Matho Village Marks Jal Arpan Diwas with a Renewed Commitment to Sustainable Drinking Water and Community-Led Water Management.

Matho Village Marks Jal Arpan Diwas with a Renewed Commitment to Sustainable Drinking Water and Community-Led Water Management.
Leh, August 15, 2026:Jal Arpan Diwas was celebrated at Matho Photang, Matho village, with a special programme organised by the Public Health Engineering (PHE) Department to highlight the sacred value of water and reinforce the collective responsibility towards its conservation and sustainable management.
The programme was attended by Additional Secretary Dr. Mohammad Usman Khan, Director Rural Development Department (RDD) Qadri, former Member of Parliament Jamyang Tsering Namgyal, Superintendent Engineer, officers of the administration, Nambardar, Panchayat representatives and a large number of villagers.
At the outset, the dignitaries and officers participated in a ceremonial water arpan and traditional rituals, reflecting the deep cultural and spiritual significance attached to water in Ladakh. Speaking on the occasion, JE PHE Skarma Tsering highlighted the importance of water as a precious and sacred resource. He also explained the efforts undertaken by the PHE Department for ensuring drinking water supply and maintaining the water infrastructure, while stressing the need for collective responsibility in safeguarding pipelines, sources and other water assets.
As part of the programme, individuals and stakeholders who made significant contributions towards the execution and successful development of the Drinking Water Supply Scheme in the village were felicitated in recognition of their dedicated efforts and support. The felicitation included the Assistant Executive Engineer responsible for field-level coordination, the Junior Engineer, the executing contractor, the Third-Party Inspection Agency, M/s MaRs Planning and Engineering Services Pvt. Ltd., and members of the Village Water and Sanitation Committee (VWSC), including the Panchayat Secretary, representatives of the Gonpa, Headmasters and other community members. Their collective efforts and active participation played a vital role in facilitating the successful implementation of the Drinking Water Supply Scheme in the village.
The participants subsequently took a collective pledge to conserve water, prevent its wastage and work towards protecting water resources for present and future generations.
Addressing the gathering, former MP Jamyang Tsering Namgyal recalled the longstanding efforts and struggles of the people of Matho in addressing drinking water requirements. He expressed satisfaction that the village’s drinking water concerns have been substantially addressed through collective efforts under the Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM). He highlighted the importance of proper population data, water-source assessment and project planning in ensuring sustainable water supply to the village.
He also recalled that Matho was recognised for its exemplary efforts in the water sector and received an award from the President of India for best performance in water management. He said the recognition was not only an honour for Matho but also a matter of pride for Ladakh as a whole. Recalling the history of efforts to improve water facilities in Matho, he said that even before the implementation of JJM, efforts were being made to strengthen the village’s water infrastructure, which were subsequently taken forward collectively under the JJM framework for the benefit of the villagers.
Director RDD Radri, in his address, described Jal Arpan Diwas as a meaningful initiative for reinforcing awareness about the importance of water and the traditional reverence associated with it. He appreciated the people of Matho for their community participation and environmental consciousness, noting that a clean and green village with responsible and aware residents sets an example for sustainable rural development.
He stressed that effective governance must reach the grassroots and that decentralisation becomes meaningful when communities actively participate in the management of their own resources. He appreciated the cooperation extended by the villagers and the Panchayat in implementing the JJM and other development initiatives. He called upon the Village Water and Sanitation Committee and the local community to take ownership of the water infrastructure and ensure its proper upkeep, particularly during the challenging winter months.
A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was also signed between the Village Water and Sanitation Committee (VWSC), Matho, and the PHE Department to strengthen community participation in the operation and maintenance of the drinking water system. Under the arrangement, minor defects and routine maintenance would be addressed at the community level, while major technical issues would continue to be handled by the administration. The initiative reflects the spirit of community ownership and decentralised service delivery under the Jal Jeevan Mission.
The speakers appreciated the coordinated efforts of the administration, PHE Department, Panchayat representatives and villagers in making the drinking water initiative successful. They emphasised that the sustainability of the water supply system would depend not only on government intervention but also on responsible community ownership, regular maintenance and judicious use of water.
In his vote of thanks, Syed Mohammad SE expressed gratitude to the dignitaries, officers, Panchayat representatives, community members and villagers for their participation and contribution towards making the Jal Arpan Diwas programme meaningful and successful.
The programme concluded with a renewed commitment by the administration and the people of Matho to conserve water, protect water infrastructure and work together towards ensuring sustainable and reliable drinking water supply for the community.