Om Parvat loses snow cover & ‘Om’ symbol

Om Parvat, situated in Byas valley in Dharchula tehsil of Pithoragarh district at an elevation of 18,324 feet, recently lost much of its snow cover at a pace never seen before. The rapid melting of snow caused the naturally appearing ‘Om’ symbol (formed due to a snow pattern on the mountain) to disappear, leaving the mountain appearing bare and black.

Although a fresh bout of snowfall on the intervening night of Monday and Tuesday led to the reappearance of the snowline (and the ‘Om’ symbol) on the peak, the unusual occurrence has raised alarm among locals as well as environment experts, who attribute the situation to global warming, construction activities and increased tourist footfall. Met officials said factors like scanty pre-monsoon rain, heatwave in June, above-normal temperatures and reduced snowfall might have also contributed to the situation.
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