The Municipal Committee of Leh, in collaboration with the Ladakh Pollution Control Committee and World Wide Fund for Nature Ladakh, launched a sanitation drive as part of the Swachh Bharat Abhiyan initiative on May 25.

The theme of the drive was ‘The Himalayan Cleanup’. The initiative will span for a period of 10 days, from May 25 to June 5. Each of the first four days is dedicated to covering three wards daily. The wards covered on May 25 were Gangles Gompa, Chubi Sankar, and Changspa.

The primary objective of the cleanliness campaign is to foster a clean environment within the Leh district and to instill a sense of responsibility among its residents towards cleanliness.

Brij Mohan Sharma, Additional Principal Chief Conservator of Forests, flagged off the cleanliness drive from Gangles Gonpa, which is in Ward 1.

He emphasised the significance of cleanliness and highlighted the role of active citizen participation in maintaining a pristine environment. He also added that on June 5, which is World Environment Day, all 13 wards will undergo evaluation and subsequently be ranked based on their cleanliness levels.

The cleanliness drive will conclude by celebrating World Environment Day at Ladakh University, Taru.

Jigmet Takpa, Vice President of the Integrated Mountain Initiative, pointed out how Ladakh is known for its breathtaking landscapes and emphasised the importance of preserving the environment, given that the economy of Ladakh thrives on it.

Ruksana Parveen, District Officer of Ladakh Pollution Control Committee, spoke about the main goal of the campaign, which is to clean all the wards by June 5, in collaboration with the Ladakh Pollution Control Committee, Sustainable Development Forum, World Wide Fund, Tourism Department, and Municipal Committee.

Participants included Stanzin Rabgais, Executive Officer of the Municipal Committee of Leh, officers and officials of Ladakh Pollution Control Committee, Municipal Committee of Leh, citizens, and community members of concerned wards.