Gilgit: The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the Gilgit-Baltistan (GB) government recently formalised a collaboration-agreement to pursue a glacier-grafting campaign aimed at providing clean drinking water to GB citizens, according to a news source.
This initiative is part of the UNDP’s second phase of the Glacial Lake Outburst Flood project (GLOF-II). Other collaborators participating in this programme include the University of Baltistan, Wafa Foundation Skardu and the Aga Khan Rural Support Programme (AKRSP). Representatives from these bodies inaugurated a glacier-grafting campaign in Kuwardo village to make clean drinking water accessible.
Over a hundred local volunteers, with high female participation, will train with the relevant experts to make this campaign successful. The University of Baltistan will provide technical support to the locals, and has commenced with its research and development work in the province.
The process of glacier grafting involves collecting ice masses from six different locations in Baltistan: Istak, Rundoo, Kurdunoo, and four glaciers in the Shigar district. This, along with collecting water and ice masses form various water bodies, will provide clean drinking water to a large populace settled in the region.
