KATHMANDU: In contrary to the report of Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), Ministry of Environment and Forest, India, in a report have stated that the melting of the glacier in the Himalayas is slower than ever before.

The research report entitled 'Himalayan Glaciers, A state of Art Review of Glacial Studies, Glacier

retreat and Climate Change' states that Glaciers in the Himalayas, shrinking in volume and constantly showing a retreat, have not in any way exhibited, especially in recent years and has not shown any abnormal retreat, as has been reported in some glaciers in Alaska and Greenland.

Presenting Gangotri as an example, the report adds that the rate of the retreat has come down considerably. The report has shown that in between September 2007 and June 2009, Gangotri is practically at standstill. The report has taken into consideration the data from the past 50 years on Indian Glaciers.

But a climate change expert Adarsha Pokharel from Nepal denies the findings. He argues that the report of IPCC peer, reviewed by more than 2,000 leading scientists, accepted the fact that the glaciers are melting at faster pace than ever.

The Indian report further adds that the local changes in the glacier may sometimes show close relation with the climatic parameters but said that could be a mere coincidence.

Meanwhile, experts in Nepal, citing inadequacy of data, have completely denied the claim that the retreat is slow.

"We have a very clear evidence of what is happening. I don't know why the minister is supporting this unsubstantiated research," Guardian daily quoted Rajendra Pachauri, chairman of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, as saying.