The status of evacuation of nearly 30000 persons belonging to the Union Territory Ladakh stranded across the country in different parts, continuing to be to be unclear and hazy, snowballed into a crisis in the shape of a faceoff between the UT administration and the Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Council. However, the crisis has blown over by recently reaching at an agreement between the two. This has been possible not without a lot of resentment and indignation by the Ladakh Council which believed a deliberate inaction or lethargy by the UT administration. There is no doubt that the immediate problem from amongst several and rather of more serious nature, as a result of imposition of lockdown to fight COVID-19 pandemic, has been that of stranded people. They could not move as the lockdown had its main ingredient of “as is where is position” or in other words, whosoever was wherever in whichever condition, had to remain there and not move out. Although this was scrupulously abided by but soon the urge to return home started growing intensely in the minds and psyche of those who were stranded as they faced multi dimensional problems as the lockdown ‘progressed’. However, some sort of exercise has been going on throughout the country in respect of evacuating these stranded people comprising workers, students, traders, pilgrims and even tourists but allowing movements very cautiously and taking all associated risks into consideration has been the hallmark of this exercise . It may be recalled that the Central Government has duly permitted the movement and ferrying of such people by authorising Railways to run special trains between various places on point to point basis.
However, stranded people of Ladakh, as on date, continue to be in a ‘stranded’ status which brought the UT administration and the Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Council into a conflicting position and a face-off between the two was more evident than before. Could it have been avoided is not that much important as it is how to retrieve the situation as the issue had turned vexatious due to the CEC cum Chairman , Executive Councillors and other councillors feeling let down and not taken into confidence by the administration in respect of the issue under reference. The situation aggravated to this extent that they marched to Raj Niwasin Leh and lodged formal protest by registering a sit- in – dharna. We cannot presume that the administration must not be seized of the matter and some resolution, in one form or the other, to the problem must have not been under its active consideration but since the consent and approval of various states where Ladakhis are held up, are to be worked out which is not that easy, could be the reason of the delay. The two ends, both originating and arriving points, must evolve a foolproof strategy in effecting the movement safely and without any inherent risks of carrying, contracting or spreading the dreaded infection. Whatever the position, what prevents the UT administration of Ladakh from sharing the same with the concerned Hill Development Council who legally and constitutionally have asay in matters of administration, is hard to comprehend.
However, not only in the issue of evacuation of Ladakhi people stranded across the country but in majority of the matters too, close rapport and cooperation based on mutual understanding between the UT administration and the Hill Development Councils,is intermittently found to the extent that the same is openly ‘reported’ too and going public. That it should all happen when the Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Council is headed by the ruling BJP is hard to believe.On the other hand, BJP UT Chief too resigned in protest over the same issue and wondered as to why their Party High Command took no notice of the situation. Strangely, as a symbol of extending “open support” to the stand taken by the Ladakh Hill Development Council, their counterparts from Kargil led by the National Conference too jumped into the wrangle.
Evacuation, agreeably is the issue to be tackled on priority but it is a sensitive issue which requires a professional handling, due secrecy and proper management keeping the move confined to the identified stranded people only otherwise many of such people not falling under the category too could join in the process to subvert it making it a ‘free for all’ affair. That has tobe looked into which may take a few days more, now that the crisis of misunderstanding and “neglect” is over. While we hope, these stranded people return to their homes in Ladakh as early as possible, we expect a better coordination and cooperation between the Councils and the UT administration in future.
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