Early Times Report
Leh, July 8: Chief Secretary, UT Ladakh, Ashish Kundra undertook a two-day tour of Changthang district to assess the progress of developmental works, inspect key public infrastructure projects, and interact with residents across several remote villages, including Korzok, Puga, and Kharnak. The Chief Secretary was accompanied by Administrative Secretary, School Education Department, Bhanu Prabha; Administrative Secretary, Public Works Department, Baseer-ul-Haq Chaudhary; Deputy Commissioner, Changthang, Nitish Kumar; Superintendent of Police, Changthang, Abbass Jafari; Chief Engineer, Power Development Department, Tsewang Paljor; Assistant Director, Sheep Husbandry Department, Dr. Asif; Consultant/OSD, Moses Kunzang along with other concerned officers. On the first day of the tour, the Chief Secretary visited Korzok village, where he held an interaction with local representatives and members of the public. A delegation led by former Councillor Karma Namdak highlighted several issues concerning the village, including poor telecommunications connectivity, the need to establish a Tsangda system, enhancement of employment opportunities at J&K Bank, and early completion of the under-construction primary school. Another delegation representing the Tibetan Refugee communities of Sumdho and Chumur requested the construction of a community hall and raised other developmental concerns on their settlements. During the visit, the Chief Secretary also inspected the ongoing construction of the PWD Rest House at Korzok and reviewed the progress of the project. He directed the concerned executing agencies to ensure timely completion while maintaining the prescribed quality standards. On the second day, Ashish Kundra visited the Primary Health Centre (PHC), Korzok, where he interacted with the medical staff and enquired about the availability of healthcare services, infrastructure, manpower and operational challenges. He assured the health officials that their concerns would be examined appropriately. The Chief Secretary later visited Puga and inspected the progress of the geothermal drilling project. He reviewed the status of the ongoing works with the concerned officials and emphasised the importance of timely execution of the project considering its strategic significance for sustainable energy development in Ladakh. He also inspected the construction of the Centralised Residential School at Puga and directed the executing agencies to expedite the work so that the facility could be made operational at the earliest for the benefit of students from the region. |