Leh: A meeting was convened by the Director General of Police, Ladakh, Dr. S. D. Singh Jamwal, in the presence of Secretary, Tourism & Culture, UT Ladakh Sanjit Rodrigues; Additional Director General (Conservation, World Heritage, NCF), Archaeological Survey of India (ASI), Shri Janhwij Sharma; Director (Conservation), ASI, Shri Sunder Paul; Deputy Director, Archives UT Ladakh, Shri Khadim Hussain; along with officials from the ASI Conservation Wing and the Archives Department, UT Ladakh.
The meeting was aimed at deliberating on Ladakh’s archaeological and cultural heritage and discussing measures for its preservation and promotion.
The meeting also reviewed the damages caused to several monuments across the region due to the recent heavy rains.
Officials inspected the affected sites to assess the extent of the damage and to devise strategies for safeguarding Ladakh’s archaeological wealth.
During the deliberations, several key issues were raised, foremost among them the protection of Ladakh’s petroglyphs and rock art, many of which have already suffered destruction. Emphasis was laid on their preservation through proper documentation, conservation, and the establishment of interpretation centres or museums to protect and promote the surviving heritage.
Another major concern highlighted was the large number of unprotected sites, including monasteries and caves, which are deteriorating due to lack of upkeep. It was decided that such sites will be identified and proposals submitted to the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) for their protection.
The meeting also stressed the need for village-to-village surveys and archaeological explorations to uncover evidence of ancient civilizations and cultural heritage. These findings will be systematically documented and preserved.
In conclusion, the meeting resolved to take concrete steps for the protection, documentation, and promotion of Ladakh’s archaeological and cultural legacy. It was also informed that petroglyph parks will be established in both Leh and Kargil districts.
Later, the Additional Director General chaired a meeting with stakeholders in Leh to discuss the damages caused by the recent rainfall and inspected the site at Namgyal Tsemo Monastery, Leh.
Earlier, the team visited several monument sites in Leh and Kargil to assess the damages caused by the recent rains and to identify new heritage sites across Ladakh. The delegation, including Shri Janhwij Sharma, Shri Sunder Paul, Shri Khadim Hussain, and officials from the ASI Conservation Wing and Archives Department, UT Ladakh, visited Rangdum Monastery, Karchey Khar Chamba, and Apati Chamba in Kargil. In Leh, they inspected Leh Palace, Namgyal Tsemo Monastery, Phyang, Wanla, and Lamayuru monasteries.
It was further informed that ASI has taken up the conservation work of Karchey Khar Chamba, while the conservation of Apati Chamba will be taken up in the coming days.
