Chief Secretary of Ladakh, Ashish Kundra, chaired a meeting with district officers at the Conference Hall of the Tourist Dak Bungalow, Drass on June 8 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 the Power Development Department (PDD) and Roads & Buildings (R&B) Department; and other district officers.

During the meeting, Deputy Commissioner Imteeaz Kacho delivered a detailed PowerPoint presentation highlighting the district’s demography, revenue demarcation, infrastructure, public facilities, and the functioning of various government agencies.

Extensive discussions were held on key sectors, including the 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 pending liabilities in the Education and Public Health Engineering (PHE) departments.

The Chief Secretary directed the Rural Development Department to ensure timely waste collection and proper segregation at the village level. He also stressed the need to promote cleanliness awareness through religious institutions.

He further instructed the concerned authorities to strictly prevent illegal constructions along roadsides to avoid future traffic congestion and disruption.

During his visit, Kundra witnessed an exhibition Horse Polo match between D’ Meadows and Himalayan Drass at the Polo Ground. The Horse Polo Association Drass submitted a memorandum seeking the 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 vibrant cultural programme showcasing the region’s rich ethnic and linguistic diversity.

On the occasion, he 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, Kundra lauded the region’s cultural and linguistic heritage. He directed the school administration to coordinate with Government Degree College Drass to provide timely career counselling and guidance to students regarding future educational and professional opportunities.

Encouraging students to become job creators rather than job seekers, he distributed prizes among those who secured top positions in the recently declared CBSE Class 12 examination results.

The Chief Secretary also visited the Sub-District Hospital Drass, where he reviewed the availability of healthcare facilities, doctors, and paramedical staff.

He listened to the concerns raised by hospital authorities and assured them that necessary measures would be taken to strengthen healthcare services in the region.

Ashish Kundra inspected the 220/66 kV POWERGRID station in Drass, where he was accorded a warm welcome by the DGM (Kargil), POWERGRID.

He reviewed POWERGRID’s Operation and Maintenance (O&M) activities and ongoing transmission projects in the Drass region. Appreciating the organisation’s commitment to developing and maintaining critical power infrastructure under challenging terrain and severe climatic conditions, he commended its efforts in ensuring reliable power transmission.

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, he participated in a plantation drive within the station premises, underscoring the importance of environmental stewardship and sustainable development.