The Centre informed the Parliament that the Gangotri glacier has lost approximately 0.23 square kilometre (2.3 lakh sq metre) area in 15 years from 2001 to 2016. Citing data of the Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO), Union Environment Minister Bhupender Yadav said, “Gangotri glacier has lost approximately 0.23 square kilometre area due to retreat of the glacier in the 15 years’ time frame from 2001 to 2016”.
Yadav said the concentration of black carbon is highly variable in the Himalayas. According to information received from the Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO), in-situ measurements show the black carbon concentration over the Himalayan region is highly variable with very low values over the western Himalayas, moderate values over the eastern Himalayas, and high values over the foothills of the Himalayas.
Black carbon is a short-lived climate pollutant with a lifetime of only days to weeks after release in the atmosphere, especially over the Himalayas which experience periodic snowfall.
“Moreover, Himalayan glaciers have a high concentration of debris on ice and dust on snow, significantly reducing the effect of the changing reflectance of snow and ice on the glaciers.
“Because of this, the impact of black carbon on Himalayan glaciers is not of a substantial magnitude,” the minister said the Parliament.
The ISRO is monitoring the changes observed over the Gangotri glacier using Indian Remote Sensing Satellite data, he informed.
Download
the App to get 14 days of unlimited access to Mint Premium absolutely free!
For all the latest world News Click Here
