By IANS,
Shimla : The average maximum temperature in Himachal Pradesh has increased by 5.2 degrees Celsius during the past four decades, while average rainfall has remained unchanged, Chief Minister Prem Kumar Dhumal said here Tuesday.
Studies show that the highest average temperature in the state was 28.5 degrees Celsius in 1971-72, which increased to 33.7 degrees in 2010-11, whereas the minimum temperature has remained static.
Quoting from the ‘Compendium of Environmental Statistics, Himachal Pradesh – 2012’, which was released here to mark World Environment Day, the chief minister said the state’s minimum average temperature, which was registered at 5.6 degrees Celsius in 1971-72, is now 5.8 degrees.
The publication, compiled by the state’s department of economics and statistics, says the cycles of rain and snow have changed marginally but average rainfall has remained static.
The state has 31,757.71 sq km of area under snow cover, and changes in the rain and snowfall cycle are a result of emission of greenhouse gases and carbon dioxide.
The report points to automated vehicles, which number 167,264, as the major source of carbon dioxide. In comparison, there were only 9,116 vehicles four decades ago.
The forest cover in the state has increased by 16,460 sq km in the past four decades, to reach the aggregate size of 37,000 sq. km.