Pollution and overuse have left the Himalayan waters depleted and in unsanitary condition. It is vital for those living on the mountain range to have access to fresh water flow for drinking, cleaning and farming, but the effects of global warming have melted away many of the glaciers that once sustained them. The increase in temperature has caused the water to melt throughout the winter, leading to diminished water supply for spring farming.
This water crisis has encouraged engineers to brave the cold winter nights in Ladakh, India’s highest province, to build their own glaciers.
The Himalayan foothills sit at an altitude of 10,000 feet and receive only about 50mm of rainfall each year. Without the water flow from glaciers, the people who live along this desert land would have a completely drained water supply. “The only reason people can live there is the glaciers,” Wangchuk says.
The Himalaya is among the many South Asian regions that are “water-stressed,” meaning these areas face water scarcity due to poor infrastructure or a lack of water supply.
While Wangchuk’s invention cannot stop contributions to climate change, ice stupas could be a step toward reducing its negative effects.
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