I am a spiritual person. From here I will go to Rishikesh. When I will enter the politics, I will answer all the political questions.&quot; the mega-star told media at Shivkhori, Jammu.&nbsp;

Rajinikanth will later head to Rishikesh. He was also spotted at Mahavtar Baba Ashram meditation centre in a remote village of Kandabari.

&quot;Spiritualism is all about serving \people. I am entering politics to serve people. My politics will basically be spiritual,&quot; Rajinikanth told the media here.

&quot;I have worked for 43 years in the film industry, but basically I am a spiritual person,&quot; he added.

The 67-year-old Thalaivar earlier announced the launch of his political party that would contest all 234 constituencies in the next Tamil Nadu assembly elections in 2021.&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)&nbsp;

 
&nbsp;

Actor-turned-politician Rajinikanth is currently on his annual spiritual journey to the Himalayas. He arrived in Jammu on Sunday and said that he will not engage in any political conversations or interactions during this period. "I am a spiritual person. From here I will go to Rishikesh. When I will enter the politics, I will answer all the political questions." the mega-star told media at Shivkhori, Jammu. Rajinikanth will later head to Rishikesh. He was also spotted at Mahavtar Baba Ashram meditation centre in a remote village of Kandabari. "Spiritualism is all about serving \people. I am entering politics to serve people. My politics will basically be spiritual," Rajinikanth told the media here. "I have worked for 43 years in the film industry, but basically I am a spiritual person," he added. The 67-year-old Thalaivar earlier announced the launch of his political party that would contest all 234 constituencies in the next Tamil Nadu assembly elections in 2021. (With inputs from agencies)

Rajinikanth embarks on 'spiritual journey' to Himalayas

&nbsp;

Superstar Rajinikanth, who is on a pilgrimage to the Himalayas&nbsp;on Sunday said that he did not want to talk politics there.&nbsp;&nbsp;

&#39;&#39;I am on a pilgrimage here. The visit is excellent, so divine and different from routine. I do not want to talk politics here,&#39;&#39; Rajinikanth said in Himachal Pradesh&#39;s Palampur.

Rajinikanth on Saturday left for the Himalayas on his annual spiritual pilgrimage, saying he would be there for a minimum of 15 days.

&quot;My trip will be for a minimum of 15 days&quot;, he told reporters at the airport ahead of his pilgrimage.

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en">
I am on a pilgrimage here. It (the visit) is excellent, so divine &amp; different from routine. I do not want to talk politics here: Rajinikanth in Himachal Pradesh&#39;s Palampur <a href="https://t.co/KjsEwO7uPY">pic.twitter.com/KjsEwO7uPY</a>
&mdash; ANI (@ANI) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANI/status/972695683236057090?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 11, 2018</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">&times;</a></div>

The actor has been visiting the Himalayas every year during which he usually meets spiritual leaders.

This is Rajinikanth&#39;s first trip to the Himalayas after his announcement on December 31 last year that he would enter politics.

The actor, who espoused a new line of &quot;spiritual politics, had said his (yet-to-be-named) party would contest all 234 seats in the next Assembly polls, due in 2021.

On March 5, the 67-year-old actor, short of announcing his political party, had invoked the legacy of late AIADMK founder M G Ramachandran and said he was confident of giving a good administration like the yesteryear matinee idol.

He had asserted that there was a leadership vacuum in Tamil Nadu and that entered politics to fill that space.

The actor had again said he would follow &#39;spiritual governance&#39; that would have no discrimination based on caste or creed.

The event at medical college that day came days after his contemporary Kamal Haasan launched his political party &#39;Makkal Needhi Maiam&#39; in Madurai.

Two films of the superstar are slated for release after his return, the first being &#39;Kaala a Karikalan&#39; on April 27. Magnum opus &#39;2.0&#39;, directed by Shankar, also starring Bollywood actor Akshay Kumar, is expected to be released later.&nbsp;

This is Rajinikanth's first trip to the Himalayas after his announcement in December 31 last year that he would enter politics.

Superstar Rajinikanth, who is on a pilgrimage to the Himalayas on Sunday said that he did not want to talk politics there. ''I am on a pilgrimage here. The visit is excellent, so divine and different from routine. I do not want to talk politics here,'' Rajinikanth said in Himachal Pradesh's Palampur. Rajinikanth on Saturday left for the Himalayas on his annual spiritual pilgrimage, saying he would be there for a minimum of 15 days. "My trip will be for a minimum of 15 days", he told reporters at the airport ahead of his pilgrimage. I am on a pilgrimage here. It (the visit) is excellent, so divine & different from routine. I do not want to talk politics here: Rajinikanth in Himachal Pradesh's Palampur pic.twitter.com/KjsEwO7uPY — ANI (@ANI) March 11, 2018 × The actor has been visiting the Himalayas every year during which he usually meets spiritual leaders. This is Rajinikanth's first trip to the Himalayas after his announcement on December 31 last year that he would enter politics. The actor, who espoused a new line of "spiritual politics, had said his (yet-to-be-named) party would contest all 234 seats in the next Assembly polls, due in 2021. On March 5, the 67-year-old actor, short of announcing his political party, had invoked the legacy of late AIADMK founder M G Ramachandran and said he was confident of giving a good administration like the yesteryear matinee idol. He had asserted that there was a leadership vacuum in Tamil Nadu and that entered politics to fill that space. The actor had again said he would follow 'spiritual governance' that would have no discrimination based on caste or creed. The event at medical college that day came days after his contemporary Kamal Haasan launched his political party 'Makkal Needhi Maiam' in Madurai. Two films of the superstar are slated for release after his return, the first being 'Kaala a Karikalan' on April 27. Magnum opus '2.0', directed by Shankar, also starring Bollywood actor Akshay Kumar, is expected to be released later.

At the Himalayas, Rajinikanth won't draw into politics

&nbsp;

Environmentalists have long been worried about melting glaciers in the Himalayas. Studies and articles on the matter often border on the extreme. Some seek to reassure people that it is not a big deal, while others paint doomsday scenarios. But while global warming is a reality, available facts and figures are not enough to ascertain exactly how frozen surfaces in the region are melting or what its impact is on the environment, vegetation or animal life.&nbsp;

The Himalayan range and its extension in the northwest are home to more than 50,000 glaciers. Only the polar circles have more. Approximately 60,000 square kilometres of ice are stored along the Hindu Kush-Karakoram-Himalaya mountain ranges. But despite the huge dimensions, these frozen masses do not last for ever and have retreated in the last few decades. Glaciers are fragile. After all, they consist of nothing but ice.

Global warming has led to the Himalayan range witnessing less snowfall, more rains and hotter summers. Glaciers erode and become shorter and thinner every year, a loss that is impossible to recover as long as the mercury continues to rise.

Fieldwork is a major problem here. Many of the glaciers are located in isolated high mountain areas and reaching these places with necessary equipment involves a lot of time and money. In some areas of Afghanistan, it is also a matter of safety. Data are fragmented and it is impossible to have a precise overall picture.

Some glaciers have visibly receded, like the Gangotri, in India, where the Ganges has its headwaters. From 2000 onwards, it has been receding to the tune of 12 metres every year. It has already lost nearly 200 metres of its length.

But not all South Asian glaciers are melting though. The process seems to have been reversed in the Karakoram range, along the border between Pakistan, India and China. The monsoon reaches this region in winter and the precipitation freezes thanks to severe temperatures.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="row">
<div class="article-blockquote">
<div class="col-sm-10 col-sm-offset-1 blockquote-content quoteshare">
<blockquote>
<h5>When it comes to South Asian glaciers, one of the chief factors contributing towards their melting is dust. A part of it comes from forest fires, cooking fires, agricultural and industrial burn wastes.</h5>
</blockquote>
</div>

<div class="col-sm-1 blockquote-content">
<div class="share-blockquote"><a class="twitter popup" href="http://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=When it comes to South Asian glaciers, one of the chief factors contributing towards their melting is dust. A part of it comes from forest fires, cooking fires, agricultural and industrial burn wastes. " target="_blank">&nbsp;</a></div>
</div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqquoteclosemark">&times;</a></div>
</div>
</div>

&nbsp;

It is not good news though and it does not balance the loss. &quot;It is more of a unique phenomenon. There are very few other places in the world where this is happening,&quot; says Sarah Kapnick, a physical scientist at Princeton University who studies the area closely. &quot;We can create a hypothesis that may be valid for the next hundred years. It is impossible to know what could happen after that. And this does not mean that it is not getting warmer up there. It sounds counterintuitive. But more snow means more precipitation which is another effect of rising temperatures,&quot; the scientist tells WION.

It is almost unanimously recognised that global warming is a human-induced phenomenon, mostly caused by increasing concentrations of greenhouse gases. But when it comes to South Asian glaciers, one of the chief factors contributing towards their melting is dust. A part of it comes from forest fires, cooking fires, agricultural and industrial burn wastes. Particles get deposited on the frozen surface, absorb the sun light, warm up and create holes, pretty much what happens when a firebrand is placed on an ice cube. Through these holes, solar heat gets the chance to penetrate deep in. The melting gathers speed.

It is a classic domino effect example, a chain reaction. More dust means more heat, more heat more holes, more holes more heat.

Most of this dust has natural origins: it comes from the Asian Brown Cloud (ABC), a recurring layer of pollution partially covering South Asian skies.

&quot;Poor quality petrol combustion also contributes to this cloud but it is mainly composed of natural dust coming from Rajasthan and other dry places in India and Pakistan which gets blown by the wind,&quot; says Dipak Gyawali, director of Nepal Water Conservation Foundation (NWCF) and a former Nepalese minister for water resources. &quot;There is not much that we can do about the natural part of it. We can surely work on cutting down on the use of poor quality petrol and coal to reduce the damage,&quot; he adds.

Glaciers are, above all, storage systems. They thicken with winter snowfalls and release water when the summer comes. &quot;Most of the high altitude settlements rely on spring sources for their water. This is true for Nepal. The shrinking of glaciers will not cause them problems. It will mostly affect low altitude areas, reducing the flow of rivers during dry seasons,&quot; the director of NWCF puts the elements into perspective.

Monsoons remain the principal source of fresh water in South Asia but the flows of some of the biggest rivers in the region depend on ice melt. The Indus in Pakistan, for example, relies on glaciers for up to forty per cent of its flow. But a dense network of minor rivers and major ones across the Indo-Gangetic plain mitigates the reduction in ice melt. The network continues to support agriculture and ensures the survival of hundreds of millions of lives.

Rice is the main agricultural product of the region and it is a water-intensive crop. According to the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI), paddy grows on 60 million hectares of land in South Asia. Accounting for more than a quarter of the global production, Bangladesh and India take the lead. Any change in the rivers&rsquo; flows will have a severe impact.

&nbsp;

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="row">
<div class="article-blockquote">
<div class="col-sm-10 col-sm-offset-1 blockquote-content quoteshare">
<blockquote>
<h5>Glaciers are a hot topic. There is too much hype. For instance, you say that if glaciers melt, Bangladesh will be completely flooded. You immediately grab eyeballs. But it is scientific nonsense.</h5>
</blockquote>
</div>

<div class="col-sm-1 blockquote-content">
<div class="share-blockquote"><a class="twitter popup" href="http://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=Glaciers are a hot topic. There is too much hype. For instance, you say that if glaciers melt, Bangladesh will be completely flooded. You immediately grab eyeballs. But it is scientific nonsense." target="_blank">&nbsp;</a></div>
</div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqquoteclosemark">&times;</a></div>
</div>
</div>

&nbsp;

Sifting through the jungle of articles, videos and infographics on the matter, one encounters contradictory figures. One moment, it seems that South Asian glaciers will disappear in two decades and there will be huge floods followed by terrible droughts. The next moment, one encounters data that points to their good health. This is confusing and undermines the credibility of the scientific community.

&quot;See, glaciers are a hot topic. There is too much hype. For instance, you say that if glaciers melt, Bangladesh will be completely flooded. You immediately grab eyeballs. But it is scientific nonsense. You are saying a wrong thing. Floods occur because of massive monsoon rains and the problem is that no one can ever predict the right amount of precipitation. Water warming is a much bigger problem and nobody is talking about it,&quot; comments Dipak Gyawali.

&quot;It is always difficult to speak about environmental problems with a non-specialist. It is also challenging because what will happen in the future is pretty much uncertain. Climatic conditions change in decades and some of these are natural. As scientists, we are not always good at explaining this to common people,&quot; opines Sarak Kapnick.

A balanced narrative will improve general awareness about the negative effects of global warming. Water, in all its forms, is a basic need of any ecosystem and its preservation is a priority. It is the common interest of the world.

South Asian rivers are also an important source of clean energy. Some countries base their energy provision on hydropower. It powers more than sixty per cent households in Bhutan.

A decline in river flow leads to a decrease of potential energy. In a developing region like South Asia, this may also have political ramifications. It may force countries to further tighten their borders. A run for energy in such a scenario will affect peaceful and constructive coexistence.

But global warming also presents a unique opportunity for South Asian governments to come together to battle the problem. They can coordinate their actions and benefit from each other&rsquo;s respective strengths. Rivers and glaciers are often shared between neighbouring countries and change in one place will affect people in another. Any negative changing will affect all their populations. Pakistan, for instance, can face water and hydropower shortage if Indian glaciers melt too fast. The necessity of a common strategy to preserve water sources may become a way to mend poor diplomatic relations between some South Asian countries. In case they succeed, the region can gain a global leadership role in environmental protection. It is a chance not to be underestimated and a cause not worth neglecting.

The impact of global warming presents South Asian countries with a unique chance to unite

Environmentalists have long been worried about melting glaciers in the Himalayas. Studies and articles on the matter often border on the extreme. Some seek to reassure people that it is not a big deal, while others paint doomsday scenarios. But while global warming is a reality, available facts and figures are not enough to ascertain exactly how frozen surfaces in the region are melting or what its impact is on the environment, vegetation or animal life. The Himalayan range and its extension in the northwest are home to more than 50,000 glaciers. Only the polar circles have more. Approximately 60,000 square kilometres of ice are stored along the Hindu Kush-Karakoram-Himalaya mountain ranges. But despite the huge dimensions, these frozen masses do not last for ever and have retreated in the last few decades. Glaciers are fragile. After all, they consist of nothing but ice. Global warming has led to the Himalayan range witnessing less snowfall, more rains and hotter summers. Glaciers erode and become shorter and thinner every year, a loss that is impossible to recover as long as the mercury continues to rise. Fieldwork is a major problem here. Many of the glaciers are located in isolated high mountain areas and reaching these places with necessary equipment involves a lot of time and money. In some areas of Afghanistan, it is also a matter of safety. Data are fragmented and it is impossible to have a precise overall picture. Some glaciers have visibly receded, like the Gangotri, in India, where the Ganges has its headwaters. From 2000 onwards, it has been receding to the tune of 12 metres every year. It has already lost nearly 200 metres of its length. But not all South Asian glaciers are melting though. The process seems to have been reversed in the Karakoram range, along the border between Pakistan, India and China. The monsoon reaches this region in winter and the precipitation freezes thanks to severe temperatures. When it comes to South Asian glaciers, one of the chief factors contributing towards their melting is dust. A part of it comes from forest fires, cooking fires, agricultural and industrial burn wastes. × It is not good news though and it does not balance the loss. "It is more of a unique phenomenon. There are very few other places in the world where this is happening," says Sarah Kapnick, a physical scientist at Princeton University who studies the area closely. "We can create a hypothesis that may be valid for the next hundred years. It is impossible to know what could happen after that. And this does not mean that it is not getting warmer up there. It sounds counterintuitive. But more snow means more precipitation which is another effect of rising temperatures," the scientist tells WION. It is almost unanimously recognised that global warming is a human-induced phenomenon, mostly caused by increasing concentrations of greenhouse gases. But when it comes to South Asian glaciers, one of the chief factors contributing towards their melting is dust. A part of it comes from forest fires, cooking fires, agricultural and industrial burn wastes. Particles get deposited on the frozen surface, absorb the sun light, warm up and create holes, pretty much what happens when a firebrand is placed on an ice cube. Through these holes, solar heat gets the chance to penetrate deep in. The melting gathers speed. It is a classic domino effect example, a chain reaction. More dust means more heat, more heat more holes, more holes more heat. Most of this dust has natural origins: it comes from the Asian Brown Cloud (ABC), a recurring layer of pollution partially covering South Asian skies. "Poor quality petrol combustion also contributes to this cloud but it is mainly composed of natural dust coming from Rajasthan and other dry places in India and Pakistan which gets blown by the wind," says Dipak Gyawali, director of Nepal Water Conservation Foundation (NWCF) and a former Nepalese minister for water resources. "There is not much that we can do about the natural part of it. We can surely work on cutting down on the use of poor quality petrol and coal to reduce the damage," he adds. Glaciers are, above all, storage systems. They thicken with winter snowfalls and release water when the summer comes. "Most of the high altitude settlements rely on spring sources for their water. This is true for Nepal. The shrinking of glaciers will not cause them problems. It will mostly affect low altitude areas, reducing the flow of rivers during dry seasons," the director of NWCF puts the elements into perspective. Monsoons remain the principal source of fresh water in South Asia but the flows of some of the biggest rivers in the region depend on ice melt. The Indus in Pakistan, for example, relies on glaciers for up to forty per cent of its flow. But a dense network of minor rivers and major ones across the Indo-Gangetic plain mitigates the reduction in ice melt. The network continues to support agriculture and ensures the survival of hundreds of millions of lives. Rice is the main agricultural product of the region and it is a water-intensive crop. According to the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI), paddy grows on 60 million hectares of land in South Asia. Accounting for more than a quarter of the global production, Bangladesh and India take the lead. Any change in the rivers’ flows will have a severe impact. Glaciers are a hot topic. There is too much hype. For instance, you say that if glaciers melt, Bangladesh will be completely flooded. You immediately grab eyeballs. But it is scientific nonsense. × Sifting through the jungle of articles, videos and infographics on the matter, one encounters contradictory figures. One moment, it seems that South Asian glaciers will disappear in two decades and there will be huge floods followed by terrible droughts. The next moment, one encounters data that points to their good health. This is confusing and undermines the credibility of the scientific community. "See, glaciers are a hot topic. There is too much hype. For instance, you say that if glaciers melt, Bangladesh will be completely flooded. You immediately grab eyeballs. But it is scientific nonsense. You are saying a wrong thing. Floods occur because of massive monsoon rains and the problem is that no one can ever predict the right amount of precipitation. Water warming is a much bigger problem and nobody is talking about it," comments Dipak Gyawali. "It is always difficult to speak about environmental problems with a non-specialist. It is also challenging because what will happen in the future is pretty much uncertain. Climatic conditions change in decades and some of these are natural. As scientists, we are not always good at explaining this to common people," opines Sarak Kapnick. A balanced narrative will improve general awareness about the negative effects of global warming. Water, in all its forms, is a basic need of any ecosystem and its preservation is a priority. It is the common interest of the world. South Asian rivers are also an important source of clean energy. Some countries base their energy provision on hydropower. It powers more than sixty per cent households in Bhutan. A decline in river flow leads to a decrease of potential energy. In a developing region like South Asia, this may also have political ramifications. It may force countries to further tighten their borders. A run for energy in such a scenario will affect peaceful and constructive coexistence. But global warming also presents a unique opportunity for South Asian governments to come together to battle the problem. They can coordinate their actions and benefit from each other’s respective strengths. Rivers and glaciers are often shared between neighbouring countries and change in one place will affect people in another. Any negative changing will affect all their populations. Pakistan, for instance, can face water and hydropower shortage if Indian glaciers melt too fast. The necessity of a common strategy to preserve water sources may become a way to mend poor diplomatic relations between some South Asian countries. In case they succeed, the region can gain a global leadership role in environmental protection. It is a chance not to be underestimated and a cause not worth neglecting.

Is it bad news for the Himalayan glaciers?

An Indian couple falsified photographs of themselves at the top of Mount Everest to get their feat certified by Kathmandu, Nepal said on &nbsp;Wednesday, after earlier saying the climb was valid. 
 
Dinesh and Tarakeshwari Rathod, both police constables, said they reached the top of the world&#39;s highest mountain on May 23 -- but fellow climbers cast doubt on their claim, saying their photos at the summit were doctored. 
 
Nepal&#39;s tourism department initially certified the couple&#39;s climb after speaking to their expedition organisers and government officials stationed at Everest base camp. 
 
Investigation underway 
 
However, following the allegations, which gained speed online after climbers pointed out that the clothes they were wearing in different photos did not match, Kathmandu opened a probe. 
 
&quot;The expedition agency has confirmed that the photos submitted to the department were morphed by the Indian couple in order to get the certificate,&quot; Nepal tourism official Gyanendra Kumar Shrestha told AFP. 
 
&quot;The investigation is underway and the investigating committee is likely to unveil its report soon... and recommend punishment to those involved in the fraud,&quot; Shrestha told AFP. 
 
It is not technically an offence to pretend to summit Everest. 
 
However, Indian authorities have also opened a fraud case against the couple after eight other climbers filed a complaint against them, saying such a con belittled the efforts of genuine mountaineers. 
 
Nepal&#39;s investigation may also pave the way for new rules on certifying summits, Shrestha said. 
 
&quot;The government&#39;s liaison officer at base camp has to rely on the Sherpas and expedition leader to certify claims,&quot; he said. 
 
&quot;(We) need a serious review of the process of certifying climbers... the committee is likely to come up with some suggestions.&quot; 
 
Many successful Everest summiteers have gone on to make money or forge careers as motivational speakers and authors on the back of their feat. 
 
A total of 456 people, including more than 250 foreigners, summited Everest during the recently concluded spring season after two consecutive years of deadly disasters that led to almost all attempts being abandoned. 
 
Mountaineering is a major revenue-earner for the impoverished Himalayan nation and this year&#39;s string of successful summits is expected to boost the industry, which was left reeling after an earthquake last year that killed almost 9,000 people nationwide. 
 
Hundreds fled Everest last year after an earthquake-triggered avalanche at base camp killed 18 people. 
 
Only one climber reached the top in 2014 after an avalanche killed 16 Nepali guides that year. 
 
(AFP)

Nepal initially certified the couple's climb but opened a probe after climbers said that their clothes did not match in different pictures

An Indian couple falsified photographs of themselves at the top of Mount Everest to get their feat certified by Kathmandu, Nepal said on Wednesday, after earlier saying the climb was valid. Dinesh and Tarakeshwari Rathod, both police constables, said they reached the top of the world's highest mountain on May 23 -- but fellow climbers cast doubt on their claim, saying their photos at the summit were doctored. Nepal's tourism department initially certified the couple's climb after speaking to their expedition organisers and government officials stationed at Everest base camp. Investigation underway However, following the allegations, which gained speed online after climbers pointed out that the clothes they were wearing in different photos did not match, Kathmandu opened a probe. "The expedition agency has confirmed that the photos submitted to the department were morphed by the Indian couple in order to get the certificate," Nepal tourism official Gyanendra Kumar Shrestha told AFP. "The investigation is underway and the investigating committee is likely to unveil its report soon... and recommend punishment to those involved in the fraud," Shrestha told AFP. It is not technically an offence to pretend to summit Everest. However, Indian authorities have also opened a fraud case against the couple after eight other climbers filed a complaint against them, saying such a con belittled the efforts of genuine mountaineers. Nepal's investigation may also pave the way for new rules on certifying summits, Shrestha said. "The government's liaison officer at base camp has to rely on the Sherpas and expedition leader to certify claims," he said. "(We) need a serious review of the process of certifying climbers... the committee is likely to come up with some suggestions." Many successful Everest summiteers have gone on to make money or forge careers as motivational speakers and authors on the back of their feat. A total of 456 people, including more than 250 foreigners, summited Everest during the recently concluded spring season after two consecutive years of deadly disasters that led to almost all attempts being abandoned. Mountaineering is a major revenue-earner for the impoverished Himalayan nation and this year's string of successful summits is expected to boost the industry, which was left reeling after an earthquake last year that killed almost 9,000 people nationwide. Hundreds fled Everest last year after an earthquake-triggered avalanche at base camp killed 18 people. Only one climber reached the top in 2014 after an avalanche killed 16 Nepali guides that year. (AFP)

Indian police couple faked Everest climb photos, says Nepal

himalayas

Himalayas, News on Himalayas, stories on Himalayas, articles on Himalayas, Himalayas stories at Wion, Himalayas news, Himalayas latest news