LEH — Tensions between the Ladakh Union Territory Administration and climate activist Sonam Wangchuk reached a new peak on Tuesday as regional authorities issued a formal directive ordering the immediate shutdown of operations at the Desert Flower School in Leh.
The notice, issued by the Tehsildar of Leh to Dr. Gitanjali J. Angmo, Founder and CEO of the Himalayan Institute of Alternatives, Ladakh (HIAL), instructs the administration of the institute to maintain a strict status quo and cease all classroom activities while broader legal battles remain before the High Court of Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh.
Unsanctioned Operations and Regulatory Directives
The local administration cited procedural non-compliance as the primary ground for ordering the suspension of classes at the Phyang-based educational complex:
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Lack of Mandatory Permissions: Regional officers stated that although HIAL submitted a formal request to the Leh Deputy Commissioner seeking clearance for the school’s managing committee, academic operations were launched prior to obtaining formal regulatory approvals.
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Preservation of Judicial Status Quo: Authorities warned the institute against taking any operational or administrative steps that could prejudice ongoing court proceedings concerning the broader educational campus.
Core Dispute over Campus Land Allotment
The latest order stems from a complex legal conflict surrounding the land earmarked for HIAL’s alternative higher education campus:
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Land Revocation: In May 2018, HIAL received a provisional allotment of 1,076 kanals of land at Phyang Thang on a long-term lease. However, the UT administration canceled the allotment, claiming the institute failed to finalize lease agreements or establish a legally recognized university structure.
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Higher Education Standards: In court filings, government representatives submitted documentation from the Higher Education Department stating that HIAL lacks statutory university affiliation, arguing the original land grant had legally lapsed.
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Court Injunction: The High Court previously issued an interim directive preventing the local government from transferring the land to third parties, though the underlying cancellation of the allotment remains under active judicial review.
Institute Management Rejects Administrative Claims
Management at HIAL and Wangchuk have strongly pushed back against the administration’s stance, attributing project delays to bureaucratic inertia:
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Documentation Filings: Institute leaders stated that formal requests for lease execution were submitted within weeks of the initial 2018 land grant, followed by numerous written reminders and administrative visits.
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Transition and Pandemic Delays: Wangchuk highlighted previous official communications recognizing administrative delays during Ladakh’s restructuring into a Union Territory and the disruptions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, during which construction was permitted.
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Allegations of Selective Targeting: Wangchuk asserted that the administrative scrutiny and land revocation are politically motivated responses to his public advocacy in the region, a charge local authorities reject, citing strict adherence to land-use rules.
