Swati Tak, A. K. Sharma, A. S. Rajawat, Ajai ., S. Palria

Glacier is a key component and plays an important role in the hydrological system. The melt water from glacier is an important source in the Himalayan regions as millions of people rely on it. The source of melt water depends on the distribution of glaciers and its mass balance. Monitoring of glaciers and assessment of its health is thus important to assess the availability of water in Indian Himalaya. In Himalaya and Trans Himalaya regions, the distribution of glaciers varies widely and depends mainly on the topography and monsoon characteristics. Around 32,392 glaciers are spread over in the Indus, Ganga and Brahmaputra Basins covering the Himalaya and Trans Himalaya regions, and it is difficult to monitor these via field due to rugged terrain. Therefore, in this study remote sensing and GIS techniques have been used to study the glaciers and its health in Alaknanda, sub-basin of Ganga, India.