We don't need to confirm with scientists that Himalayan glaciers are melting at an alarming rate. Those who are regular visitors of Himalayan cities can see it, feel it. I was surprised to find hotel rooms fitted with air conditioners and fans in Mussoorie, Shimla, Dharmshala, Darjeeling, Ranikhet, Nainitalu00a0... phew.

A decade ago, when I first decided to visit the hill, we would ask for a hotel that was air-conditioned. The staff at the hotel would be surprised and joke with us, saying that air conditioners were an alien term since there were only a few hotels that had fans. However over time, everything has changed. Some months ago, on an election campaign in Darjeeling, I was surprised when I saw that all the rooms had air conditioners. The hotel staff told us that over the years, the environment had declined and that one could not do without fans or air-conditioners during the summer. Not only that, but the amount of snowfall annually has also been declining over the years.u00a0