Nubra River

Coordinates: 35°4′N 77°1′E / 35.067°N 77.017°E / 35.067; 77.017
Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.

Nubra River
Yarma Tsangpo
Nubra River
Nubra/ Shyok watershed
Location
CountryIndia
Union TerritoryLadakh
RegionLadakh
DistrictLeh
Physical characteristics
Source35°4′N 77°1′E / 35.067°N 77.017°E / 35.067; 77.017
 • locationSiachen Glacier
 • elevation5,753 m (18,875 ft)
Shyok river at Khalsar
Length80 km (50 mi)
Basin features
River systemIndus River

The Nubra River is a

Nubra Valley of Ladakh in India. It is a tributary of the Shyok River (a part of the Indus River system) and originates from the Siachen Glacier,[1] the second-longest non-polar glacier in the world.[2][3] In earlier Tibetan maps, it was referred as Yarma Tsangpo.[4]

Geography

The

The side valleys of the Nubra Valley contains some 33 glaciers of varying proportions, and the heavy sediment load carried by the river from the melt-water is responsible for many

glacio-fluvial deposits including braided channels, outwash plains and alluvial fans.[9] The valley has been formed by ancient glaciers, now long receded, and has an average elevation of 4,000 m (13,000 ft) above sea level. The area has a very arid climate, and the lack of precipitation and the high elevation means that the upper reaches of the valley are nearly devoid of vegetation.[10] At its junction with the Shyok, the sandy flats support patches of Tamarix and Myricaria. There are small villages at the foot of ravines, where poplars and willow trees grow. Small pasture fields have been enclosed on the un-denuded fans and fruit trees are grown.[11]

Siachen Conflict

The river was rafted by an Indo-German team in 1978[12] under the leadership of Narendra Kumar.[13] Certain features in the maps used by the Germans led to India's understanding of cartographic aggression by Pakistan and a subsequent mountaineering reconnaissance expedition of the region was planned; which in turn led to Operation Meghdoot.[13][14]

Ecological crisis

The Siachen Glacier, the source of the Nubra River, has for some time[nb 1] been the scene of conflict between India and Pakistan, and has been called the world's highest battleground.[16] The 20,000 troops stationed on the glacier produce a lot of waste,[nb 2] 40% of which is plastic and metal. This debris, including irreparable vehicles, war debris, parachute material, canisters, clothing, and human waste, is simply tipped into crevasses in the glacier. With no natural biodegradation taking place, the ice is being permanently contaminated by toxins such as cobalt, cadmium, and chromium. The washing of warfare clothes at hot sulfur springs near the Indian base camp also contaminates the river. The toxins will eventually reach the Indus River, with millions of downstream users potentially being impacted.[17][18][19]

Tourism

There are

Hunder Sand Dunes for Bactrian camel safari, Turtuk the border village for landscape & local unique culture.[20]

See also

Notes

  1. ^ The conflict began in 1984 with India's successful Operation Meghdoot during which it gained control over all of the Siachen Glacier (unoccupied and undemarcated area). India has established control over all of the 70-kilometre-long (43 mi) Siachen Glacier and all of its tributary glaciers, as well as all the main passes and heights of the Saltoro Ridge immediately west of the glacier, including Sia La, Bilafond La, and Gyong La. Pakistan controls the glacial valleys immediately west of the Saltoro Ridge.[15]
  2. ^ The 20,000 troops stationed on the Siachen are supplied (flown and parachuted) thousands of tons of food and supplies every year. Indian army officials have described the Siachen as "the world’s biggest and highest garbage dump", from where nothing comes back. World Commission on Protected Areas estimates that over 2000 lbs. of human waste are dropped daily into crevasses of the glacier.[17]

References

  1. ^ "Siachen Glacier | glacier, Karakoram Range, Asia". Encyclopedia Britannica. Retrieved 5 February 2019.
  2. ^ "Longest non polar glaciers in the world". Worldatlas. Retrieved 13 May 2019.
  3. Fedchenko Glacier
    is 77 km (48 mi) long. The second-longest in the Karakoram Mountains is the Biafo Glacier at 63 km (39 mi). Measurements are from recent imagery, supplemented with Russian 1:200,000 scale topographic mapping as well as the 1990 "Orographic Sketch Map: Karakoram: Sheet 2", Swiss Foundation for Alpine Research, Zurich.
  4. ^ "LOTS IN A NAME : Himalayan Journal vol.48/18". www.himalayanclub.org. Retrieved 16 March 2019.
  5. ^ .
  6. .
  7. ^ .
  8. .
  9. .
  10. .
  11. ^ Drew, Frederic (1875). The Jummoo and Kashmir Territories: A Geographical Account. E. Stanford. pp. 273–280.
  12. .
  13. ^ .
  14. ^ Bhattacharya, Suryatapa (19 June 2012). "War on the roof of the world still chills, decades on". The National. Retrieved 2 February 2020.
  15. .
  16. ^ "Blog: A 60-km Trek to the World's Highest Battlefield, Siachen". NDTV.com. Retrieved 5 February 2019.
  17. ^ a b "Stanford Environmental Law Journal" (PDF). uvm.edu. Retrieved 20 February 2019.
  18. ^ Kemkar, Neal A. (2006). "Environmental Peacemaking: Ending Conflict between India and Pakistan on the Siachen Glacier through the Creation of a Transboundary Peace Park" (PDF). Stanford Environmental Law Journal. 67: 81, 82.
  19. ^ Bedi, Jatinder Singh (29 August 1998). "The Tribune 'Save the Himalayas' campaign — VI---World's highest, biggest junkyard". www.tribuneindia.com. Retrieved 16 March 2019.
  20. ^ Places to see in the Nubra Valley, traveltriangle, accessed 27 July 2023.