The Indian Space Research Organisation has sanctioned a prestigious project on the study of glaciers in the Chandra basin in Lahul-Spiti district of Himachal Pradesh to the Department of Geology of Government Degree College, Dharamsala. The project would investigate the retreat of glaciers in the Chandra basin. Dr Narendra Awasthi, Principal of the college, said this project, worth Rs 21 lakh, would have a life of four years and faculty of the Department of Geology would carry out the project. The investigations of the retreat of the glaciers in the Chandra basin would be done under the project using the latest satellite date of the past 10 years, he said. Retreat of Himalayan glaciers is of immense importance as glaciers feed rivers originating from the Himalayas, support large population for sustained agriculture, domestic use, hydropower and other employment generation activities downstream.