Chief Secretary of the Union Territory of Ladakh, Dr. Pawan Kotwal, chaired a high-level review meeting at the Civil Secretariat, Leh, on April 10, to assess the implementation status of the ‘Call Before You Dig’ (CBuD) mobile application and the Amended BharatNet Project.

The meeting commenced with a detailed presentation by Shashanka Ala, Secretary of the Information Technology Department, who briefed the participants on the objectives, functionality, and scope of the CBuD application. She also outlined the revised framework and proposed implementation strategy of the Amended BharatNet Project for Ladakh.

Highlighting the growing number of incidents involving damage to underground utilities caused by uncoordinated excavation, the Chief Secretary emphasized the mandatory use of the CBuD application by all departments and contractors before initiating any digging or excavation activities. He noted that the CBuD app, introduced by the Government of India, is a critical digital tool to enable coordinated, safe, and informed excavation, reducing disruption and public utility damage.

Dr. Kotwal issued strict instructions to all departments, stating that any contractor or individual found damaging public property, such as roads or utility infrastructure, without prior authorization, will face legal action. FIRs will be lodged, and such contractors will be blacklisted from future government projects and tenders.

Regarding the Amended BharatNet Project, which aims to provide last-mile internet connectivity to gram panchayats and remote habitations across Ladakh, the Chief Secretary underlined the importance of local-level consultation and administrative coordination. He directed the concerned departments to engage with local administration, elected councillors, and departmental secretaries before finalizing any implementing agencies, ensuring transparency, inclusivity, and smooth execution of the project.

The meeting was attended by the Administrative Secretary, PDD, Vikram Sigh Malik; Administrative Secretary, PWD, Micheal D'Souza;  Chief Conservator of Forest, Sajjad Mufti; Administrative Secretary,  IT  Shashanka Ala; Secretary, Higher & School Education, Bhanu Prabha;  Deputy Commissioner, Leh Santosh Sukhadeve; Deputy Commissioner Kargil Shrikant Suse; Chief Engineer PWD, Abdul Mutalib; Chief Engineer PDD, Tsewang Paljor; ACD Leh, AG Zargar; Deputy Secretary, Jigmet Raftan and other concerned officials.