Leh, June 27: A delegation from Art of Living- Sri Sri Rural Development Programme (SSRDP) Trust led by its Trustee, Shri Deepak Sharma and Director, New Millennium School, Leh, Smt Rinchen Wangmo, called on the Hon’ble Lieutenant Governor of Ladakh, Brigadier (Dr) BD Mishra (Retd), at the Lieutenant Governor’s Secretariat. Commissioner/Secretary to the HLG, Shri L Franklin, IAS, was present in the meeting.Shri Deepak informed the HLG about the skill training provided by the Trust to students at the Advanced Skill Development Training Center in Jamyang High School, Leh in renewable energy and plumbing. He also informed that the students at New Millennium School are being trained in bakery skills. He further informed about the Trust’s MoU with ITBP to collaborate on development projects in border areas under the Vibrant Villages Programme.
Informing about the Himalay Unnati Mission (HUM) or Save Himalaya initiative in which 102 NGOs from India, Nepal and Bhutan are collaborating, Shri Deepak apprised the HLG of the plan to organise a conference in Leh. He also informed the HLG of the plan of Sri Sri Ravi Shankar to visit Ladakh soon.
Smt Rinchen Wangmo requested the HLG’s intervention in the extension of time to upgrade the schools at New Millennium School for affiliation with CBSE.
The HLG appreciated the Trust for their work in providing skill training to youth in Ladakh and asked them to provide skill training to youth in Kargil also. He also spoke to CEC LAHDC Kargil, Shri Mohd Jaffer Akhoon and asked LAHDC Kargil to collaborate with the Trust to provide skills training to youth/students at two schools in Kargil. He also spoke to the concerned Army official and asked them to hold a meeting with the members of the Trust to explore potential developmental projects in border areas under Vibrant Villages Programme.
The HLG also asked Smt Rinchen and the Trust members to meet with Principal Secretary, School Education Department, regarding the interventions required for the school’s affiliation with CBSE.
A delegation comprising members of All Ladakh Tour Operators Association (ALTOA) led by its President, Tsewang Dorje called on the HLG at the LG Secretariat. Commissioner/Secretary to the HLG, Shri L Franklin, IAS and Secretary, Tourism Department, Shri Vikram Singh Malik, IAS, were present in the meeting.
Shri Dorjey and General Secretary, ALTOA, Shri Namgyal raised several issues regarding tourism industry in Ladakh, including making Ladakh Residence Certificate (LRC) mandatory for registration of tour operators/agencies in Ladakh; some part of the peak climbing fee being charged by Indian Mountaineering Foundation (IMF) to be utilised for cleanliness drive in Ladakh; providing mountaineering training to guides from Ladakh; permission to use satellite phones in trekking routes where telephone network is not available; the need to increase the number of flights in Ladakh; installation of traffic lights and ensuring no-honking zones in Leh town; the need to prepare a new logo for Tourism Department, etc.
The HLG informed members from ALTOA about the plan to replicate the model adopted by Sikkim for the benefit of guides/mountaineers from Ladakh. He also shared the plan to provide mountaineering training to guides from Ladakh. He stated that Ladakh Police would look into the security risks posed by the usage of satellite phones and then take necessary actions based on the report.
The HLG informed the delegates that 16 flights are operating in Ladakh daily to cater to the needs of the tourists visiting Ladakh. The HLG informed the delegates that he would ask ADGP Ladakh Police to look into the matter of installing traffic lights and marking a few areas as no-honking zones in Leh town.
