Out of Power

Another day on top of the world and things are definately not going well with my research plans. I called Gulzar- from the roof of Thiksey monastery with spectacular views of the Indus valley- just to find out that he was still in Srinagar and that his mother had been readmitted to hospital. Now he wants me to come on the 18th which would give me only 2 (!) days in Kargil. Everyone else seem to be out of town for Ramadan. I will try and turn my attention to Skarchen and their claim that Baltis are ethnic Tibetans. But no-one there wants to talk until the Director is back, maybe tomorrow...

I went with Sonam to look at the hydro power plant in Stakna. It's only half an hour or so up the valley. It's in a sorry state. The workers were squatting on the riverbank, smoking and waiting for better days. The turbine lay silent. It has four magnets and is capable of producing 4 MW but sand has sedimented at the bottom of the channels leading to the turbine, restricting the water flow. And there is no money to clean up the channels. Why didn't the engineers think of this? One of the workers told me that they would try and run it in the evening- if the engineer came around. Could be enough water for one magnet, he said. The visit provides a nice backdrop to the constant power problems in Leh and the thundering diesel generators hiding in back yard sheds. This computer, based at the Community Information Centre in the old Dak bungalow, runs on a car battery right now. A new 24 MW power plant is under construction near Alchi, downstream from Leh. But it will take another 5 years at least before it starts delivering some power.