These vast and ancient ice glaciers bordering India and Tibet are second only in size to the polar ice caps.
Billions
of people in China and the Indian subcontinent rely on their vital
freshwater to supply seven of the world's largest Asian rivers across
the planet's most densely populated regions.
However, global
warming is causing the glaciers to melt for the first time since their
formation 20,000 years ago, at a pace more rapid than anywhere else in
the world.
Over the last 25 years, the Gangotri glacier alone has retreated more than 850 meters. (Source: NASA)
Dr. Jagdish Bahadur; Indian Glaciologist:Himalayan glaciers are in general on retreat as anywhere else on the planet due to global warming.
VOICE:Continued melting at the current rate will result in massive flooding.
Dr. Jagdish Bahadur:Immediately when glaciers recede they release more water.
VOICE:…followed by severe drought.
Dr. Jagdish Bahadur:But
over a period of time when glacier mass is reduced; the water supplies
will be in short. So water deficit will affect one and all.
Swami Sundaranand; Hindu Monk (Hindi language):All these glaciers feed the Ganga. If these glaciers disappear,
the Ganga is gone.
Videoconference
with Supreme Master Ching Hai with Supreme Master Television staff Los
Angeles, California, USA – November 26, 2008
Supreme Master Ching Hai: Through
the scientists and research, it’s been proven already that it’s melting
faster than we have expected and that we have imagined.
The Ganges
River feeds millions of people, depending on the glacier of the Himalaya
and if it melted all, then first of all, we’ll have a lot of flood and
then we will have drought and dryness afterwards.
Supreme Master Ching Hai: Because water will not be distributed evenly like it has been done for centuries.
Cities will be drowned, people will die and flood will be everywhere and later we will have
no
water even. No reservoir anymore. So either way, either a lot of flood
or drought, it’s very dangerous for the people, especially the people
who depend on the Ganges River and the glacier to survive. I am really
worried, but I just pray and hope that the people who are in power will
do something.
Supreme Master Ching Hai: The only solution is vegetarian diet for everybody and it’s so easy to do. So we just have to do our best and be patient.
Be Veg. Go Green.Save the Planet.
Himalayan glaciers 'could disappear within 30 years' due to global warming (Dailymail - 13 Nov 2008)
Himalayan glaciers 'melting fast' (BBC - 14 Mar 2005)
HIMALAYAN GLACIERS MELTING By Meghna Bhattacharjee, Water Center ...(columbia.edu)
Himalayan Glaciers at Risk (
forestrynepal.org)