The Gangotri Glacier and its Importance
The Gangotri Glacier is a traditional Hindu pilgrimage site in India, Uttarakhand. It acts as a border between India and Tibet with a length of 30 km and a width of 4 kilometers. Being one of the largest glaciers in the Himalayas Gangotri is famous for being the major source of the river Ganga. It has an immense impact on the Hindus, who believe that bathing in the waters of the river originated from Gangotri will clean their past sins.
Recent reports suggest that the glacier is on the verge of a rapid meltdown leading to it’s perish within the coming decades. Hindustan Times states that the glacier has lost around 1700m of its volume since 1935 and the retreat rate is showcasing incremental rates. Gangotri glacier melting is hazardous for the topography of India and the lifestyles of its habits with transformed climate changes. What is the reason behind such devastation? Is it global warming, or carbon emission due to the most intelligent creatures to ever walk on the Earth, the Humans? Let us evaluate the truth below.
The Alarming Signs Gangotri Glacier melting
The above figure highlights that the melt rate of the Gangotri glacier is increasing at a fluctuating rate. The thickness of the debris is evaluated to decrease in the deteriorating rate with increasing surface melting rate. The winter season in India needs to be more capable of increasing the volume of the Glacier making the situation more serious than it seems.
The above figure demonstrates that Gangotri has lost more than 2 kilometers of its coverage area from 1789 to 2001. The current findings suggest that the glacier has lost around 1 kilometer from its frontal part from 2017 to 2021. This is an alarming concern as the rapid changes in the glacier recession resulted in frequent flash floods and deluges.
Unveiling the Causes behind the melting
The major reasons behind the meltdown of the Gangotri Glaciers include the burning of fossil fuels, deforestation, global warming, and increased industrialization. The above graph highlights the increase in carbon dioxide emissions and greenhouse gas emissions leading to global warming. Abc News mentioned that India has witnessed the hottest temperature this summer with a temperature of 126 degrees Fahrenheit or 52.3 degrees Celsius as determined by the Indian Meteorological Department. Tremendous heatwaves have forced Gangotri to face extensive melting with no possible suggestions of navigating high climate and temperature surges.
Human Impact
We human beings have a significant impact on the meltdown of the Gangotri Glacier. India is the most populated country in the world, leading to excessive demand for food, houses and resources. This triggers large-scale deforestation due to agricultural development in the country and the shrinking of forests. The above graph showcases the annual loss of millions of forests in the past few years. Areas such as rapid industrialization and oil and drilling moves are other human activities contributing to the rapid meltdown of the Gangotri Glacier.
The Call to Action
We are responsible for the destruction of Earth, the high meltdown of Gangotri Glacier is just a mere example of our irresponsibility. In the 1990s Venezuela in South America enjoyed a total of six glaciers. Guess the number of glaciers it has now, four, and two maybe one? It is ZERO, yes Venezuela lost the Humboldt Glacier, the last in the Sierra Nevada as reported by NBC news. Indonesia is also in the same with 98% of its glaciers already lost as a result of global warming. The country is down to the glaciers which are estimated to period within 2026.
It is a matter of serious concern, if necessary steps are not taken we will India on the list of countries to lose its glacier in the coming decades. Collective efforts from the government and general public are required to mitigate the emerging issue which otherwise can lead to massive climate changes, frequent flooding and loss of existing resources. Even small steps such as planting trees, conserving resources, and using renewable energy sources may have a significant impact on preserving the glacier’s meltdown. It is your Earth, your choice.
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