Melting of Himalaya will be catastrophic: PM

New Delhi, Aug 30: Prime Minister Manmohan Singh today said he had raised with Chinese President Hu Jintao the issue of melting of Himalayan glaciers and shrinking of rivers in the Tibetan plateau, saying the twin phenomena could have ''catastrophic effects'' for both India and China.

Making an intervention in the Rajya Sabha on the issue during Question Hour, Dr Singh said there are strong linkages between the river systems in India and Tibet.

''I have raised the issue with Chinese President Hu Jintao as the melting of glaciers and shrinking of rivers in Tibet can have catastrophic effects,'' he said.

Earlier replying to a starred question from Samajwadi Party member Janeshwar Mishra, Minister of State for Environment and Forests Namo Narain Meena said that according to the Working Group-II Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) released in April this year, the Himalayan glaciers are receding faster than any part of the world.

Quoting a report of leading scientists from the Chinese Academy of Sciences, he said there is rapid melting of the glaciers of the Tibetan plateau.

''The melting of glaciers will ultimately trigger more droughts, expand desertification and increase sand storms,'' he said, ading that melting also threatened disruption of water supply as many rivers emanated from the Himalayas.

Mr Meena, however, said the Government had not conducted any study with regard to its adverse effect on the country.

UNI