Arunachal: Chief secretary flags off expedition to Khangri Glacier

Our correspondent

Itanagar: Arunachal Pradesh chief secretary Manish Kumar Gupta on Thursday flagged off the second joint scientific expedition to Khangri Glacier in Tawang district to address critical questions regarding glacier dynamics, hydrological changes, and their broader impact on the region’s ecosystem.

The expedition team consists of a group of scientists, research associates, and technical officers from the National Centre for Polar and Ocean Research (NCPOR), Goa, the Centre for Earth Sciences and Himalayan Studies (CES and HS), Itanagar, and research scholars from IIT Roorkee (IITR), CES and HS director Tana Tage said. He said the collaborative effort is part of an ongoing initiative to conduct in-depth glaciological and cryosphere studies in the Arunachal Himalayas.

The team will conduct several key scientific activities, including measuring glacier flow discharge, riverbed profiling, steam ice drilling, and the installation of water level markers and stacks for long-term observation, Tage said. He said they will also engage in mass balance studies, which are crucial for understanding the gain and loss of ice mass from the glacier system.

The team will also identify a suitable location to establish a permanent base camp as part of the Polar and Cryosphere Studies (PACER), which will serve as a logistical hub for future glaciological studies in the region, with a focus on the Khangri Glacier and other glaciers in Arunachal, Tage said.

“The Arunachal Himalayas are ecologically sensitive and face significant challenges related to climate change, including glacial melting, changes in freshwater availability, and the risk of Glacial Lake Outburst Floods (GLOF),” the director said, adding that the understanding of these dynamics is crucial for ensuring the sustainability of local ecosystems, economies, and communities dwelling in high altitudes.

During a brief interaction with the chief secretary, the team briefed him about the field activities, which would include the installation of an automatic weather station with satellite communication, an automatic water level recorder, conducting hydrological investigations, installing stakes, and collecting snow and sediment samples for lab analysis. They would also perform steam ice drilling for mass balance measurement and gather other critical data during the fieldwork.

Also Read: Bhutan spearheads initiative to restore Eastern Himalayas

Also Watch: