Washington, June 08:At a time when the Bush administration is coming under a lot of criticism at home and abroad for its policies on global warming and climate change a new State Department Report has warned that Asia is heading for fresh water crisis due to the melting of the glaciers in the Himalayas. Himalayas are sources of fresh water supplies to major rivers of Asia. The report submitted to the Congress said that reduced fresh water availability in Asia could affect more than one billion people by the mid-century. It has focussed on safe water and sanitation strategy in developing countries. "Increased floods and changes in coastal water temperatures could result in greater morbidity and mortality due to diarrhoeal disease" the report has further warned. The point made by the State department report is that globally by 2020 between 75 and 250 million people are expected to be under "water stress" due to long-term climate shifts and population growth.
