LEH: 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 Saxena 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 IgooPhey 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.
According to officials, the project aims to alter the local ecosystem by allowing freshwater to spread and percolate into the soil, thereby replenishing depleted aquifers, restoring groundwater levels and triggering natural vegetation growth. The initiative is also expected to improve soil health and create opportunities for sustainable agriculture and afforestation without resorting to energyintensive 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. “This initiative is expected to become a model for sustainable irrigation expansion, improved agricultural productivity and ecological restoration across Ladakh. Nearly 800 acres of barren land are being watered using excess water from the Igoo-Phey Canal to increase soil moisture and trigger natural rejuvenation,” the lieutenant governor said.
The initiative aligns with the vision of Narendra Modi to restore 26 million hectares of degraded land across the country by 2030, he said. The project follows the successful implementation of Project Him Sarovar, aimed at enhancing long-term water security through the creation of small water bodies to harness snow resources, officials added. It also comes days after the restoration and operationalisation of the Igoo-Phey Canal on May 15, 2026, a key irrigation network designed to irrigate more than 4,300 hectares of agricultural land across several villages in Ladakh, they said.
