The Ladakh administration has submitted a proposal to the Union ministry of Jal Shakti for the construction of 36 check dams to enhance water availability and expand irrigation in the Union Territory. The proposal includes seven Himalayan rock check dams in Leh and 29 reinforced cement concrete (RCC) check dams in Kargil, with an estimated cost exceeding Rs 56 crore.
A spokesperson for the administration stated that the proposal has been submitted for inclusion under the Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchayee Yojana (PMKSY) and awaits consideration and approval from the ministry.
According to the detailed project report, the proposed check dams are expected to irrigate over 18,600 acres of land. This initiative aims to conserve water and improve its availability for agriculture in Ladakh, a region that faces significant irrigation challenges despite its glaciers, snowfall, and glacial meltwater. Currently, less than one percent of the total annual snow and glacial meltwater is utilized.
The check dams are designed to create an average storage capacity of 25-30 million liters of water in shallow river stretches and have demonstrated durability against increasing water flows.
Ladakh's lieutenant governor, Vinai Kumar Saxena, highlighted recent successful initiatives, such as diverting approximately 90 million liters of glacier water from Stok Nallah into the Igoo-Phey Canal and Chushot village canal. He emphasized that simple, cost-effective, and environmentally suitable interventions can significantly improve water availability and agriculture.
Saxena added, "We must harness every possible water resource and create a water-secure, agriculturally prosperous, and climate-resilient Ladakh."
