Moshi — A Cabinet minister has allayed fears that ice caps on Mt Kilimanjaro that is a big tourist attraction in the region could disappear permanently.

The minister for Natural Resources and Tourism, Ms Shamsa Mwangunga, says contrary to reports that the ice caps were decreasing owing to effects of global warming, indications were that the snow cover on Africa's highest mountain were now increasing.

"Among the signs of more snow is the decrease in temperatures in areas surrounding the mountain, heavy rainfall this year and increased precipitation and spring water flow on the slopes of the mountain," she pointed out.

The minister toured the mountain last week as part of activities to mark the African Travel Association's annual meeting held in Arusha.

She said reports that the ice caps at the 5,895 metres high mountain would disappear in the next 20 years were overblown because there were signs that the snow cover had increased in recent years.

Ms Mwangunga explained that initiatives have been taken to minimise the effects of global warming and preserve the mountain's environment among other natural tourism attraction features.

"If we believe that the situation is caused by global warming, then it is time for the international community to implement effectively the Kyoto Protocol by reducing greenhouse gas emissions," she argued.

The minister's remarks contradicted those of her predecessor, Prof Jumanne Maghembe. He was speaking at a meeting of wildlife scientists last December.

Now the minister for Education and Vocational Training, Prof Maghembe quoted data from scientists indicating that the ice cap on Mt Kilimanjaro has dropped by over 80 per cent in the last 100 years.

He warned that the snow on Mt Kilimanjaro, one of the leading tourist attractions in the country, could disappear in the next 20 years at the current melting rate.

In 2002, Ms Zakhia Meghji, then minister for Natural Resources and Tourism, also rejected reports of fast depreciation of the snow on Mt Kilimanjaro.

She said no conclusive data had been arrived at by scientists on the matter.

At a meeting of natural resource experts, she said the amount of snow cover fluctuated depending on seasons and cycles of drought in the eastern Africa region.

However, scientists who have been observing the mountain glaciers over the years insist that there was approximately 12.1 square kilometres of ice on the mountain in 1901.

According to them, aerial photographs taken in 2000 showed that only 2.2 square kilometres of ice remained on the mountain and that most of the loss occurred since 1970. They blamed the situation on climatic changes.

An official of the National Environment Management Council (NEMC), Mr Carlos Mbuta, said in Arusha recently that recent observations by scientists on Mt Kilimanjaro indicated that out of every 1,000 tonnes of water from the mountain, 400 tonnes originated directly from the ice caps.

Scientists warning on the diminishing ice caps said they used maps, modern navigational satellites and markers placed on the mountain to measure the ice. They maintain that, at the current melting rate, the ice cap could be gone by 2020.

Minister Mwangunga said, as part of conservation efforts, some 4.8 million indigenous trees will be planted around the mountain to stem soil erosion and protect water sources.

Tree planting was one of the measures taken to conserve the mountain and its ecosystem. Another was the relocation of 20,000 people from the mountain's forest belt in Hai and West Kilimanjaro areas.

The snow-capped Kilimanjaro, made up of three extinct volcanoes-Kibo, Mawenzi and Shira- is one of the largest free outstanding mountains in the world. It attracts about 60,000 tourists annually, mainly mountain climbers.