Mass public consultation campaign for the Leh Vision Document 2030 was launched by Hill Council, Leh on August 10. 

The draft vision document was prepared by Hill Council, Leh with support from experts from Bremen Overseas Research Development Association (BORDA) and Ladakh Ecological Development Group (LEDeG). 

The main objective of the mass public consultation process is to involve the residents and stakeholders to make it a truly participative process to make the Leh Vision document a collective vision of people of Leh town. Under the mass public consultation campaign, meetings with stakeholders, members of Municipal wards, experts, and interviews with prominent personalities of Leh would be aired. The collective feedback and suggestions would be incorporated to improve the draft vision document. 

Leh Vision Document is a roadmap to achieve Sustainable Development Goals (SDG)-6, that focuses on clean water and sanitation, and SDG-11 (Sustainable cities and communities) to make Leh a resilient, inclusive, liveable, and happy Himalayan town. LAHDC Leh had earlier prepared a Ladakh Vision Document-2025 for the entire region, but Leh Vision Document-2030 is specifically for Leh town.

C Phuntsog, the advisor and one of the authors of the Leh Vision Document, stressed the importance of making the vision document implementable. 

“We have around 7-8 Master Plans gathering dust because they were not implementable. What we need is an implementable Vision Document. The government officials should know what steps they have to take just by looking at the vision document. That is what we have are trying to do with this vision document,” he said.

One of the highlights of the Leh Vision Document is a separate chapter on happiness and compassion as Leh is an exemplary town of religious harmony that ultimately elevates happiness. The principal vision for Leh town is to restore and maintain a deep sense of happiness. The objective of the Leh Vision Document is to help Leh achieve the goal of becoming the happiest town in India. 

The Leh Vision Document was initiated by Late Dr. Sonam Dawa, the then-chairman of LAHDC Leh, in 2017. Soon after his demise, the initiative was taken further by his successor, Late Dorje Motup, who issued an order to constitute an 8-member Strategic Planning Committee (SPC) team headed by C Phuntsog to prepare the vision document. 

Subsequently, the committee held meetings with local stakeholders, government officials, and external experts in relevant fields to find the best possible solutions and sustainable practices for Leh town. 

Gyal P Wangyal, CEC, Hill Council, Leh said, “Ladakh needed a vision document for Leh town. The previous CECs during their time had come up with the Ladakh Vision 2025 and micro-level planning. Now, we have the Leh Vision Document 2030. People of Ladakh are responsible for taking Ladakh on the path of progress, especially now that we have become a UT. Today, we are going to launch the mass public consultation process but the onus is on us to implement it to achieve our vision.”

Speaking on the occasion, MP Ladakh, Jamyang Tsering Namgyal said that Leh could be decongested if it has a proper vision. 

“Today, we are facing the problem of solid waste management. We need to utilize the concept of reuse and recycle. Some of this would be taken care of by the Mass Public Consultation process for the Leh Vision Document while taking feedback and suggestions from the stakeholders and residents of Leh town. There is a desire on one side and need on the other but both are different things. What people need or what they desire need to be differentiated and chalked out,” said Jamyang. 

Executive Councillors, Hill Council, Leh; Sachin Kumar, Deputy Commissioner Leh; Moses Kunzang, Director, Urban Local Bodies, Ladakh; Dr. Ishey Namgyal, President, Municipal Committee Leh; Rajiv Pandey (IPS), Senior Superintendent of Police, Leh; leaders from different religious organisations among others were present.