Tuesday, November 10, 2009

Chewang Norphel and his "Artificial-Glaciers"

**************************************************************************

SCIENCE, News Focus, 659-661, 30 OCTOBER, 2009, VOL 326.

**************************************************************************



Chewang Norphel and the strategy of Artificial glaciers (from google-images)

Amazingly inspiring story!!

Remarkable idea of a retired civil-engineer from Leh (Ladakh) to overcome the problem of water scarcity during lean months.

How? He made "artificial-glaciers" and earned himself the sobriquet "Glacier-Man".

He let the 'waste'-water (flowing from taps, springs etc.) accumulate in huge tanks during winter, where it would solidify, to make huge ice-cubes or 'ice-bergs', which could later be melted for irrigation and other purposes during the summer months.

He merely observed nature and mimicked it on a large-enough scale, to bring water in the 'rain-shadow' area which recieves only as much rain as does the Sahara desert!!

Although his technology is area and altitude-specific, nevertheless, it is a win for the indomitable Human mind and spirit!

**************************************************************************

No comments:

Post a Comment