Postponement

Seasons in Ladakh often change rapidly and unexpected. In most years, the transition from Winter to Summer or reverse takes place in just one or two short weeks. Spring and Autumn itself are therefore quite short. 

This year summer came to Leh especially early. Instead of the end of July, as in other years, the hottest weeks of the year already began at the beginning of the month. Hot temperatures also brought one effect with them which was of great misfortune for our project: The glaciers and snowfields covering the mountains around Leh had begun to melt. 

Sooner than expected by our local partner LEHO, the riverbed in Leh was filled with water, making a clean-up programme almost impossible during the past summer months. Due to insufficient gear such as rubber boots as well as the strong current we were unable to let a single student engage him- or herself for a cleaner Leh inside of the riverbed. 

The untimely flood was especially tragic for us as it enforced an effect that we were especially trying to prevent: the pollution of the oceans themselves. Large portions of the material that we were planning to collect were now being taken downstream along with the current, carried into the Indus river and, ultimately, the Indian ocean. 

It is still unclear how much waste will remain in the riverbed when the main melting season will end with the beginning of autumn in the end of september. We expect greater potions of the material to be stuck at certain locations along the stream. 

As soon as the amount of water reduces, LEHO will once again assess the pollution across the length of the stream. We also expect the pollution to return again in the upcoming draught period. 

Therefore, or project still holds great importance. Especially the awareness that we are hoping to create in each and every participant of the programme will help to create a much more thoughtful way of handling waste in its creation and disposal. Every student taking part in the programme will play a small but essential part in a cleaner future for Leh and Ladakh. 

In consequence, we will not cancel our project, but carry it out as soon as the odds are a bit more in our favour again.