Leh, Jan 11: Stepping up efforts to ensure safe drinking water for residents, the Municipal Committee (MC) Leh has begun rolling out the AMRUT Mitra Initiative under AMRUT 2.0, placing women’s collectives at the heart of the plan.
In a meeting held in Leh, women Self Help Group (SHG) members registered under the DAY-NULM scheme were briefed on their upcoming roles. The session was chaired by Executive Officer Stanzin Rabgais, who encouraged the participants to take ownership of field work linked to the programme. Members stated they are ready to take on duties and contribute to the town-wide exercise.
Rabgais told the gathering that MC Leh sees women SHGs as trusted partners in improving the town’s drinking water system. Their presence on the ground, he said, will help sharpen water quality checks, manage demand more responsibly and improve service delivery to homes and public institutions across Leh.
Under the plan, SHGs will take up work ranging from water quality testing to support in maintenance of water supply infrastructure. They will also help spread awareness in neighbourhoods and handle small livelihood tasks connected to the water sector. The push is meant to strengthen regular supply while opening up fresh earning options for women.
To prepare them for the jobs ahead, MC Leh will run technical training camps in partnership with the Public Health Engineering (PHE) Department. The workshops will equip groups to test water at both community and institutional points. Women trained under the programme will gather field data, spot early warning signs and help officials act faster when problems appear.
Officials said the drive will deepen public involvement in urban work and promote women-led service delivery in the water network. By placing local women at the centre of drinking water safety, MC Leh hopes to build public confidence and secure a safer and more reliable system for the long run.
