Indian Army seeks media help over Siachen melting
ISLAMABAD: The India Army, which is soly responsible for Siachen glacier melting, in a bid to save its skin had asked the Indian media and experts to launch a campaign that glacier was melting because of global warming and not due to its presence.
The Indian Army knows the facts that its presence on Siachen glacier causes not only melting of the glacier but also could cause a catastrophic hydrological disaster in South Asia but territorial greed always prevailed and backed by Indian establishment is never questioned by international community over this environmental terrorism. Since the occupation of Siachen more than 97 percent casualties of Indian Army have been due to the fragile ecology.
Now the Cancun talks on Climate Change in Mexico being held on December 23-27 should really focus on the fast melting of Siachen glacier mainly because of the human intervention or activities of the Indian troops.
According to the Indian secret report available with The News, Brigadier V N Nerikar, and Head of the Faculty of Civil Engineering as on August 1999 when he was captain under the supervision of Directorate of Military Intelligence, Army Headquarters New Delhi established five meteorological stations on Siachen glacier.
Four stations were set on glaciers while one at mouth of glacier i.e. at Kamar Camp on Nubra River to measure flow of melt water.
After observing, the Brigadier sent five reports to the Army Headquarters New Delhi, and the final 14 pages report that is available with The News International, was presented to the Army Chief concluded with serious observations.
In the report it was clearly mentioned that the ice-mass balance of glacier was decreasing with unprecedented rate because of Indian troops activities. Nevertheless, unfortunately, after receiving report in corps commander conference it was decided that a chain of evacuation to be formulated in the wake of thinning of glacier and a separate deep bunkers should be dug into the snow covered with a corrugated iron sheet to save soldiers from causalities.
It was also decided, the report says, that Indian media and experts may be pursued for a campaign that Siachen glacier is melting due to global warming not due to the army presence. When contacted, DG Environment Asifa Shuja said since he did not study secret Indian Army report, so he was unable to offer her comments.
However, she said that in Cancun talks, China and India would be stressed to come under the climate change binding, as their omissions were proving lethal to the global environment.
However, according to Javed Malik, Secretary Ministry of Environment, Pakistan will take up this issue in the Cancun Climate Conference. To a question he said that the prime minister and the president of Pakistan had been sensitized on the issue when they arranged a conference on the issue here in Islamabad. He said that the findings of many international institutions working on global climate about the fast depleting Siachen Glacier were not correct.
However, he said that the said Siachen glacier’s spread stands at 2400 miles and passes through six countries, which mainly include Pakistan, China, India and Nepal. He said that every country needed to come forward and develop consensus to save this main water tank and climate regulator.
Once declared climate Regulator Siachen Glacier started melting and thinning in 1984. Thinning of glacier causes various crevasses within the glacier which are the cracks form deep deceptive gorges covered with thin ice and patrolling soldiers become victim of them and coupled with avalanches is so far remained the biggest cause of killing of Indian soldiers.
When contacted, Arshad H Abbasi, an eminent water expert of Pakistan, said that the Saarc Summit held on April 28-29, 2010 Climate Change, Prime Minister of Pakistan was signatory of the statement on Climate change in which it was reiterated that climate change was the biggest threat and showed deep concern about the adverse effects of climate change and its impact on South Asia.
Prime Minister of Pakistan also signed and made commitment along with Prime Minister of India to adopt the Thimphu Statement on Climate Change and agreed to undertake the measures, which include: (i) Review the implementation of the Dhaka Declaration and the Saarc Action Plan on Climate Change and ensure its timely implementation; (ii) Agree to establish an Inter-governmental Expert Group on Climate Change to develop clear policy direction and guidance for regional cooperation as envisaged in the Saarc Plan of Action on Climate Change and exchange of hydrological data of glaciers.
Mr Abbasi said he would simply question him first to take data of hydrological stations set by Indian Army on Siachen.
Source: The News
Date:11/29/2010
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