To prevent acute high altitude sickness among tourists, the Leh (Ladakh) administration has ordered that tourists arriving in Leh shall have to undergo mandatory 48 hours of acclimatization before initiating their journey in the cold desert region.
The decision was taken in a meeting of officers and stakeholders of the tourism industry convened by chairman cum chief executive councillor of Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Council (LAHDC) Tashi Gyalson. Issues related to the tourism sector in Leh were discussed in the meeting, said an official on Saturday.
It is worth mentioning that several tourists reaching Leh face mountain sickness and have to be hospitalised. The elevation of Leh is 3500 metres above sea level that can cause sickness among tourists arriving particularly by air.
Several issues were raised in the meeting which includes the need for upgrading health facilities to deal with medical emergencies, especially at peak tourist destinations located at higher altitudes in the district.
It was also discussed during the meeting that all stakeholders need to take compliance with various SOPs to be formulated by the District Administration in regard to the management of tourists visiting Leh Ladakh during peak season and to strictly monitor their medical conditions.
CEC Gyalson also instructed all the officers and the concerned stakeholders to initiate joint awareness camps and IEC campaigns to educate locals engaged in the industry on dealing with casualties during trips.
The meeting was attended by Dy Chairman, Tsering Angchuk; EC Agriculture, Stanzin Chosphel; DC Leh, Shrikant Suse; Director Health Services Ladakh, CMO Leh, AD Tourism Leh, Dy SP Hqr Leh, Xen LDA, and Presidents of (ALTOA, ALHGHA, Tempo Union and Bike Union).