Ladakh administration cancels land allotment to climate activist Sonam Wangchuk’s institute in Leh
Ladakh: The Ladakh administration has cancelled the land allotment to the Himalayan Institute of Alternative Learning (HIAL), founded by climate activist Sonam Wangchuk, a prominent figure in the region’s movement for statehood and the extension of the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution.
Wangchuk has condemned the move as a “witch-hunt” aimed at suppressing the demands of the people, as reported by The Tribune on Sunday. The cancellation came a month after BJP leader Kavinder Gupta was appointed as the new Lieutenant Governor of Ladakh.
The Sixth Schedule under Article 244 (Administration of Scheduled Areas and Tribal Areas) of the Constitution provides certain protections for land and grants a level of autonomy to designated tribal areas. In Ladakh, more than 97% of the population belongs to Scheduled Tribes.
Leh Deputy Commissioner Romil Singh Donk issued an order on Thursday stating that the 135-acre land (1,076 kanal and 1 marla) allotted to HIAL “stands escheated to the state”. This move has sparked anger from Wangchuk and HIAL CEO Gitanjali Angmo, who described it as a deliberate attempt to harass them. They have announced plans to approach the court to contest the decision.
Angmo said it wasn’t the first time the institute was being “targeted” as it began soon after Wangchuk started speaking up for the cause of Ladakh people. “They (authorities) backtracked earlier because we provided them proof,” the report quoted her as saying.
Prominent KDA leader Sajjad Kargili described it as a “deplorable act of political vendetta aimed at silencing Ladakh’s dissenting voices”.
Let the Truth be known. If you read VB and like VB, please be a VB Supporter and Help us deliver the Truth to one and all.
RCB beat DC by 9 wickets in IPL
New Delhi (PTI): Royal Challengers Bengaluru continued their impressive run, thrashing Delhi Capitals by nine wickets in their IPL match here on Monday.
Opting to bowl, pace duo of Bhuvneshwar Kumar (3/5) and Josh Hazlewood (4/12) shared seven wickets, while Rasikh Salam Dar (1/21) and Syuash Sharma (1/7) also contributed as RCB bowled out DC for 75 -- lowest score of this season.
For DC, Abishek Porel (30), David Miller (19) and Kyle Jamieson (12) provided some respectability to the total after being reduced to 8 for 6 in 4th over.
In reply, Devdutt Padikkal (34), Jacob Bethell (20) and Virat Kohli (23) completed the chase in 6.3 overs.
Brief Score:
DC: 75 all-out in 16.3 overs (Abishek Porel 30; Bhuvneshwar Kumar 3/5, Josh Hazlewood 4/12).
RCB: 77 for 1 in 6.3 overs (Devdutt Padikkal 34; Kyle Jamieson 1/42).
