A Ladakhi innovator and engineer completed a five-day “climate fast” to draw leaders’ attention to the region’s fragile ecology and secure its protection under the Constitution’s Sixth Schedule.
Fast for the Fragile Ecology of Ladakh
- The fast emphasises how vulnerable Ladakh’s ecology is to climate change, with melting glaciers posing serious threats to the region’s flora, fauna, and people.
- Ladakh, as a cold desert, relies on glaciers to meet its water needs.
- Melting glaciers, on the other hand, cause the loss of potable water, endanger agriculture practises, erode sustainable practises, and force locals to migrate.
About Ladakh
- Ladakh is a region in northern India that borders China and Pakistan.
- The region is home to several ethnic groups, including the predominantly Buddhist Ladakhi people.
Ladakh has a high demand for the Sixth Schedule.
- Local tribal communities in Ladakh have asked for the Sixth Schedule provisions to be extended to the region.
- Concerns about the protection of tribal rights and the preservation of local communities’ distinct cultural identities have fueled the demand.
Current administration in Ladakh
- Following the division of the state of Jammu and Kashmir into two separate Union Territories, Ladakh was granted Union Territory status in 2019.
- The administration of Ladakh is currently governed by the Lieutenant Governor of Ladakh and an elected Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Council (LAHDC).
- Meeting tribal aspirations: The Parliamentary Standing Committee recommended including Ladakh in the Sixth Schedule because tribal communities account for 79.61% of the total population.
- Autonomy and self-government: The extension of the Sixth Schedule to Ladakh could give local tribal communities more autonomy and self-government.
- Cultural preservation: It may also aid in the preservation of local communities’ distinct cultural identities as well as traditional practises and customs.
Obstacles to this demand
- No further fragmentation: Some have argued that extending the Sixth Schedule to Ladakh would lead to further fragmentation of the region and new administrative challenges.
- Political capital is being depleted: Concerns have also been raised about the potential impact of the demand on the region’s political and administrative structures.
@the end
Overall, the demand to extend the Sixth Schedule provisions to Ladakh is a complex issue that requires careful consideration of the needs and aspirations of local tribal communities, as well as the region’s broader political and administrative context.
Source: https://indianexpress.com/article/explained/ladakh-sixth-schedule-constitution-explained-7675082/