Leh, Ladakh’s Lieutenant Governor Vinai Kumar Saxena has hailed the filling of four large reservoirs—constructed under Project ‘Him Sarovar’ at Spituk Pharka—with glacial meltwater as a significant achievement in water conservation and environmental resilience. According to the administration, the construction of these four ponds was completed in just five months. Work began on April 10, and this phase of the project concluded on September 9 with the recharging and operationalization of the fourth pond.
Under the project, the first pond filled with water on June 21 , the second on July 19 , the third on August 24 , and the fourth on September 9 . Each pond measures 60 meters × 40 meters × 2 meters and has the capacity to store approximately 6 million liters of glacier meltwater. Collectively, the four reservoirs will conserve nearly 24 million liters of precious water —water that previously went to waste during seasonal flows.
A distinctive feature of these glacial ponds is that they are being recharged directly by seasonal water flowing from the Stok Glacier . According to the administration, the water flow was diverted via the Igu-Pehe Canal to reach these reservoirs. This enables the conservation of large quantities of glacial water, which can then be utilized for irrigation, ecological restoration, and long-term water security .
The project is expected to develop a new command area of approximately 1,000 acres , potentially boosting agricultural activities in Ladakh’s cold, arid desert region. The Lieutenant Governor attributed this achievement to the administration’s commitment to environmental resilience, agricultural revitalization, and sustainable water security in Ladakh. The ‘Him Sarovar’ project has emerged as a significant step towards conserving seasonal glacial meltwater and utilizing it to meet local needs.
