Northern crown
Govt did well to address some of Ladakh's concerns. Remaining issues must be resolved sensitively
GOI did the right thing by introducing a new reservation and domicile policy for Ladakh. Guaranteeing 85% reservations for locals in govt jobs – excluding EWS category – will address local anxiety about high unemployment. It's important to recall that Ladakhis have been peacefully pressing for their demands, in the best traditions of democracy. This was best exemplified by activist Sonam Wangchuk's walk from Ladakh to Delhi and subsequent 16-day hunger strike last year. To its credit, govt did consult Ladakh's civil society organisations before working out the new policies. However, key demands remain unfulfilled.
Ladakh's demands stem from the fact that following nullification of Article 370 in 2019 that abrogated special status for the erstwhile state of Jammu & Kashmir – of which Ladakh was a part – the region was hived off and converted to a UT without a legislature. While initially welcomed – because Ladhakis often felt govts in Srinagar were biased against the region – the new setup was soon seen as inadequate in addressing key issues like unemployment, preservation of local culture, and protection of a fragile ecosystem.
Hence the demand for inclusion of Ladakh in the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution. It can't be stressed enough that ecological conservation is central to Ladakh's aspirations. The region is experiencing serious glacier retreat, with some glaciers like Parachik retreating by 12-20 metres per annum. Therefore, development here can't happen the same way as in other regions. We have already seen the adverse impact of non-ecologically compliant infra projects in mountainous states. Also, Ladakh's status as a border region with China and Pakistan brings additional security challenges. Ecology and security are joined at the hip here. Therefore, defence infra projects and people's aspirations must be in harmony. People of Ladakh are our shield. Listen to them.
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This piece appeared as an editorial opinion in the print edition of The Times of India.
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