Ladakh diverts 90 million litres of glacial melt daily to irrigate 1,000+ acres after village chief's appeal

Ladakh's administration has redirected glacier meltwater that was flowing unused into the Indus to local irrigation systems. The change followed an appeal by Mirza Hussain, the goba (village head) of Chuchot, during a visit by Lieutenant Governor V K Saxena. Officials identified the Stok village nallah, fed by the Stok Kangri Glacier, as a practical point to capture large volumes of seasonal discharge.

Officials measured the Stok nallah discharge at about 36 cusecs, roughly 90 million litres over 24 hours. Simple earthwork created two channels that divert nearly 80 million litres daily into the existing 43-km Igoo-Phey Canal. The split sends about 62 million litres toward Igoo village upstream and about 18 million litres to Phey downstream. The remaining roughly 10 million litres were routed into a dry canal at Chuchot for local fields.

Officials describe the intervention as low-cost, relying on relatively simple earthworks rather than major engineered structures. The administration said the diversion reduced the Stok Kangri glacier's discharge into the Indus to zero within two days, meaning almost all measured melt at that point is now being used for irrigation.

Before the diversion, the Igoo-Phey Canal's limited supply forced a time-scheduled roster for villages to access water. The new sustained flows are intended to make daily supply predictable and expand the canal's command area. The extra water to Chuchot addresses immediate shortages raised by the village head and helps irrigate surrounding farmland.

Administration view and next steps cited

Officials framed the successful channelisation as a model the Union Territory can replicate where glacier-fed streams run unused past dry fields. Related local initiatives referenced by media include filling reservoirs under Project Him Sarovar and plans to channel glacier water into other lakes, indicating a broader administrative push to capture seasonal meltwater for agriculture and water security.

A village head's appeal led the Ladakh LG to repurpose glacier melt that had been lost to the Indus. Using modest earthworks, authorities redirected about 90 million litres daily into irrigation canals, expanding reliable water supply to 12 villages and irrigating more than 1,000 acres with little capital outlay.