Ladakh has a long history of demand for converting the region into Union Territory. This demand was based on various reasons, which, however, did not find favour with powers that be. In stead, after a long time, the idea of conceding Hill Council status to Ladakh was floated. But before moving in that direction, the State Government carved out Kargil district out of Ladakh region obviously on the basis of physical and demographic specifications. In the process both of the regions, Ladakh and Kargil were granted the status of Hill Council. The idea was borrowed from what was obtaining in the eastern part of the country.
Creation of Hill Council carried the fundamental idea of giving local population a structure and powers that would answer their urge for economic, social and cultural development. This came into being through an Act of the Legislature. The Act also defined the structure and powers of the Hill Council, and enjoined upon the State government to provide financial and logistical support to the Hill Councils to conduct the part of administration assigned to them. Thus the two Hill Councils first formulated the structure and then began to function within the stipulated parameters.
With the passage of time, the Hill Councils of Leh and Kargil have gained much administrative experience. They have come closer to the people for whom they work and understand their problems and urges and aspirations. Development of the two regions is fraught with some difficulty owing to geography, climatic conditions, physical handicaps, and absence of full-scale agricultural pursuits and lack of industries. The area being snow bound for six months in a year restricts connectivity. All these factors have to be taken into consideration when developmental plans are chalked out and taken-up for execution on the ground. The two Hill Councils have met and brought under discussion almost all aspects of the Councils and the improvement that require their full empowerment. The members of two Hill Councils have unanimously decided to demand amendment in the LAHDC Act so that real autonomy devolves on them. They have specified what they precisely mean by full empowerment. Both the Hill Councils are in favour of conferring powers of Ministers to the Chief Executive Councilors and Executive Councilors for their respective departments. They have demanded powers to the CECs for imposing penalties on the erring officers after formal departmental inquiry; powers to CECs and ECs to either review or accept the Annual Performance Report of the district officers, bifurcation of the powers of the Deputy Commissioners/Chief Executive Officers of the Hill Councils by way of separating the powers of District Magistrate/Collector. The Hill Councils have decided to urge the Government to confer powers of Commissioner Secretary to Secretary/CEO in order to take decisions in respect of LAHDCs. There are other demands as well like structural development of the Councils so that their functionality is improved through institutionalizing of services. The Hill Councils also demand that their consent should be obtained before posting of Deputy Commissioners, Superintendents of Police, Chief Engineers and other district level officers.
These and other demands of the two Hill Councils are significant in their content and it is premature to comment on the reaction of the State government. In essence the two Hill Councils want that they should be autonomous in letter and in spirit to run their local affairs and administration. The fact is that while considering their demand for more powers and upgraded structure, it has to be remembered that autonomy in theoretical sense does mean conceding the demands that have been jointly made by the responsible persons of the two Councils. It has generally been found that devolution of powers has proved useful in solving the problems of the people concerned. It helps in creating the sense of responsibility. Owing to ethnic and geographical peculiarities of the regions, empowerment of the Councils would be a right step in addressing their difficulties. The two regions have made progress in all walks of life. They are capable of running their affairs themselves. We find much sense in the demand of the two Councils that the Government should convene a meeting of all MPs, MLAs and MLCs of the two regions and discuss at length the question of devolution of full autonomy to the two Hill Councils. This is a constructive suggestion and there should not be any difficulty for the government to accept it.
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