Sonam Wangchuk demands constitutional safeguards for Ladakh

Climate change casts a foreboding shadow on Sonam Wangchuk's beloved Ladakh -- a place celebrated for its tranquil beauty and rich culture.

On Sunday, 24 March, 58-year-old Wangchuk's "fast unto death" entered its 19th day where as many as 5,000 people participated demanding constitutional safeguards for the Union Territory of Ladakh, and protection of ecologically fragile Ladakh’s ecosystem from industrial and mining lobbies.

In a video posted on X, Wangchuk said, "We have done so much damage to nature in the name of development and growth. Our current concept of growth and development is so anthropocentric that we have decimated the wildlife population that share this planet with us."

Wangchuk even floated the idea of having representatives in Parliament who can advocate for nature. He said, "Delhi with an area of 1,483 sq. kms has seven MPs, but Ladakh with 60,000 sq. kms has only one MP. This is because Delhi has a population of 20-30 million, while in Ladakh there are just 300,000 people."

In another video, the climate activist said, "The Himalayan glaciers support the lives of two billion people directly or indirectly, which is one-fourth of the population on the planet.

According to Wangchuk, it is not only the people, but also the vast nature, glaciers, and wildlife of Ladakh that are not represented in Parliament. He urged for more representatives who could speak on behalf of nature and wildlife.

In his post on X, Wangchuk said, "Places with fragile ecosystems like Ladakh need to be given more attention. Today, the indigenous tribal people have no voting rights. That's why people are demanding 6th Schedule for Ladakh as promised by the Indian government in the previous elections."

Wangchuk said these innocent people still hope that "their leaders will stand by their words and keep their promises".

"It may sound weird, just as giving voting rights to women or blacks was unthinkable till about 100 years ago. The question is which country might start it first! Can it be India!?" he wrote on X.