On World Toilet Day, a daylong conference on Innovative Urban Sanitation for Ladakh organised by Housing and Urban Development Department was held on November 19 in Leh.

Lieutenant Governor, R K Mathur inaugurated the WASH facility for Sanitation Workers and unveiled the White Paper on Grey Water.

R K Mathur said that since Ladakh has become a Union Territory various environmental issues and the need for its impact assessment have come up time and again for serious consideration. He said, “Today’s conference is the acknowledgment of these issues and an effort on part of the UT Administration to look for solutions in this regard.” 

It was informed that under Jal Shakti Mission, UT administration is targeting to provide running water supply 24x7 to every household, schools, offices, Anganwadi centres by 2022. Mathur said that with the correct intention, technological expertise, and funding, sustainability is an achievable goal with least tampering with nature.

The Lt. Governor stressed on the need to initiate a large number of pilot projects to chalk out the most feasible solutions for faecal sludge management, greywater treatment, toilet technologies, and maximum utilization of local resources including all kinds of organic waste for organic manure, etc. He urged both the Hill Councils to actively get involved in this process and lead the implementation of various projects. Also, he stressed the need to adopt different technologies, specific action plans, clear targets, and set time frames to ensure clean water and sanitation for all which is envisaged in the Sustainable Development Goal 6. He exhorted on the need for everyone to come together including residents, schools, army, tourists, sanitation workers, and government to achieve the targeted goals towards environmental protection and sustainable development for Ladakh.

CEC, LAHDC, Leh Tashi Gyaltson; CEC LAHDC, Kargil, Feroz Ahmed Khan; Commissioner Secretary, A K Sahu; Director, Urban Local Bodies, Ladakh, Zahida Bano; Councilors, District Officers, officials of BORDA and LEDeG were present on the occasion. Regional Director, BORDA South Asia Stanzin Tsephel and expert speakers from different parts of India and Malaysia also attended the conference through video conferencing.