Lieutenant Governor of Ladakh, Brigadier (Dr) BD Mishra (Retd) met Director, Defence Institute of High Altitude Research (DIHAR), Om Prakash Chaurasia at Raj Niwas on February 25.

Chaurasia informed about various initiatives taken by him in his 30 years of service as the Scientist and then the Director of DIHAR, including technological interventions to grow vegetables in sub-zero temperatures in the winter in Ladakh. He also informed about the nutritious requirements of the Army met by DIHAR through the production and sale of vegetables by the local farmer cooperatives. He further informed about the challenges faced by DIHAR in producing vegetables in bulk during the peak winter months and the technological interventions introduced such as triple polycarbonate greenhouses to increase the growth of vegetables to meet the demands of the people of Ladakh.

Lieutenant Governor, Brig (Dr) BD Mishra (Retd) inquired about the need to import vegetables from outside Ladakh to meet the demands of the people of Ladakh. He instructed to conduct quantification and increment drives so that the citizens of Ladakh- the farmers and the cooperatives can avail the benefits. He stressed need to minimize the practice of importing vegetables from outside Ladakh in the winter and also to insure above-average output by DIHAR.    

Later, Executive Director, NHIDCL Regional Office Leh, Padam Kumar met Lieutenant Governor, Brig (Dr) BD Mishra (Retd) at Raj Niwas. 

Padam informed about various infrastructure development activities being carried out by NHIDCL in Ladakh. He informed about the ongoing work on the 230 km-long NH-301 Kargil-Zanskar National Highway. He further apprised the Lieutenant Governor of Ladakh of the progress of work on the Zoji-La Tunnel. He also informed about the detailed project report (DPR) being prepared to build avalanche prevention structures between Zoji-La to Drass. He also assured to complete the pending works in Ladakh within the stipulated time.