{"id":23718,"date":"2024-04-12T18:04:50","date_gmt":"2024-04-12T12:34:50","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/?p=23718"},"modified":"2024-04-13T10:30:41","modified_gmt":"2024-04-13T05:00:41","slug":"a-battle-to-save-ladakh-and-all-of-humanity","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/editorial-analysis\/12-04-2024\/a-battle-to-save-ladakh-and-all-of-humanity","title":{"rendered":"A battle to save Ladakh, and all of humanity"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p><strong>Syllabus: GS2\/Polity and Governance<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading has-text-color has-link-color wp-elements-0cb2d8d8970fcc76e5fb15bd21ee6252\" style=\"color:#015aa7\"><strong>Context<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Recently, it was found that Ladakh is currently at the forefront of a battle that concerns not just its own survival, but the survival of all of humanity.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-table\"><table class=\"has-background\" style=\"background-color:#fff2cc\"><tbody><tr><td><strong>About the Ladakh<\/strong><br><br>&#8211; Ladakh is a land of high passes, snow-capped mountains, and serene monasteries nestled between Pakistan and China.<br><br><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"280\" height=\"193\" src=\"https:\/\/lh7-us.googleusercontent.com\/LuxsKoCeeToXehKNM9Y3QQP3QwVJeRVCOFMt_kPM_IvOnMFVUb_rHJAlLcjK4iOZJyzw520BvhTpp-6oAgQlGgx9vQ42IikXuVBFFRK9kfLGy_1NFtfbGuibYgW4FM06HYQnzSNxAdxbH-80pJqs5vs\"><br>&#8211; It was established as a Union Territory of India in 2019, following the passage of the Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation Act.<br>a. Prior to that, it was part of the Jammu and Kashmir state.<br><br><strong>Geographical Features:<\/strong><br><br>&#8211; Ladakh is located at a height of 11,500 feet and is home to 97% indigenous tribes.<br>&#8211; It is bordered by the <strong>Tibet Autonomous Region to the east<\/strong>, the Indian state of Himachal Pradesh to the south.<br>&#8211; Both the <strong>Indian-administered Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir<\/strong> and the <strong>Pakistan-administered Gilgit-Baltistan<\/strong> to the west, and the <strong>southwest corner of Xinjiang<\/strong> across the <strong>Karakoram Pass<\/strong> in the far north.<br><br><strong>Economy and Lifestyle:<\/strong><br><br>&#8211; The economy of Ladakh is largely dependent on domestic and foreign tourism, and agriculture.<br>&#8211; Many of its residents lead simple pastoral lives and depend on farming and animal rearing for a livelihood.<br><br><strong>Cultural Heritage:<\/strong><br><br>&#8211; The main religious groups in the region are <em>Muslims (mainly Shia) (46%), Buddhists (mainly Tibetan Buddhists) (40%), and Hindus (12%)<\/em> with the remaining 2% made of other religions.<br>&#8211; The region is known for its festivals, traditional music, and folk dances.<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading has-text-color has-link-color wp-elements-0ce51f6cd0fb738f9eae0dab852a62cc\" style=\"color:#015aa7\"><strong>What are the key issues ahead of Ladakh?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>The Fragile Ecosystem of Ladakh: <\/strong>The Himalayan region faces the damaging effects of climate change through floods, drought, landslides, greenhouse gases, and other pollutants.\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>There are <strong>about 15,000 glaciers<\/strong> in the Himalayan region, often referred to as the<strong> Third Pole<\/strong>.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>These glaciers form an important part of the hydrological process by releasing meltwater to the <strong>Indus, the Ganga, and the Brahmaputra<\/strong>.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>The Threat of Climate Change: <\/strong>The Himalayan glaciers, like those in the rest of the world, are at risk of melting due to global warming and climate change.\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>It will affect both residents of the mountain region and those living downstream.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>According to a study published in 2021, glaciers in the Pangong region retreated around 6.7% between 1990 and 2019.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>The Role of Infrastructure Development: <\/strong>In the name of development, several mega infrastructure projects were launched at a rapid pace in Ladakh.\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>These included the construction of bridges, widening of roads, tunnels, railway lines, mega solar projects, a state-of-the-art airport terminal and wayside amenities to boost tourism.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>However, these developments have upset the fragile balance in the Himalayan ecosystem and its biodiversity.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading has-text-color has-link-color wp-elements-165c0b2db4d0c1cca5d7d16798a69005\" style=\"color:#015aa7\"><strong>Other Issues Faced By Ladakh<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>No decentralisation of power:<\/strong> There had been four MLAs from the region in the erstwhile J&amp;K Assembly; the administration of the region is now completely in the hands of bureaucrats.\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>To many in Ladakh, the government now looks even more distant than Srinagar.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Changed domicile policy in Jammu and Kashmir:<\/strong> It raised fears in the region about its own land, employment, demography, and cultural identity.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Limited Finances:<\/strong> The UT has two Hill councils in Leh and Kargil, but neither is under the Sixth Schedule.\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Their powers are limited to collection of some local taxes such as parking fees and allotment and use of land vested by the Centre.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading has-text-color has-link-color wp-elements-57aa8ce6d40fe6818d656c0a450c52fe\" style=\"color:#015aa7\"><strong>Related Key Recommendations<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Climate Change Mitigation: <\/strong>Sonam Wangchuk, a climate activist, has highlighted the larger issue of the fragility of the Himalayan ecosystem.\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>In response to these threats, he addressed a 30,000-strong crowd at Leh, Ladakh to announce his fight is not just about Ladakh and its people. It is a battle for all of humanity and its future generations.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Sustainable Infrastructure Development:<\/strong> The rapid pace of infrastructure development in Ladakh, including the construction of bridges, roads, tunnels, railway lines, and solar projects, has disrupted the fragile Himalayan ecosystem.\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>There is a need for sustainable development that takes into account the environmental impact.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Empowerment of Local Bodies:<\/strong> The local bodies known as the Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Councils had a key role in decisions related to healthcare, land, and other local issues.\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>There is a need to empower these local bodies and give them more say in developmental projects.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Protection of Cultural Identity: <\/strong>There is a growing concern among locals about the loss of their tribal identity due to the influx of outsiders and industrialists.\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Measures need to be taken to protect Ladakh\u2019s unique culture and language.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Constitutional Safeguards:<\/strong> The people of Ladakh have been demanding constitutional safeguards to protect their land, culture, language, and environment.\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>These demands need to be addressed to ensure the protection of Ladakh\u2019s unique identity.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Recently, the Union Government has agreed to examine whether the provisions of the <strong>Sixth Schedule of the Constitution<\/strong> can be implemented in Ladakh\u2019s context.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-table\"><table class=\"has-background\" style=\"background-color:#fff2cc\"><tbody><tr><td><strong>Sixth Schedule<\/strong><br><br>&#8211; It comes under <strong>Article 244<\/strong> that provides for the formation of <strong>Autonomous Administrative Divisions \u2014 Autonomous District Councils (ADCs)<\/strong> \u2014 that have some legislative, judicial, and administrative autonomy within a state.<br>a. It applies to the Northeastern states of <strong>Assam, Meghalaya, Mizoram (three Councils each), and Tripura<\/strong> <strong><em>(one Council)<\/em><\/strong>.<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Carbon Neutral Strategy:<\/strong> The National Mission for Sustaining the Himalayan Ecosystem (NMSHE) under the Ministry of Science and Technology has been tasked with developing a capacity to scientifically assess the vulnerability of the Himalayan region to climate change.\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>A carbon neutral strategy for Ladakh is needed to address potential environmental challenges.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading has-text-color has-link-color wp-elements-99369344af3a6b4c1dd3e0063aa8336a\" style=\"color:#015aa7\"><strong>Other Recommendations<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>National Commission for Scheduled Tribes (NCST): <\/strong>In September 2019, the National Commission for Scheduled Tribes recommended the inclusion of Ladakh under the Sixth Schedule.\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>The Commission took note of the fact that the newly created Union Territory of Ladakh is predominantly a tribal region in the country.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Report highlights of the Parliamentary Standing Committee: <\/strong>The Parliamentary Standing Committee on Home Affairs recently tabled a report in the Rajya Sabha.\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>The report stated that, according to the 2011 Census, the tribal population in the Union Territory of Ladakh is 2,18,355, that is 79.61% of the total population of 2,74,289.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Special Status:<\/strong> The committee recommended that special status may be granted to the Union Territory of Ladakh considering the developmental requirements of the tribal population.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-table\"><table class=\"has-background\" style=\"background-color:#fff2cc\"><tbody><tr><td><strong>Daily Mains Practice Question<\/strong><br><strong>[Q]<\/strong> How do you think the efforts of individuals like Sonam Wangchuk can influence policy changes and public awareness regarding environmental issues in regions like Ladakh?<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-buttons is-layout-flex wp-block-buttons-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-button\"><a class=\"wp-block-button__link wp-element-button\" href=\"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/Daily-Editorial-Analysis-12-04-2024.pdf\">Download PDF<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Recently, it was found that Ladakh is currently at the forefront of a battle that concerns not just its own survival, but the survival of all of humanity.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[22],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-23718","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-editorial-analysis"],"acf":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/23718","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/4"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=23718"}],"version-history":[{"count":7,"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/23718\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":23748,"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/23718\/revisions\/23748"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=23718"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=23718"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=23718"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}