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Sonam Wangchuk features among Time magazine’s 100 most influential for Climate. Doesn’t affect New Delhi where 15% deaths are because of pollution but monitors are fixed to not show AQI above 500 and coughing is considered good exercise for lungs.
https://time.com/collections/time-100-climate-2025/7326592/sonam-wangchuk/
Reports that vehicles contribute only 4% to pollution notwithstanding, vehicles below BS VI can’t enter Delhi. So, the police can look happy. Rs 3.2 crores was spent on the failed artificial rain experiment but there is enough money to repeat the entertainment.
Wangchuk remains incarcerated in jail. His wife has petitioned the Supreme Court, who in turn has asked the Centre. But nothing will happen because his arrest was under NSA although details are unavailble.
The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has ordered a judicial inquiry into the September 24 police firing in Leh that killed four and injured 70-80.
On October 22, MHA held the first round of talks with Ladakhi leaders but showed no remorse for the Ladakhis killed/injured and no inclination to release political prisoners. The same drama will likely continue in the times ahead.
The crux is that Ladakhis are too sincere and nationalistic. The corporations are in line for the landwith the locals and the fragil environment of Ladakh being ignored. Full-pagenewspaper advertisements on how Ladakh has developed do not even address the basic drinking water needs of Ladakhis.
Wangchuk was in government crosshairs since 2020 when he wanted to lead the Pashmina march to the LAC amidst the India-China face off with Chinese soldiers having entered Indian territory. But for reasons best known perhaps to then Lt Governor B.D Mishra perhaps, he was not arrested. Karma for the retired Brigadier Mishra had smiled briefly. He was appointed Governor of Arunachal Pradesh and later moved on as Lt Governor of UT Ladakh. But then when fortunes dipped he was unceremoniously removed from Leh in complete silence, through a timely resignation.
There is odious propaganda that Statehood and Sixth Schedule (both promised by the BJP) would imply Ladakhis would block army-related roads and projects. To this, a former Army Vice Chief has responded by saying that the Centre appears throwing caution to the winds. The corporates will use strategic roads to dig, plunder and exploit resources with no regard for the delicate ecology - hope the hostile altitude and climate renders their goals uneconomical.
Another former Army Vice Chief writes that locally manufactured Parabolic Dishes, which the Army installed in Transit Camps (in 2004-2005) and are still functioning, are better than Solar Panels in Power Plants that Centre plans for Ladakh. The Army had suggested Parabolic Panels to Wangchuk, offering him technical assistance and material. Wangchuk even made a building for ‘Sadbhavna’ training next to the Military Hospital at Leh, using zero fossil fuel for machines and computers and maintained the inside temp at 12C when outside temp was (-) 17C. The local MP inaugurated the project.
Some very old senior veterans suggest that the military hierarchy must advise the government against ignoring Ladakhis and mishandling the sensitive border state of Ladakh. But the current Army Chief is busy in the race to become the next Chief of Defence Staff (CDS). (https://news4masses.com/indias-next-chief-of-defence-staff-cds/). While addressing students in Rewa recently, he admitted he is clueless about the future, which doesn’t inspire much confidence in Gen Z. Also, saying no action was taken in Op Sindoor during prayers and namaz is more of a political statement than a military assessment.
Finally, Wangchuk will perhaps remain in jail till corporations derive the last ounce of flesh from Ladakh (https://southasiamonitor.org/spotlight/mishandling-ladakh-wangchuk-being-scapegoated) or his karma decides otherwise. Will better sense prevail?
Lt General Prakash Katoch is an Indian Army veteran. Views expressed here are the writer’s own.
