Ladakh to restore 800 acres of barren land with freshwater engineering

Ladakh has launched a major drive to restore 800 acres of barren land in Leh using water from the Igoo-Phey Canal. Concurrently, the region is advancing its geothermal energy project in Puga valley with an extended MoU with ONGC.

Ladakh Launches Ambitious Land Restoration Drive

The Lieutenant Governor of Ladakh, Vinai Kumar Saxena, on Sunday, informed about the launch of a major ecological and degraded land restoration drive aiming to reclaim nearly 800 acres of barren land at Spituk Village in Leh. The initiative utilises simple, cost-effective freshwater engineering by channelising excess water from the recently restored Igoo-Phey Canal to hydrate parched soils, flush out toxic salts, and trigger natural vegetation growth.

Talking to X, LG said, "Glad to share the launch of an ambitious ecological and degraded land restoration drive in Ladakh, aimed at restoring nearly 800 acres of degraded and barren land at Spituk Village in Leh, using a simple & cost-effective freshwater engineering. The land, lying barren for hundreds of years, is being watered by channelizing the excess water from the recently restored Igoo-Phey Canal, using simple machinery. Freshwater discharge would eventually hydrate the parched soils, flush out toxic salts, and trigger the natural vegetation growth, transforming wastelands into fertile, moisture-retaining ecosystems."

Building upon the success of Project Him Sarovar, this project is designed to recharge groundwater, bind soil, and expand fertile land for sustainable agricultural activities across the region. "This initiative builds upon our successful Project Him Sarovar and complements the revival of the Igoo-Phey Canal that now irrigates over 4,300 hectares of land. By recharging groundwater, binding soil, and enabling sustainable agriculture, I am hopeful, this project will serve as a model for ecological transformation, restoring degraded land and adding more land for agriculture activities in Ladakh," LG added.

Major Push for Geothermal Energy

Meanwhile, Ladakh is all set for a major energy reform with the first-ever commercial exploration of geothermal energy being used as a sustainable alternative source of energy.

Earlier, Vinai Kumar Saxena approved the extension of the MoU for 5 years with Oil and Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC) - a Govt of India PSU, for setting up India's first geothermal power project at Puga valley in Ladakh, at an altitude of over 14,000 ft. According to an official release, the earlier tripartite MoU signed with ONGC on 6th February 2021 had expired on 5th February 2026, according to an official statement. Since then, ONGC has been requesting an extension of the MoU, as a lot of work had remained incomplete due to harsh weather conditions. (ANI)

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