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Melting Himalayan glaciers could spell doom for India: WWF

     London: Melting glaciers in the Himalayas could lead to water shortages for hundreds of millions of people across India, China and Nepal, the conservation group WWF has warned. The Himalayas, which contain the largest store of water outside the polar ice caps, feed seven great Asian rivers. The researchers say that immediate action against climate change could slow the rate of melting, which is increasing annually. "The rapid melting of Himalayan glaciers will first increase the volume of water in rivers, causing widespread flooding," the BBC quoted Jennifer Morgan, director of the WWF's Global Climate Change Programme, as saying. "But in a few decades this situation will change and the water level in rivers will decline, meaning massive eco and environmental problems for people in western China, Nepal and northern India," she added. The world faces an economic and development catastrophe if the rate of global warming isn't reduced Morgan further said that a study commissioned for the WWF indicated that the temperature of the earth could rise by two degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels in a little over 20 years.

Inzi's ancestral home visit dream remains unfulfilled (Go To Top)

     Mohali: Heavy security arrangements and a hectic itinerary has marred the life long dream of Pakistan team captain Inzamam-ul-Haq to visit his ancestral home near Chandigarh. Inzamam was also unable to visit the Chaar Qutub Dargah, which was once under his grandfather's supervision. His grandfather, Zia-ul-Haq, was the Pir of the Dargah and lived in Hansi, a small town near Chandigarh. "A Minister called me up and invited me to visit the Dargah and my ancestral home and said he would arrange everything. But unfortunately, given the stringent security arrangements made for us it is not possible for me to go to Hansi and return the same day," The News quoted Inzamam as saying. Haq said that during the stay at Chandigarh the team has spent most of its time planning and practising for the Test match, leaving no time to travel to Hansi. However, the Pakistan captain said that although he was unable to visit Hansi this time, he would hopefully return some other day and visit his ancestral home and the Dargah.