Chief Secretary Reviews Development Works in Drass, Emphasizes Infrastructure, Education and Sanitation.

Chief Secretary Reviews Development Works in Drass, Emphasizes Infrastructure, Education and Sanitation.
Drass, June 08, 2026: Chief Secretary, Ladakh, Ashish Kundra chaired a meeting with district officers at the Conference Hall of the Tourist Dak Bungalow, Drass, to review the progress of developmental projects in the newly formed district.
The meeting was attended by Deputy Commissioner Drass, Imteeaz Kacho; SDM Drass, Vishal Atri; Superintending Engineers of PDD and R&B; and other district officers.
The Deputy Commissioner, Imteeaz Kacho presented a detailed PowerPoint on the district’s demography, revenue demarcation, infrastructure, facilities, and functioning of public sector agencies.
The meeting held threadbare discussions on key sectors including Jal Jeevan Mission, horticulture, agriculture, waste collection and segregation, education, healthcare, upgradation of the Conference Hall at Dak Bungalow Drass, creation of a separate R&B Executing Division for Drass, and clearance of liabilities in the Education and PHE departments, among other issues.
The Chief Secretary directed the Rural Development Department to ensure timely collection of waste and proper segregation at the village level. He also emphasized the need to create awareness about cleanliness through religious institutions.
He further instructed the concerned authorities to strictly prevent illegal constructions along roadsides to avoid traffic disruption and congestion in the future.
During his visit, the Chief Secretary also witnessed a Horse Polo exhibition match played between D’ Meadows and Himalayan Drass at the Polo Ground. The Horse Polo Association Drass submitted a memorandum seeking preservation and promotion of the traditional sport.
Later, the Chief Secretary visited Higher Secondary School Drass, where he interacted with students and staff. He appreciated the students for presenting a colourful cultural programme showcasing the region’s ethnic and linguistic diversity.
On the occasion, he also released two books authored by prominent Shina and Purgi writers Mohd Shafi Sagar and Shabbir Ahmed Misbahi, titled Shina Qaida and Punar, respectively.
In his address, the Chief Secretary lauded the rich cultural and linguistic diversity of the region. He directed the school administration to coordinate with Government Degree College Drass to provide timely career counselling to students for better guidance regarding their future prospects.
He encouraged students to become job creators rather than job seekers and distributed prizes among students who secured top positions in the recently declared Class 12 CBSE examination results.
Later, the Chief Secretary visited the Sub-District Hospital Drass and reviewed the availability of healthcare facilities, doctors, and paramedical staff. He also listened to the issues faced by the hospital authorities and assured that necessary measures would be taken to ensure the provision of quality healthcare services to the public.
In the concluding part of his visit, the Chief Secretary inspected the 220/66 kV POWERGRID Drass where he was accorded a warm welcome by DGM (Kargil), POWERGRID.
The Chief Secretary took a comprehensive review of POWERGRID’s Operation & Maintenance (O&M) activities and ongoing transmission projects in the Drass region. The Chief Secretary appreciated POWERGRID’s steadfast commitment towards developing and maintaining critical power infrastructure under the region’s challenging terrain and severe climatic conditions.
The Chief Secretary also inspected the state-of-the-art GIS facilities at the Drass Substation and reviewed their operational readiness. As part of the visit, the Chief Secretary participated in a plantation drive within the station premises, underscoring the importance of environmental stewardship and sustainable development.