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Artificial Ice-Stupa in Leh listed in Guinness Book of World Records

Kashmir Times. Dated: 3/26/2017 11:46:08 PM

LEH, Mar 26(Agencies): An artificial Ice-Stupa, an innovative method to conserve winter waste water as an alternate solution to the scarcity of water during spring, made its name into Guinness Book of World Records.
Drikung Kyabgon Chetsang Rinpoche presided over the recording function of the Ice-Stupa while Dr Ulrike Scharf of Germany, Bavarian State Minister for Environment and Consumer Protection and Hill Council Chairman Dr Sonam Dawa and other dignitaries were also present during the recording of Stupa.
Chief Surveyor PWD Superintendent Engineer Tashi Chombel and Engineer Nazir measured the Stupa in presence of two witnesses Col Sanjay Ghosh, a civil engineer in India Army and District Police Inspector Tsewang Dorjay. The Stupa's height was measured as 78.4 feet. Explaining about the Stupa and its purpose, Sonam Wangchuk, who has been awarded the Rolex award recently for his innovations, explained that the artificial ice-Stupa is made in a cone shape, aimed to find a solution to scarcity of water in the early spring when natural glaciers take times to melt. He informed that it took two month for 14 volunteers, including one from Chennai and USA to make the ice-Stupa measuring 78.4 feet making a new history in the Guinness Book of World Record.
“Earlier record of manmade sculptor was in China Harbin where it was 53 feet high and today we are entering into history,” added Wangchuk. Responding to media query, Wangchuk said, “Assuming that there is overflow of water from all valleys of Ladakh during winter so this innovation aims to preserve the water in shape of Cone as Ice Stupa to use the water during early spring to irrigate the barren land. Apart from water conservation, this artificial Ice-Stupa aimed to make an attraction for winter tourism to help the farmers.”
He also mentioned about his other project "Alternate university" a solution to the real problems of mountain people of Ladakh.
Talking to media, a volunteer Rigzin Mingur working on the Stupa, explained that they started the project in December but had good result from mid January when temperature was sharply down. He explained that there was 65 meter height difference between source of water and artificial Stupa which helped to develop enough pressure to sprinkle water from certain height. He is expecting to last the Stupa till end of July as their previous 65 feet high Stupa lasted till 6th July 2016. He informed that they will collect the water from Ice-Stupa in a tank built nearby, which will be then used to irrigate 5000 trees planted in 2015 by villager on the barren land under Go Green Project.