With rising global temperature, glaciers in the Himalayas are retreating at an alarming rate of 15-20 metres every year, which could adversely impact agriculture in the region.
Mapping of 400 glaciers done jointly by the Himachal Pradesh Science and Technology Council and the Space Research Station Ahmedabad since 1994 on rivers Chandra, Beas, Ravi, Sutlej, Spiti has shown that the glaciers are retreating.
'There had been a retreat of 10-15 metres per year in 400 glaciers', A.B.Kulkarni head of the Glaciology wing of Space Research Station, Ahmedabad said.
The mapping of glaciers through satellite picture suggests that there are in total 334 glaciers in the entire Sutlej and Beas basins covering an area of 1515 sq.kms.
Officials stressed an field based study in Himachal Pradesh to collect true statistics which would help in drawing plans accordingly. The temperature of Shimla has risen by a degree Celsius in last 100 years reflecting impact of global warming in the hill state.
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