Ice Stupas based sustainable tourism practices also solves water shortage in Ladakh

26 Ice stupas were built by Villagers and on an average 3 lakh litre water was stored in each such stupa for the winter season of 2019–20.

Clockwise: The Ice Stupas of Ladakh in 2019–20 season. The 1st , 2nd and 3rd biggest Ice Stupas from the villages of Igoo, Tarchit and Phyang. The last image shows a stack of Ice Stupas built in Gangles valley during an Ice Valley prototype project to conserve and later supply water for downstream villages and ultimately Leh city.

Known as cold desert, Ladakh is characterized by distinct geographical and climatic features. With reducing precipitation, increasing average temperatures, and reduced glaciers to water the villages, some Himalayan villages are now slowly turning into ghost towns with abandoned but habitable houses and wasted agricultural land.

Three major modern issues facing Ladakh are water scarcity, low indoor temperatures in buildings, and a shift from the original agrarian-based economy resulting into youth migration.

Sonam Wangchuk, an engineer turned educationist turned innovator has found out a unique way to address this problem of water scarcity and livelihood. Through what can be called as an Action Research Project in Ladakh, Wangchuk’s SECMOL has been actively promoting vertical artificial glaciers named as Ice Stupas.

As many as 26 ice stupas were built by villagers and on an average 3 lakh litre water was stored in each such stupa for the winter season of 2019–20. Through this project, anticipating villagers were able to conserve about 75 lakh litres of water during winters and eco-tourism activities like “1st Ladakh Ice Climbing Festival” gave opportunity to the local youth to be indulged in eco-entrepreneurial ventures, a government release said.

It will help in rehabilitation of abandoned villages and can change the local economy by solving water problem, encourage plantation of trees and increase irrigation for agriculture. The stupas are a source of tourist attraction and plantation of trees through community participation and engaging local in ‘Home Stay’ projects which, in turn, will help in their economic upliftment.

As part of the government’s ‘Centre of Excellence Project’, in next two years, Ice Stupas would be established in 50 villages for drinking water and irrigation required for agriculture and would go a long way in changing economy of the area by way of sustainable tourism.