BackWORLD
Ladakh’s Him Sarovar Plan: Aiming to Build 100 Reservoirs to Tackle Water Shortage
Ladakh has launched Project Him Sarovar to capture and store summer snowmelt and glacial water through 100 village reservoirs. The plan, announced on April 10, involves 50 reservoirs in the first phase (30 in Leh, 20 in Kargil) with support from the army, ITBP, BRO, and local communities. The first reservoir at Stok near Leh began receiving glacier water on April 17 after a site visit on March 26.
Why It Matters
The initiative addresses seasonal water stress in a high-altitude desert by creating year-round water storage, potentially affecting agriculture, livelihoods, and regional climate resilience.
Timeline
5 Events
Ongoing works in Leh including Matho and additional sites
April 23, 2026
Work is underway across several locations in Leh. At Spituk Pharka, four water bodies were started on April 10, and at Matho village, cleaning, dredging, and construction of retaining walls are in progress.
First reservoir at Stok village receives glacier water
April 17, 2026
The first water body created under Project Him Sarovar at Stok village near Leh was inaugurated and glacier water was released into the reservoir on April 17, 2026. The structure spans 1,824 square metres and can store nearly 35 lakh litres, enough to irrigate around 150 hectares. It was built by restoring a heavily silted natural depression, cleaned, dredged, stone-pitched, and reinforced with support from multiple departments and local residents.
Construction begins at Spituk Pharka
April 10, 2026
At Spituk Pharka, construction of four water bodies began on April 10 as part of the rollout of Project Him Sarovar.
Project Him Sarovar launched
April 10, 2026
Ladakh administration launched Project Him Sarovar on April 10, with a plan to build 100 water bodies within a year. Officials said 50 would be underway in the first phase—30 in Leh and 20 in Kargil—backed by the army, ITBP, BRO, and local communities.
First site visit to Project Him Sarovar
March 26, 2026
The first site visit to Project Him Sarovar was conducted on March 26, 2026, setting the stage for the rapid construction of village reservoirs to store snowmelt and glacial melt.