Allahabad artists mould sand sculptures to create global warming awareness

Allahabad, Dec 14 (ANI): Forty artistes moulded sand sculptures in Allahabad on Sunday to create awareness on climate change and global warming.

The message of the sand art held on the banks of Sangam, the confluence of rivers Ganga and its tributary Yamuna, is to save the rivers, which are the lifeline of the northern Indo-Gangetic plains, from extinction.

"They (artists) showcase that if we do not check pollution and control the rising temperature then in the coming years, by 2035, according to international agencies, perennial rivers like the Ganges and Yamuna will dry up and become rain-fed rivers. The existence of human civilization is at stake. Through this programme we are trying create public awareness," said Niranjan, a sand artist.

Melting of Himalayas glaciers is threatening the water supply of millions of people.

Experts say rising temperatures are rapidly shrinking Himalayan glaciers, underscoring the effects of climate change that has caused temperatures in the mountainous region to rise by about 1.1 degrees Celsius in the past 100 years.

According to a United Nations Environment Programme and World Glacier Monitoring Service study, the average melting rate of mountain glaciers has doubled since the turn of the millennium, with record losses seen in 2006 at several sites.

Earlier, Minister of State for Environment and Forest Jairam Ramesh had said there was a need for more scientific studies to conclusively establish the link between climate change and shrinking glaciers. (ANI)