Dear Editor,
It seems there is scarcity of visionaries like Shridhar Kaul, Sonam Norboo or Bakula Rimpoche. The current representatives are busy in general administration. Leader doesn’t mean dolling freebies or bring share from the government treasury. It means more than that, a vision to see beyond a decade and have plans for decade. To bring voice of Ladakh, Jammu and Kashmir to Delhi and beyond to Beijing and Islamabad. To build an ecosystem which is in line with plausible Kashmir future. The forgotten silk route should be rejuvenated; the national highway in Leh should be converted to an international one towards Yarkant, Kashgar and Ngari. The Karakoram Highway and the highway towards Central Asia and Europe are economic highways. Even as the boundary talks are going on, a possibility should be explored.
Ladakh has immense Hydro power potential, on Indus alone ~760 MW power potential has been estimated by Jammu Kashmir Power Development Corporation. Drass Suru Parkachik will account for another ~400MW.
The solar power potential in Ladakh region is already known, and the Ministry of Renewable Energy plans solar power plants of the order of 1,000MW in Ladakh. The current national budget did allocate sum in this field, but one of the important aspect of laying power transmission line to connect to national grid must also be given prime importance.
Ladakhi must use socio legal movements like PIL, RTI which are beacons in transparency of government activities. New Ladakh Movement campaign against use of alcohol and feast in elections seems to be in right direction.
Ladakh needs a visionary who will use all his strings to put his feet firm on the accelerator. This doesn’t necessary mean getting a lion’s share of government treasury, it simply means how quick with the available resources Ladakh will stand on its own feet and contribute to State and country’s GDP. Its time goods and services move out of the Himalayan region.
Rinchen Tundup
Ladakh
