Several groups in Ladakh led by Sonam Wangchuk are demanding constitutional measures enabling them to protect their land, culture, environment.
Several groups in Ladakh led by environmentalist and educationist Sonam Wangchuk are demanding constitutional measures enabling them to protect their land, culture, environment. Ladakh is being treated like a colony, with bureaucrats from outside controlling all policies related to the ecologically sensitive region, Wangchuk alleged on Sunday in a webinar.
Wanchuk is currently on a 21-day fast in Ladakh in the open in subzero temperatures to press for his demands. The webinar to express solidarity with Ladakh’s cause was attended by over 350 persons, including Medha Patkar, leader of the National Alliance of People’s Movements, and environmentalist Ashish Kothari.
“Since the time Ladakh got separated from Jammu and Kashmir in 2019, the local people expected conservation of our unique environment landscape and climate. The government had promised in different meetings and those promises are in the meeting minutes of the National Commission for Scheduled Tribes, Tribal and Law ministries,” Wangchuk said.
“But, after a few months, it became a crime to remind them about those promises. Boys were being picked up, detained for protesting,” he alleged. “This is not only an environmental movement now; it’s a matter of truth and justice. Promises are not being delivered.”
“Ladakh has become like a colony. Some commissioners from a far off place with no link with local people or ecology are trying to run this place. Ladakh is in fact like Mars. Imagine someone, say from Lucknow, trying to make policies for the region. They wouldn’t understand and they will end up making big mistakes, cause irreparable damage to our valleys, mountains,” Wangchuk added. “We are seeing what is happening in Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh and Sikkim. We wish to prevent that ecological disaster.”