Pakistan considers melting glaciers

Glaciers could be melted using charcoal or even lasers

By Susannah Price reports in Islamabad.

The government in Pakistan, which is suffering a severe drought, has asked scientists to look at the possibility of melting glaciers to provide water.

The chairman of the Flood Commission said it was one option they were examining although there were many potential pitfalls.

Pakistan has suffered a drastic fall in its annual rainfall and the harvest is expected to be extremely poor this year.

Pakistan has had droughts for the last three years

For the past three years Pakistan has suffered from a drought but this year the situation is desperate.

Scientists are examining all possible options to provide some relief to farmers.

One proposal involves melting part of the glaciers in the northern region by spraying on charcoal, which raises the temperature of the ice.

Destabilising effect

However, the chairman of the Federal Flood Commission, Riaz Ahmad Khan, said the proposal was at a very preliminary stage and they were simply looking into which other countries had tried the method.

He said that, even if they went ahead with the plan, it would have limited application and they would have to be careful not to cause environmental damage or destabilise the glaciers.

There have also been suggestions that lasers could be used to melt the ice.

However experts say even if the plan proves to be feasible it would only provide a short-term solution to the continuing drought.

Situation worse this year

Aid agencies say rainfall is down more than a third and snowfall has been poor.

Last year there was also a drought but a bumper harvest helped the country to pull through.

This year the situation is far worse, many farmers are in debt, their cattle have died and there is little pastureland.

Aid agencies plan to carry out a survey of the worst affected areas to ascertain the extent of the crisis.