If you wish to help victims of the Leh floods please visit - http://in.reset.to/project/ladakh

1. 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

2. 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

3. IESC/RTGS Code: SBIN0001365
MICR Code 194002011
Swift Code: SBININBBA280
2. State Bank of India - SBI A/c No for Foreign Contribution: FCRA: 10942161521