Avtar Bhat
JAMMU, Dec 21: A high level BJP delegation from Leh led by MP from Ladakh region and comprising Minister of Cooperatives, four CECs, Councilors and other office bearers have sought immediate intervention of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and BJP national president, Amit Shah in resolving all the hindrances which come in the way of the development of Ladakh region, reviewing of the Council Act and grant of Union Territory status to Ladakh region for its overall development and welfare of the people.
The demands were put fourth by a delegation of BJP leaders from Leh including all the four Executive Councilors, BJP Councilors of LAHDC, Leh and other office bearers of the Party led by Member Parliament from the region, Thupstan Cheewang, Minister of Cooperatives, Chhering Dorjey and chairman /CEC, LAHDC, Leh Dr Sonam Dawa Lonpo.
The delegation called separately the Prime Minister and the BJP National President in the Union capital today.
Union Minister of State in PMO with independent charge of North Eastern States, Dr Jitendra Singh was also present during the meeting with Prime Minister. The delegation threadbare discussed all the issues of Ladakh region with both PM and Mr Shah and presented a charter of demands of the people before them official sources told Excelsior.
The delegation during its meeting with Prime Minister, Modi and Shah while seeking their intervention in removing some hindrances due to which the development of Ladakh region has been hampered for decades together said that the fast development of the region was imperative so that it can cope up with other parts of the country and the State in the sphere of progress.
Putting forth its charter of demands to the PM and Shah, the delegation said that what can be more painful for the people of the region that they were still awaiting compensation for the 2010 and 2015 flash floods which created havoc in the region and previous Coalition Government in the State as well as UPA at the Centre did not pay any heed to this demand though it was put forth before the representatives of then Government at umpteen times.
The delegation while strongly advocating for review of Council Act and grant of UT Status for the region demanded a mechanism be created to make sure that the funds meant for Leh are not held up in the way. It said the funds given by Union Government to councils for the development of the region are rooted through the State Government which takes its own time in forwarding the same and this way the development of the region is hampered.
Elaborating, the delegation informed the PM and BJP national president that the land in the region has been taken over for infrastructural projects and the compensation money sent by the Centre’s Compulsory Afforestation Fund Management and Planning Authority (CAMPA) has not yet been sent to the Council by the State Government.
The delegation said there are several such instances which smack of blatant discrimination with the region. It said that only UT status for the region can relieve the people of this discrimination.
The delegation while complimenting the Prime Minister for ensuring that development aspiration of entire Ladakh region will be fulfilled to considerable extent with GoI’s Rs 80000 crore plan of building new J&K, said this is the first time that a one time bonanza of such vast magnitude has been announced for Ladakh taking into account the immediate infrastructure needs and using assets of solar energy and Pashmina for further development in the Himalayan region. This would go a long way in ensuring better connectivity and welfare for the people of the area across the mighty Himalayas, it added.
The delegation demanded grant in-aid of Rs 25 crore for developing renovation and maintaining Council’s infrastructure, strengthening of communication network in the region which is totally bad, making Air India fully operational as a social and national obligation and issuance of directives to private airlines to resume their flights to Leh. Besides, the air sorties should be increased in winter as the region remains cut off, people be given concession in fares, taking up in hand the Seakbuckthorn Development Project for empowerment of the region and immediate release of compensation to the people who were hit by 2010 and 2015 flash floods in the region out of Rs 80,000 crore Central package.
In case this is not possible then a Central team be constituted to assess the losses, it added.
The delegation also demanded construction of multipurpose tunnel through Khardongla Pass, the world’s highest jeepable road linking Siachen with the rest of the country, opening of Demochok for Kailash Mansarovar and trade with China, inclusion of Bhoti language in the Eighth Schedule of the Indian Constitution, establishment of Central University in Ladakh and also a highland agriculture and Pastoral College, grant of university status to Central Institute of Buddhist Studies and supply of power to the Nubra valley from Alchi Project making it part of the Northern Power Grid.
The delegation was led by BJP MP from Ladakh region, Thupstan Chhewang and it comprised of Minister of Cooperatives, Chhering Dorjey, Chairman and CEC, LAHDC Leh, Dr Sonam Dawa Lonpo, four executive councilors, BJP councilors and other senior Party leaders from Leh.
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