Secretary of Rural Development Department, Transport, IT, S&T and DMRRR for UT Ladakh, Amit Sharma, toured the Zanskar Sub-Division on June 26 to assess various developmental activities.

On the first day of his visit, Secretary Sharma, who also serves as Arbitrator for NHIDCL Acquisition Cases for UT Ladakh, reviewed several cases concerning road compensation related to the expansion of the Kargil-Zanskar National Highway.

Regarding a specific arbitration case, Secretary Sharma remarked, “As an arbitrator, I shall go through the reasoning of the case and will ultimately decide it.” He also instructed the NHIDCL to establish the Arbitrator Office at UT Headquarters in Leh promptly and directed the concerned officers to expedite the resolution of genuine arbitration cases in Kargil and Leh.

Emphasizing the importance of five Buddhist heritage sites, Secretary Sharma instructed the SDM to submit a requisite report on these culturally rich sites. The goal is for the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) to take over their preservation under the category of 'protected sites.'

Secretary Sharma also highlighted the need for more public transport buses in Zanskar. He assured that four electric buses and four electric charge points would soon be installed across different spots in Zanskar to facilitate easier transportation for the public among the villages.

During the meeting, Secretary Sharma also addressed the grievances and assessed the needs of the Rural Development Department in Zanskar. He was informed about the requirement for more cleanliness workers and the expansion of labor strength for collecting legacy waste. He directed all concerned to ensure cleanliness and waste collection in all three blocks of Zanskar with dedication.

Appreciating the suggestion for constructing Common Service Centres (CSCs) in various villages of Zanskar, Secretary Sharma noted that these centers would allow residents to access maximum services online without traveling long distances to district headquarters. He was also informed about the shortage of Junior Engineers in the Rural Development Department, Zanskar, and assured that the necessary actions would be taken.

The meeting was attended by Additional Deputy Commissioner Kargil, Suhail Ahmed; SDM Zanskar, Rumail Singh; Naib Tehsildar, Rohullah; General Manager, NHIDCL; PA to Commissioner Secretary, Ghulam Haider, and the Arbitrator team, along with officers from the Rural Development Department and other departments.

Later, Secretary Sharma visited Sheela waterfall, located 10 km from Padum, and a natural lake site with his team. He suggested that the SDM Zanskar harness the tourism potential of this beautiful sub-division, which now has direct connectivity with Leh and the Manali district of Himachal Pradesh.

On the way to Zanskar, Secretary Sharma interacted with officers of the RDD from Sankoo and Taisuru Blocks. He directed them to ensure power and broadband connectivity at all SWAN Centres set up in Ladakh up to the Gram Panchayat level, facilitating the general public to connect with all offices via video conferencing.