Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh informed the vidhan sabha during question hour that studies carried out by the Space Application Centre, Ahemdabad, and the State Council of Science and Technology had revealed that the glaciers had been melting to the extent of 21 per cent in the Sutlej, Beas, Chenab and the Ravi basins since 1962. The 466 small and big glaciers and snowfields had shrunk from 2,017 sq km to 1,628 sq km over the period. The glaciers had shown both vertical and horizontal shrinkage.

He said if the trend continued the snow-fed water sources, which sustained life in the country, would vanish. The hydroelectric projects would also be severely hit as a result of this. It was a serious matter but state could not do much to ameliorate the situation as the main factor of the melting of the glaciers was global warming caused by green house gases released from vehicular emission, industries and carbon fuels. The vanishing green cover added to the problem as it reduced the capacity to absorb the harmful gases.

This problem required a global effort and the state would take up the issue with the Centre and urge it to initiate steps to tackle the problem at the national level. There were reports that green house gases would increase by 70 per cent in India over the next few years.

The Council for Science and Technology was preparing an inventory of snowfields and glaciers for various river basins to help generate data for taking up remedial measures.

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