Jun 05, 2006 :: Man-made glaciers

The work of Chewang Norphel is probably worth telling many times, which is why the Outlook issue of this date has covered it again.

Just before the onset of winter, Chewang begins to divert small streams of water through pipes to shallow locations about four or five kilometers above Ladakh’s villages. He plugs any gaps for leaks. During winter these lakes freeze into artificial glaciers. Being at relatively lower levels of 13 to 14,000 feet, these glaciers melt by spring to provide water for farming.

He has created about six low cost water storages across Ladakh that are often a village’s only source of fresh water. Contact: