Mumbai: IIT professors cycle for climate change awareness

In an effort to bring attention to the critical issue of climate change two esteemed academics from the renowned Indian Institute of Technology IIT Bombay and Indore teamed up for a unique initiative Professors RAAJ Ramsankaran 42 and Mohd Farooq Azam 39 embarked on a challenging cycle expedition known as the lsquoClimate Awareness Ridersquo to raise awareness about climate change and its impact on the Himalayan cryosphere and humanityStarting from Manali on June 17 the duo completed their 12day journey at Siachen Base Camp SBC on July 1 covering a distance of 675 km This expedition took them through five mountain passes exceeding 4000 Metres Above Sea Level MASL including the renowned ldquoKhardung Lardquo the worlds secondhighest motorable passBefore commencing their cycling expedition the professors delivered a talk at IIT Ropar in Punjab to create awareness about climate change and its implications The expedition aimed to encourage individuals to adopt climate change mitigation measures in their daily lives Unite Trades amp Technologies UTNT from GurugramHaryana sponsored their expeditionIIT professors at Khardung La the worldrsquos secondhighest motorableHighlighting the urgent need for climateresilient infrastructure Prof Ramsankaran emphasised the destructive impact of extreme weather events resulting from global warming and climate change He stressed on the importance of changing our ways to mitigate these eventsThroughout their challenging journey battling extreme weather conditions like snow rain and dust storms the professors interacted with local farmers in five different villages They sought to understand the impact of changing snow and rainfall patterns on their lives the local solutions they adopted and their expectations from the governmentSpeaking about their expedition Prof Azam emphasised two key objectives understanding the problems faced by locals and designing future research based on their feedback and promoting cycling among citizens as a sustainable mode of transport for shorter distancesSharing their experience during their expedition Prof Ramsankaran said ldquoThis route was selected because we both work on the glaciers in this region and thought it would be apt We undertook a 12day expedition from ManaliLehKhardung La Pass to Siachen Base Camp SBC Overall the journey was great We were welcomed by snowfall at Khardung La the worldrsquos secondhighest motorable pass when we reached there In Nubra valley while going from Khalsar to Sasoma we faced strong dust storms and headwinds during the evening time It was a challenging riderdquoThe professors highlighted black carbon as a significant contributor to the melting of Himalayan glaciers advocating for public support in reducing black carbon emissions by adopting cycling They shared their experiences with tourists promoting responsible tourism and encouraging the preservation of the environmentDuring their expedition the professors met with Sonam Wangchuk an engineer innovator and education reformist in Leh Ladakh They discussed water management and tourismrelated issues aiming to inspire individuals to make lifestyle changes that reduce carbon emissionsThe ghost of plastic pollutionDuring their expedition Professors Ramsankaran and Azam encountered the Gata Loops on the ManaliLeh highway Ramsankaran described the shocking sight of plastic bottles energy drinks snacks and cigarettes strewn outside a small roadside shrine believed to appease the spirit of a truck drivers deceased helper He criticised the pollution caused by such superstitious practicesTo disprove the belief Ramsankaran humorously admitted to taking a packet of peanuts and energy drinks from the shrine This highlights the need for responsible waste management He also highlights that anyone can make an offer for water but should avoid using plastic bottles to do so12No of days professors cycled