Ladakh, the crown of our country stands beautifully covered with mountains and exquisite scenery. The land is a paradise for tourists, but that’s not what the locals of the place think. For them, it is a cold, dry and infertile area where they have to struggle for basic water needs every year. Chewang Norpel decided to put his engineering skills to good use. He was the one who created artificial glaciers to facilitate water to this dry mountainous region. This man is today known as the ‘Ice Man of India’for creating 10 artificial glaciers in Ladakh.
A 79-year-old retired civil engineer, Chewang Norphel came to rescue his people from the struggles of nature by modern innovation. In 1966, he was posted in Zanskar in Ladakh as the Sub Divisional Officer. He had to construct school buildings, bridges, canals, etc. as there was a shortage of skilled labor so he started doing the3 masonry work himself and also trained other villagers. After few years when he returned, those villagers were earning handsome money by being a well-skilled mason.
Idea behind artificial glaciers
The idea first struck his mind when he saw a slowly running tap that was left open so that the water does not freeze. The water then froze into the shape of an ice sheet when it touched the ground. He then remembered that the water that melts from natural glaciers in summer goes to waste as it flows into the river. Norphel then thought that if this water could be stored in summer and autumn so that it can become an artificial glacier in winter. This artificial glacier would melt in spring to provide water at the right time.
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He then decided to put all his skills into action. He began with his experiment in Phutse village. He made canals to divert the water from the mainstream and also created shaded areas to keep the water frozen in winters. These glaciers are located at a lower altitude of 13,000 feet from the original glaciers they start melting earlier than the mainstream ones and because of this, they are able to provide water to the villagers in April.
In an interview with the better India he explained, “the main technique used to create artificial glaciers is to control the velocity of water as much as possible. The region is a hilly area and that is why the gradient of streams is very steep”.
The artificial glacier’s width ranges from 50 to 200 feet and the depth from 2 to 7 feet. Well, the total cost of his first project was Rs 90,000. His cost-effective model only used local material and help from the area's local community.
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His simple engineer mind received appraisal and recognition across the globe. “as you sow, so you reap. There is no doubt that if one has strong determination and dedication, there is nothing impossible in the world.”, believes Norphel.