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”.
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Hailstorm brings relief to Bengaluru from scorching summer
Bengaluru (PTI): Bringing much relief to the people battered by the scorching summer, heavy rains coupled with hailstorm lashed the city on Wednesday.
The thunderous downpour with stormy wind cooled the city, where the temperature had soared to 37 degree.
With the rains, the city, from being parched, witnessed waterlogging in just two hours.
There was waist-deep water in many areas in the city such as Richmond Town and Shanthinagar resembling a river.
The unexpected rain did not spare Vidhana Soudha, the seat of power, as water gushed inside the government offices from the lobby. The office of the Leader of the Opposition in the Karnataka Assembly R Ashoka was also flooded.
Since the downpour occurred in the evening, many office goers struggled to return home.
Uprooting of trees was reported in many parts of the city, including Malleswaram, Shanthinagar and Seshadripuram.
