APPEAL

Help Ladakh Ecological Development Group (LEDeG) to respond. Your support can

help flood victims. Thousands of families are displaced. We are working for rural

reconstruction in the Leh region. Winter in the Himalayas is approaching soon.

Within minutes, severe cloudbursts over the district of Leh in the state of Jammu & Kashmir (J&K)

brought torrential rain to the area on 6th August 2010 causing flooding and landslides in the town of

Leh and the entire area of Choglumsar located 13 km from the main town. People themselves with the

help of the Army, the Ladakh Buddhist Association and the Anjuman Moin ul-Islam Society were

excavating the dead bodies from the debris. Over 173 people are found dead including 23 foreigners

and 2 Tibetan refugees. More than 600 people are still missing presumed to be dead inclusive 26

Army personnel. There has been large-scale damage to buildings and infrastructure. About 300 shops,

400 houses were fully destroyed and around 300 houses are damaged in Leh and the area of

Choglumsar area.

In this time of tragedy, we from Ladakh Ecological Development Group (LEDeG) are working

closely with the Indian authorities as well as other NGO’s to provide immediate relief to the affected

people in Ladakh (Blankets, shelter, household utility kits, food, water and sanitation items, baby fed,

etc.)

Though the immediate relief has been provided timely, there are a number of areas where still

intervention is needed on high priority basis. There is a desperate immediate need for housing and

long term shelter for those who have been made homeless given the approaching winter end of

September.

LEDeG’s response

Created in 1983, LEDeG is one of the oldest Ladakhi NGO recognized for its work on renewable

energies, environment, organic agriculture, education, food processing and handicrafts. The

organization is based in Leh with two sub-offices in Kargil and Padum. Our vision is a sustainable

future for Ladakh built on its culture and environment.

LEDeG’s financial backbone to carry out reconstruction work in the affected villages would be

donations from the public and donors. LEDeG would like to thank you in advance for giving priority

to our urgent need in times of these difficulties. Our key areas of intervention with possible partners

will be “Winterisation”:

Housing and reconstruction

Solar electrification / lighting

Addressing ecological concerns and monitoring that all interventions are ecologically

sensitive (e.g. housing materials: no use of tin sheets, no asbestos)

LEDeG will work on rebuilding houses with a focus on energy efficiency and possible solar

electrification in the cold desert of the Himalayas. The rehabilitation project improves the winter

livelihoods of the affected population in Leh District.

Context: Remote in the Himalayan hills of J&K the villages of these desert areas are lying at more

than 3,000 m. During the harsh and long winters the temperature frequently falls below minus 20

degree. The areas are isolated for more than six month per year due to snow and closing of main

roads. But these villagers benefit from an exceptional sunshine of more than 300 days per year.

Traditional houses are thermally poorly efficient and room temperatures fall below minus 10 degree

inside resulting in unhealthy living conditions. The target population will be those who belong to the

poorer section of society and low income groups whose house were fully damaged or washed away in

the foods.

Integrating energy efficient technologies in houses aims to take advantage of solar radiation during

the cold season to heat the inner space of a building. Through south facing walls and large south

facing windows the house collects solar radiation during the day and enables the rooms to be kept

warm both during day and night. Different technologies are proven in LEDeG’s working area. The

reconstruction project will build or retrofit damaged houses. The exact number of villages and number

of houses as well as technology to be used will be decided after thorough assessments in the affected

area and funds available.

Contact:

LEDeG – Ladakh Ecological Development Group

Karzoo, Leh – Ladakh 194101

+91 – 1982 – 253221 / 252284

ladakhfloods@ledeg.org

www.ledeg.org

Bank details:

1. LEDeG Disaster Relief Fund

State Bank of India, Leh Branch

SBI / State Bank of India ac no: 31329098516

IESC/RTGS Code: SBIN0001365

MICR Code 194002011

Swift Code: SBININBBA280

2. State Bank of India - SBI A/c No for Foreign Contribution: FCRA: 10942161521