Uttarakhand to set up authority to conserve glaciers

STAFF WRITER 12:38 HRS IST

Dehradun, Jun 13 (PTI) Uttarakhand Government is planning to set up an authority with the aim of conserving Himalayan glaciers in the hill state.

The proposed Snow and Glaciers Authority (SGA) is expected to be headed by Chief Minister Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank and will study the impact of climate change on nearly 1,400 big and small glaciers, top official sources said.

Keeping in view the importance of glaciers, source of many rivers including Ganga, the chief minister had recently asked officials to take the initiative for setting up the Authority.

The SGA will exchange statistics and also ideas in close partnership with neighbouring Himachal Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh for better management of water resources, ecology and environment conservation, Uttarakhand Science and Technology Secretary Rajiv Chandra told PTI.