Groundwater depletion sparking concern in Ladakh, LG Gupta briefs Manohar Lal

Ladakh’s Lt Governor Kavinder Gupta, during his meeting with the Union Minister for Power, and Housing and Urban Affairs, Manohar Lal, on Tuesday, stressed the urgent need to address the issue of the cold desert region staring at a deepening water crisis, with the groundwater reserves depleting at an alarming pace.

The LG underlined that the sanctioned water supply projects are a decisive step towards safeguarding future generations and ensuring sustainability in the region. He stressed that this grave situation needs to be addressed as a priority.

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Gupta held a detailed discussion with the Union minister on the major developmental projects of UT Ladakh.

He apprised Minister Manohar Lal about two landmark 24×7 water supply projects for Leh and Kargil towns, costing Rs 334.72 crore and Rs 373.17 crore respectively, which have been approved by the State High Powered Steering Committee (SHPSC) of UT Ladakh and subsequently cleared by the 12th Apex Committee under AMRUT 2.0 held on 17 April 2025. He highlighted that the projects have been included in the State Water Action Plan (SWAP) with a committed Central Assistance of Rs 62 crore (Rs 31 crore per project), while the UT Administration will manage the balance funding.

The Lt Governor further briefed that as per the Apex Committee’s decisions, the total allocation of Central Assistance for Ladakh under AMRUT 2.0 stands at Rs 128 crore, in a 90:10 funding ratio. Of this, Rs 58.5 crore has already been released as the first tranche and Rs 69.5 crore as the second tranche to support these projects.

The LT Governor also briefed the Union Minister about the demand for an Urban Housing project under PMAY-U 2.0 in the Union Territory of Ladakh, emphasising the need to strengthen housing infrastructure to meet the growing requirements of Leh and Kargil towns.

In addition, the Lt Governor also raised issues pertaining to the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) Project at Pang-Kharnak and other ongoing initiatives under the Ministry of Power in Ladakh, seeking continued assistance and intervention to expedite their completion. He stressed that these projects are closely aligned with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision of making Ladakh a carbon-neutral region and sustainable energy producer, thereby supporting the ecologically fragile region while meeting its developmental aspirations.

The Union Minister appreciated the efforts of the UT Administration in prioritising critical urban and power sector projects and assured the full support of the Government of India in addressing Ladakh’s unique developmental challenges.

The Lt Governor reaffirmed that the UT Administration will make all efforts to ensure the speedy and successful execution of the sanctioned projects, in line with the vision of the Prime Minister for sustainable and inclusive development in Ladakh, an official spokesman added.