Ladakh Archives | Page 3 of 24

Tragedy Strikes Ladakh: School Bus Plunges into Gorge, 7 Dead, 20 Injured

August 23, 2024 Editor

Seven people died while 20 others were injured after a school bus they were travelling in fell into a deep gorge near the Durbuk area in Leh district of Ladakh on Thursday afternoon. As per information, the bus driver was not able to negotiate a turn, following which the vehicle fell off the hill, causing injuries and fatalities. The Army and police immediately reached the spot and initiated the evacuation process. The area is far-off and remote from any inhabited location. An official statement read, “In a swift and compassionate…

Five Summers Post-Reorganization: Ladakh’s Lingering Discontent

August 2, 2024 Editor

There is a trust deficit, for sure. We feel humiliated. No one listens to us. Whatever happened on August 5, 2019, is being seen as a betrayal. — Sajjad Kargili, an activist and leader from Kargil As part of the erstwhile star-crossed Jammu-Kashmir-Ladakh troika, Ladakh had always felt like the third wheel. And so, the cold desert was awash with exuberance when, on August 5, 2019, the Centre did away with Article 370. It had come out of the shadows. But five summers later, its people feel that they have…

Shinku La Tunnel Project Kicks Off: Modi’s Inaugural Blast Signals Progress

July 26, 2024 Editor

The Shinku La tunnel in Ladakh is aimed at providing all-weather connectivity from Manali in Himachal Pradesh to Leh via the Nimmu-Padam-Darcha axis Prime Minister Narendra Modi will on Friday carry out the “first blast” for the Shinku La tunnel in Ladakh, which is aimed at providing all-weather connectivity from Manali to Leh via the Nimmu-Padam-Darcha axis, officials aware of the matter said. The “first blast” is significant as it marks the beginning of the tunnel’s construction. Modi will do this remotely from the Kargil war memorial in Dras, where…

Ladakh Set for a Fierce Battle as Jamyang Tsering Namgyal Mulls Independent Candidacy

April 30, 2024 Editor

The Leh Apex Body (LAB) and Kargil Democratic Alliance (KDA) are reportedly going to support the INDIA bloc candidate in Ladakh A senior LAB member said the KDA had already announced that it would support the Opposition (Congress) if it fielded a Muslim candidate from Kargil “This is being done so that there is no division of votes. We will also support the candidate from Kargil,” the leader said The Ladakh Lok Sabha seat is headed for a tricky political situation as on one hand, sitting BJP MP BJP Jamyang…

Ladakh Activist Sonam Wangchuk’s Hunger Strike Enters 15th Day, Focuses on Statehood and Constitutional Protections

March 20, 2024 Editor

Braving sub-zero temperatures, environmentalist Sonam Wangchuk began his ‘climate fast’ on March 6. The Kargil Democratic Alliance (KDA) on Tuesday called for a half-day general strike on Wednesday, March 20, in solidarity with renowned education reformist Sonam Wangchuk, who has been on a hunger strike in Leh since March 6 over his demand for statehood and constitutional safeguards under the sixth schedule for the Union Territory of Ladakh. Braving sub-zero temperatures, environmentalist Sonam Wangchuk began his ‘climate fast’ after talks between the joint representatives of Leh-based Apex body and Kargil…

Ayushman Arogya Mandirs: Ladakh Health Centres Rebranding Plan Meets with Buddhist Resistance

January 26, 2024 Editor

The Ladakh Buddhist Association (LBA) and parties based in Kargil have opposed the government’s renaming of health centres as “Ayushman Arogya Mandirs” in the region. In a letter to the Chief Executive Councillor, Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Council (LAHDC), Leh, Chering Dorjey, acting president of LBA, said the recent order of the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare renaming government medical aid centres and health and wellness centres as Ayushman Arogya Mandirs was unfortunate and “tantamount to playing with the sentiments of the people of Ladakh.” “From the comments…

Ladakh to Promote Hanle’s Pristine Skies for Astronomical Research and Tourism

October 22, 2023 Editor

Unlocking the Wonders of the Cosmos: Hanle Dark Sky Reserve Beckons Astronomers In the vast, high-altitude expanse of Ladakh, where the sky seems to stretch into infinity, a unique destination has emerged, poised to capture the fascination of astronomers worldwide. The Hanle Dark Sky Reserve, nestled in the Changthang region of Ladakh, has been granted a new lease of life with the recent approval from the Union Ministry of Home, allowing overnight stays for foreign tourists. This decision is set to open the floodgates to international visitors eager to explore…

LAHDC Election: Kargil sees record turnout of 77.61%

October 5, 2023October 5, 2023 Editor

Kargil witnessed a turnout of 77.61% in the election to the Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Council (LAHDC) on Wednesday, indicating residents’ desire for democratic representation. It is the first election since the abrogation of Article 370 in the erstwhile state. These polls are seen as a barometer of public sentiment regarding the BJP-led Centre’s decision to grant Union Territory (UT) status to Ladakh, which includes Leh and Kargil districts. Currently, Ladakh is a UT without an Assembly. The voters were mostly concerned about preserving the unique identity of the region,…

Ladakh may hold significant reserves of rare platinum group elements, Geological Survey of India finds

September 20, 2023 Editor

PGE comprises six metals– platinum, palladium, rhodium, ruthenium, iridium, and osmium Preliminary surveys by the Geological Survey of India (GSI) have found encouraging results for the presence of Chromite and Platinum Group of Elements (PGE) in parts of Ladakh. These minerals have immense economic significance. According to GSI officials, high values have been obtained for the presence of these minerals in explorations carried out near Dras during the past year and survey base would further be expanded. The findings were presented at a high-level GSI conference held this month. PGE…

Tourist influx triggers beggar problem in Ladakh

September 7, 2023 Editor

As the number of domestic and international tourists surges post the removal of Covid restrictions on travel, beggars have also made inroads into Leh town in Ladakh in large numbers this year. They have troubled tourists, triggering the administration and the police to launch a special drive. Many beggars were loaded in buses and sent with police escort till Manali in Himachal Pradesh so that they do not return. The Ladakh police have also launched an investigation to know if some organised syndicate is bringing thousands of beggars to Leh.…