Delay in arrival of winter in Tawang disheartens tourists

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There has been delay in the arrival of winter here, the holy town in Arunachal Pradesh, which draws highest number of tourists from within and outside India for its unspoiled natural beauty and famous 400-year-old Tawang monastery.

The winter has been shifting from November-January to December-February as has been observed by Dr. Monalisa Sen and Dr Jayahari KM of New Delhi-based NGO, InsPIRE Network for Environment (INE). The duo have been frequenting this town once in every three months for the last six years for their work with the local people to help them earn decent livelihood through various projects besides face the impact of climate change.

Sela Pass located at 13,700 feet, 74 km off Tawang, is one of the most fascinating tourist spot for heavy snowfall during winter. The Sela Lake gets frozen completely while Tawang located at an altitude of 10,700 feet also records heavy snowfall.

Though there was snowfall in October last year, bright sun shine greeted tourists at Sela Pass today while heavy snow accumulation in the shape of glacier atop the nearby Nathula range had also melted.

Internationally the study of climate change and its impact on eco systems and natural resources, the scientists use knowledge and experience of the communities who are technically called as 'Climate Witness'. The scientists use standard methodologies to document the variations in climate witnessed by the communities and its impact on their livelihood and lifestyle.

INE's Arunachal project officer Ashok Bordoloi, posted at Tawang for the last six years, said that the Rhododendron project of the locals who have been making squash and earning a decent livelihood since 2009 suffered during 2010 and 2012 as the timing of snowfall shifted impacting the flowering of Rhododendron in Tawang district.

"Don't worry there would be snowfall soon," a monk of the Monastery commented.