KARUNA SHINSHO, CNN ANCHOR: A heatwave in central India has people thinking of heading to the hills for relief. But as Rohit Gandhi reports, in some Himalayan locations, the tourist attractions are diminishing.</s>ROHIT GANDHI, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): The Himalayas are home to some 15,000 glaciers. One of the most popular with tourists is the Gangotri glacier in the Torantua (ph) state, but scientists say, Gangotri and other glaciers may be disappearing, in part because of tourism itself.</s>R.K. BHUYAN, GANGOTRI CONSERVATION PROJECT (through translator): There are two main reasons for depletion of glaciers. One is global warming, and the second is the increased inflow of tourists.</s>GANDHI: Hindu pilgrims and Western tourist alike come to see Gangotri, because it is the source of the sacred Ganges River. Hindu believe the river is a goddess, Ganga (ph). Hindutets (ph) King Pagaret (ph) instigated the river's ascent in order to bring life to the ashes of his ancestors. Thousands of Hindu pilgrims come to Gangotri to bathe in the purified waters, and</s>NITYANDAND SWAMI, UTTARANCHAL CHIEF MINISTER (through translator): We are planning to control tourist activities in this region so that the glaciers are not depleted. We also plan to ban plastics and such other nondegradable articles which affect the environment.</s>GANDHI: Officials believe pollution is depleting plant life in the area, and that, too, is contributing to disappearance of Gangotri. Rohit Ghandi, CNN, New Delhi.
Heatwave in Central India Diminishing Glaciers