Sikkim gears up to send high-level team to study glacial melting

Gangtok, Apr 23 : Sikkim Government is gearing up to send a high-level glaciologists' team to study the meltdown of the glaciers in Sikkim due to global warming and to find out remedies.

The team led by Professor S I Hasnain and accompanied by officials and members of various project teams, would visit west Sikkim to study the state of East Rathong glacier during their nine-day expedition starting from April 24, an official said.

Chief minister Pawan Kumar Chamling had set up a commission under Hasnain to study the state of glaciers late last year, the official said.

Through satellite mapping and remote sensing, the department of Science and Technology has been keeping close watch on the condition of glaciers, the official added.

Meanwhile, a British expedition team has found that glaciers in Sikkim have been melting at an "alarming" rate over the years and may pose environmental hazards in the region. Teesta and Rangeet rivers are prone to dry due to the result of it.

The team in Sikkim recently, observed that the landscapes of the glaciers -- Zemu, Thongsong and Talung -- changed irreversibly over past 80 years.

To draw world's attention, the members of the British expedition team said that they would bring out a report on the issue describing it as "alarming".

ANI