Officials said that the pilot project has been undertaken on the directions of the LG Sinha after identifying around 800 acres of land near Spituk village in Leh that has remained barren for centuries.
Leh, May 24: Lieutenant Governor Vinai Kumar Saxena on Sunday launched an ambitious ecological restoration project to reclaim nearly 800 acres of barren land near Spituk and transform it into a productive ecosystem through innovative freshwater recharge techniques.
This was a major initiative launched by the LG aimed at reversing land degradation in the cold desert region of Ladakh.
Officials said that the pilot project has been undertaken on the directions of the LG Sinha after identifying around 800 acres of land near Spituk village in Leh that has remained barren for centuries.
“The initiative seeks to utilise excess water from the recently restored Igoo-Phey irrigation canal by diverting it across the degraded landscape through temporary channels and minor earthwork interventions using tractors and other machinery”, they said.
Ladakh receives less than 100 mm of annual rainfall and is heavily dependent on glacial meltwater, they said.
However, rapid runoff during early spring often leads to soil erosion, inadequate groundwater recharge and declining soil moisture, contributing to the expansion of arid and unproductive land.
The initiative is also expected to improve soil health and create opportunities for sustainable agriculture and afforestation without resorting to energy-intensive or costly engineering solutions, they said.
The freshwater recharge process is designed to flush harmful salts from degraded land, rehydrate dry subsoil layers and dissolve nutrients essential for plant growth, they said.
Authorities said the intervention is expected to deliver both immediate and long-term ecological benefits, including groundwater recharge, vegetation regeneration, soil
stabilisation and desalinisation.
Officials said moisture exposure is likely to activate dormant seeds present in the barren soil, leading initially to the growth of grasses and hardy shrubs, followed by larger vegetation over time.
The establishment of plant cover is expected to strengthen soil structure and reduce wind and water erosion, the primary drivers of land degradation in the region, they added.
The project also holds significant agricultural and economic potential. With improved soil moisture and reliable irrigation support, the restored land could eventually be utilised for crop cultivation and livestock grazing, creating new livelihood opportunities for local communities.
