Villages in Ladakh compete for building artificial glaciers

Our Correspondent

Leh, March 4

With an aim to promote artificial glaciers and to deal with water scarcity in villages in this cold desert, innovator Sonam Wangchuk has conceived a village-level competition of building ice stupas. The contest started in December and will conclude by March-end.

In the competition, at least 12 villages are taking part to build the highest ice stupa. An ice stupa is a form of artificial glacier which stores water in winter to be used by farmers in spring, the sowing season of the one-time crop of Ladakh.

During this crucial farming season, the locals are facing a drought-like situation as the flow of glacier melt, which is the only source of water in Ladakh, has come down due to unusually cold weather.

For the competition, Wangchuk will donate money to support the youth in building ice stupas. The aim of the competition is to spread awareness among people to conserve water which remains unused in the winter season.

The youth have been given free training and material, including pipes, needed to build the ice stupas.

At least 12 villages, both in Leh and Kargil districts, are taking part in the competition which will carry the cash award of Rs 5 lakh, Rs 3 lakh and Rs 2 lakh for the first, second and third position, respectively.

The competition started in mid-December last year and would conclude in March-end, Wangchuk said.

When asked whether the participants would get a better opportunity to build the ice stupas as this year has been colder than the earlier years, he said cold weather was creating troubles also as it was leading to freezing water pipes.

He said all participants were building ice stupas with different themes, like natural ice cafe inside the ice stupa In Gya Meru and ice climbing in Shara, to attract tourists through which they want to earn some revenue.

The teams were given basic training in building ice stupas. Also, Wangchuk’s volunteer team has been monitoring and mentoring the participants throughout the winter.