The Union Territory of Ladakh has achieved a significant milestone with the approval of the State Action Plan on Clean Air and the launch of the Online Consent Management & Monitoring System (OCMMS) by the Ladakh Pollution Control Committee (LPCC), under the Ministry of Environment, Forest & Climate Change, Government of India. Additionally, a Pictorial Guide on Bio-medical Waste Segregation and Disposal, aligned with the Bio-medical Waste Management Rules, 2016, was unveiled to promote effective waste management practices.

In a key meeting held at the Civil Secretariat in Leh on January 29, Dr. Pawan Kotwal, Advisor to UT Ladakh and Chairman of the State Action Plan on Clean Air, granted approval to the plan, which was developed by the Air Quality Monitoring Committee (AQMC) and finalized after extensive deliberations with the Steering Committee.

Dr. Kotwal acknowledged that Ladakh enjoys relatively better air quality than other parts of the country. He directed the LPCC to install digital display boards in Leh and Kargil districts—in key locations like main bazaars and airports—to showcase Ladakh as a "clean air region." He also emphasized the need to procure electric and hydrogen-powered buses to enhance public transport while minimizing pollution.

To further curb emissions, he instructed officials to ensure the timely disposal of phased-out diesel generator (DG) sets and promote the adoption of retrofitting equipment for diesel machinery and vehicles as per existing environmental guidelines. Additionally, he directed the Transport Department to formulate a policy regulating the age limits for private and commercial vehicles and to introduce a vehicle scrapping policy suited to Ladakh’s unique environmental conditions.

Dr. Kotwal also urged concerned departments to expedite approvals for solid waste management initiatives in Leh and Kargil.

During the meeting, Brij Mohan Sharma, Principal Chief Conservator of Forests and Member Secretary of the LPCC, provided a comprehensive overview of the State Action Plan on Clean Air, including air pollution data for Leh and Kargil. The analysis, covering particulate matter (PM-10 and PM-2.5) levels from 2019 to November 2024, indicated that air quality levels have remained consistent over time.

Following the discussions, Dr. Kotwal officially launched the OCMMS, a single-window digital platform that streamlines the process for public and private stakeholders to obtain pollution-related consents and authorizations without paperwork.

He also unveiled the Pictorial Guide on Bio-medical Waste Segregation and Disposal, developed by the LPCC, to enhance awareness and compliance with the Bio-medical Waste Management Rules, 2016. This initiative aims to foster sustainable waste disposal practices across the region.

The meeting and launch event was attended by Dr. Vasanthakumar, Commissioner/Secretary of Forest, Ecology & Environment; Brij Mohan Sharma, Principal Chief Conservator of Forests/Member Secretary LPCC; Bhupesh Chaudhary, Secretary of Transport; Santosh Sukhdeve, Deputy Commissioner Leh; Mandeep Mittal, Regional Director LPCC; Tsewang Paljor, Chief Engineer PDD, and other senior officials. Sanjeev Khirwar, Principal Secretary of Industries & Commerce, and Srikant Suse, Deputy Commissioner Kargil, also participated via video conferencing.