Special Stamps on Ice Stupa Released
India Post released a special stamp cover on Ice Stupa in Leh at an event in the presence of Himalayan Institute of Alternatives Ladakh founder Sonam Wangchuk who spearheaded the Ice Stupa initiative.
Ice Stupa
- Ice Stupas refer to the artificial glaciers which freeze and hold the water that keeps flowing and wasting away down the streams and into the rivers throughout the winter.
- Instead, the water from these artificial glaciers melt in the springtime, just when the fields need
- Leh lies in the cold desert region and most villages in the region face acute water shortage, particularly during the two crucial months of April and May when there is little water in the streams whereas in June there is an excess of water and even flash flooding due to the fast melting of the snow and glaciers in the mountains.
- By September all farming activities end and yet a smaller stream flow throughout the winter steadily but wastefully going into the Indus river without being of use to anybody.
- Hence the idea of ice stupa from artificial glaciers which store this wasting winter water in the form of ice mountains that melt and feed the farms when water is most needed by the farmers was initiated.
Ice Stupas are aimed at reducing water crisis in the region and also to convey a message to the world that how the Mountain people are forced to do such innovative ideas to solve the water crises, Ice Stupas also sends a message to all the people who live in big cities to not use resources in such a way that it creates problem for mountain people.
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Month: Current Affairs - March, 2019