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Ladakh MP Shares Pictures Of Trash Dumped By Tourists On River; Calls It Inhuman

by Tania Tarafdar
Ladakh MP Shares Pictures Of Trash Dumped By Tourists On River; Calls It Inhuman

Ladakh is home to some of the dreamiest landscapes in India. But recently, due to the heavy influx of tourists and their irresponsible conduct, parts of the Union Territory are getting heartbreakingly polluted. Irresponsible tourists discard plastic bottles and other scraps in open spaces of the cold dessert, which not only destroy the scenic beauty but also pose environmental hazards. Recently, Member of Parliament Jamyang Tsering Namgyal tweeted snaps of the Indus River dirtied by garbage and plastic bottles and called it ‘inhuman behaviour’.

In his tweet, Namgyal stated, “Welcome all the pilgrims to Ladakh who perform #SindhuPushkar according to their belief but strongly condemn the inhuman behaviour of some of them who pollute the clean environment by dumping garbages in the lap of the Sindhu.”

Ladakh Is Facing Water Scarcity With Less Snowfall & Frozen Rivers; Climate Change Responsible

Former known as Zbayul, Henasku is a hidden village along the Leh-Kargil known for its ancient fort ruins and the Lhonpo house. Here you can experience living in a local Ladakhi home. However now, the village is running out of water. As the local legend goes, a spirit named Zbalu cursed the Ladakhi village to run out of water one day. Centuries later, with decreasing snowfall and climate change, the villagers are leaving behind their ancestral home in search of a new life closer to the River Zanskar.

Farmers In Ladakh Are Facing An Acute Shortage Of Water

Leaving the folk tales aside, it is time to focus on the current situation. Many villages in Ladakh are struggling with water scarcity due to shrinking glaciers and less snowfall. Farmers in Ladakh are facing an acute shortage of water due to frozen rivers and untimely snowfall during winters. Lower snowfall led to receding glaciers which caused water scarcity in the villages.

Also read: 68-Year-Old Ladakh Man Single-Handedly Built 38 Km Road; Awarded Padma Shri

Sonam Wangchuk Is Creating Artificial Glaciers

Engineer and educationist, Sonam Wangchuk is using his determination to fight the water crisis in the region. With his Ice Stupa Project, Sonam Wangchuk’s team successfully created artificial glaciers by collecting winter waters. This, also helped the farmers in irrigation in springtime. Glaciers need constant maintenance and a north-facing valley to shade the ice from melting. The frozen glaciers keeps the water from wasting away down the streams and into the rivers.

Also read: Ladakh Gets World’s Highest Electric Vehicle Charging Stations At 14,000 Ft

This village in the Zanskar Valley watched the glacier behind their community disappear and is now in perpetual drought. Kumik itself is a warning for the future of the Himalayas.