Nepali Minister for Forest and Soil Conversation Kiran Gurung said more than 20 glacial lakes in Nepal have been posing danger of outburst at any time due to the melting of ice on the Himalayas, the National News Agency RSS reported on Thursday.

Speaking at a conference on "Nepal Nature Conservation Year 2009 and Poverty Reduction in Rural Areas of Nepal through Forests Resources Management" on Wednesday, Gurung said global warming has made mountainous region more vulnerable to floods and landslide and other natural catastrophes.

Gurung said that glacial lakes outburst would deplete fresh water resources, threaten rich biological diversity, including wildlife and cultural heritage, degrade agricultural and forest land, and leave destructive impact on the development infrastructure.

He said that preserving Himalayan resources is a common challenge and should be high on the agenda of international development cooperation, and added that Nepal was committed in sustainable development campaign and preservation of bio-heritage.

On the occasion, Ghan Shyam Pandey, Chairperson of the Federation of Community Forest Users, Nepal, stressed on the collective hands of public and private sectors to conduct the Nature Conservation Year 2009 successfully.

(Xinhua News Agency April 30, 2009)