Sonam Wangchuk seeks PM Modi's help on Leh airport construction. Here's why

Sonam Wangchuk, famously known as 'the real-life Phunsukh Wangdu from 3 Idiots', has sought Prime Minister Narendra Modi's help regarding the ongoing construction of the Leh airport. In over a 2-minute video, Wangchuk has highlighted several architectural flaws of the airport. Wangchuk, who is an engineer by profession said the Leh airport has zero elements of 'traditional architecture'.

Citing Prime Minister Modi's 2020 independence day speech, Wangchuk said the Leh airport will not become an example for the world's carbon-neutral and solar-heated airport, but rather a 'joke' for people who know how solar heating works. Last year PM Modi said that efforts were on to make the Union Territory of Ladakh a carbon-neutral region.

In a tweet, Wangchuk said, " Please save Leh airport. I am greaterd admirer of your vision of #CarbonNeutralLadakh & #CarbonNeutralIndia but the #LehAirport is going 180° backwards...We can act now or regret later!".

Describing Leh as the solar capital of the world, Wangchuk said the airport will not be heated by the sun but 5 megawatt of diesel boilers. "Despite being in Ladakh which is one of the sunniest places it will not be adequately heated by the sun," Wangchuk said in the video. Expressing displeasure further he said, "There will be a 5 MW of diesel generator system to run the huge air conditioner system in a place where opening the windows work better than any air conditioner".

"Even if only a fraction of the 10 MW diesel-powered system is actually used, it would emit 10 tons of CO2 and cost ₹5 lakh per day," according to Wangchuk.

Wangchu ended the video by saying that, "Even at this stage our calculations say that timely measures can be taken to make it a carbon neutral airport".