There Is No Issue That Cannot Be Resolved Through Talks: Ladakh new L-G Saxena

Polish: At a time when the people of Ladakh are fighting for statehood and special status under the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution to prevent outsiders from changing the cultural and geographical dynamics of the Union Territory, the new Lieutenant Governor of Ladakh, Mr. Vinai Kumar Saxena, says that all development works will be carried out in consultation with the people of the UT.

“There is no problem that cannot be resolved through talks,” the LG said, adding that he is focusing on improving infrastructure, employment, water availability and delivering the administration to the doorsteps of people living in remote areas of the UT. The creation of five new districts in the UT is a step in this direction, the LG said.

LG is undertaking the “Himsarovar Project”, where 50 artificial ponds are created to find a solution to water scarcity. He also planted bamboo, neem and peepal trees in Leh to see if these trees could withstand harsh weather conditions at such a high altitude.

“I aspire to make Ladakh the hub of eco-spiritual tourism and feel that I will achieve this. The arrival of Buddha’s relics in Leh has strengthened this resolve. There is huge scope to promote tourism and handicrafts of the UT. Many things here are untouched, undiscovered and untried,” Mr. Saxena said during a media interaction during the inauguration of the exhibition of Buddha’s relics in Leh.

He said in this context, water scarcity and lack of greenery are a major concern. The LG said that Union Home Minister Mr. Amit Shah also felt that these areas should be given special focus by the central government. Mr. Saxena planted gulmohar, bamboo, neem, peepal etc. on a roadside near a cantonment in Leh on a trial basis. planted the saplings. However, this reporter found that these saplings were drying out due to lack of water and favorable weather conditions. A local official said that since Ladakh is a cold desert, plants in the plains cannot survive there.

But Mr Saxena did not lose hope. He started a pilot project to benefit from groundwater and create ponds by melting snow. “So far, 50 ponds have been constructed in consultation with the villagers. The focus is on using the melting glacier water as we cannot use even one percent of this water and it goes to another country,” LG said while pointing out the downstream water flow towards Pakistan. Support is received in this regard from the Indian Army, Indo Tibetan Border Force and Border Road Organization. LG said two pools are currently ready. “Ladakh’s green cover is 0.4%. We want to increase it to 5%. Water will improve agriculture, greenery and help villagers,” Mr. Saxena said.

Short season crops such as wheat, buckwheat, barley, apricot, apple, willow and poplar trees are part of the lifeblood of Ladkah, growing in the valley areas.

LG also plans to develop the ‘Valley of Flowers’ at two places in Ladakh along the lines of Hemkund Sahib in Uttarakhand to boost tourism and improve ecological balance. These will be at Choglamsar and Wari La in Leh. Various flower species that can withstand harsh weather conditions and low oxygen have been identified to be brought here, and some planting efforts have also begun.

“By the end of June, the two areas are expected to transform into vibrant flowering zones, becoming major attractions for tourists visiting Leh and other parts of Ladakh,” he said, adding that the move will help create local employment and promote ecotourism while adding aesthetic value to the cold desert landscape.

In a bid to check uncontrolled construction of hotels and hostels for tourists in Leh, the LG said that the UT government has signed an MoU with the School of Planning and Architecture (SPA) in Delhi to prepare a master plan for Leh, which should be ready within the next three months. “We need to preserve the local architecture and way of life and prevent haphazard construction,” LG said.

He added that in the field of tourism, the UT government is in talks with local authorities regarding the construction of luxury hotels. There is great resistance from local people to “outsider” entry into any sector, be it energy or tourism. “The quality of homestay needs to be improved while preserving local cuisines, architecture and lifestyle,” Mr. Saxena added.

LG is personally supervising the construction of the 13,153 km Zozila Tunnel on the Ladakh side, which will provide all-weather connectivity and reduce travel time between Leh and Srinagar. The tunnel is expected to be fully operational next year.