Excelsior Correspondent
LEH, Sept 6: The Lieutenant Governor of Ladakh, Kavinder Gupta, today inaugurated the newly constructed Office Building, Residence and Patwar Khana of the Sub-Divisional Magistrate (SDM) at Kharu.
Built at a cost of Rs 20.58 crore, the state-of-the-art complex is expected to significantly strengthen the revenue administration in the sub-division and provide better facilities for both officials and the public.
Speaking on the occasion, the LG Kavinder said the upgraded infrastructure would make revenue services more accessible, efficient and citizen-friendly.
“Prompt redressal of public grievances must remain a top priority and directed revenue officials to ensure that services are delivered in a transparent and time-bound manner. Such measures would strengthen public trust and bring governance closer to the people at the grassroots level,” he said.
The LG also underlined the importance of responsive governance and asked the officers to remain sensitive to the needs of citizens, ensuring accountability in every service delivery and expressed confidence that the modern facilities will help improve coordination among field functionaries and enhance the overall quality of public services in the region.
Later, Kavinder inspected the Geothermal Heat Pump-based Space Heating System installed at the Primary Health Centre (PHC), Thiksey.
The system has been developed jointly by Energy Efficiency Services Limited (EESL) and Alfen Alfa Group on a pilot basis to address the pressing challenge of heating requirements during Ladakh’s extreme winters.
Highlighting the significance of the project, the Lt Governor said, “If the pilot proves successful, the eco-friendly heating model could be scaled up across health centres, schools and government institutions in Ladakh.”
The Lt Governor reaffirmed the UT Administration’s commitment to making Ladakh a carbon-neutral Union Territory and said that the adoption of clean technologies is integral to achieving this goal.
“Initiatives like the geothermal heating project will play a crucial role in protecting the fragile ecology of the region while simultaneously improving public service delivery and healthcare infrastructure,” he added.
