The prestigious Science journal of 17 August, 2012, has published a paper on climatology and its effect on the Himalaya’s glaciers. A panoramic view of East Rongbuk glacier on the north side of Mount Everest has been displayed for views in 1921 and 2011 which shows that over 90 years, the glacier’s vertical height has dropped by 100 meters i.e., more than one meter annually. This is an alarming state of affairs for our dams in northern areas depending on glaciers and snowmelt in summer. The rainfall area starts below Tarbela dam while the flood waters generated by rainfall collect below Tarblea for which there is no dam downstream to store the flood waters as Kalabagh dam is placed on backburner or buried as per the prime minister while the whole nation suffers from this disastrous decision. The above quoted article in the Science journal must be taken note of by our policymakers as to what would happen when the glaciers feeding our rivers are gone making our dams upstream high and dry. Even now our wizards in govt ought to realise the dire need of Kalabagh dam below Tarbela dam.
DR MUHAMMAD YAQOOB BHATTI
Lahore
