Page 15 - Ladakh

Ladakh to host India's first frozen-lake marathon at Pangong Tso on Feb 20

India's first "frozen-lake marathon" at Ladakh's Pangong Tso at a height of 13,862 feet will be held on February 20 and the army and the Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) have been roped in to implement a "proper action plan" for the event, a senior government official said on Sunday. The 21-kilometre marathon, with Lukung as its starting point, will end at Maan village. Seventy-five selected athletes from India and abroad are participating in the run, giving them an opportunity to make a bid for a Guinness world record for the world's highest "frozen-lake marathon", officials said. The marathon is being called the "Last Run" to highlight the issue of climate change, they said. It is being organised by the Adventure Sports Foundation of Ladakh (ASFL) in collaboration with the Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Council-Leh, the Tourism Department and the Leh district administration. "All necessary arrangements have been worked out for the success of this challenging event being ...

Hundreds join Wangchuk on last day of his hunger strike on issues of Ladakh

Hundreds of people on Monday joined education reformist Sonam Wangchuk on the final day of his five-day hunger strike here in support of the demand for various safeguards for Ladakh, including extension of the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution to the Union territory. Prominent among those who joined Wangchuk, an engineer whose life inspired a character in Bollywood blockbuster 3 Idiots, were leaders of the Leh Apex Body of Peoples Movement for Sixth Schedule and the Kargil Democratic Alliance (KDA). The apex body and KDA, a separate amalgam of socio-religious, political and youth organisations, are jointly spearheading a campaign to press for their four-point demands which include full statehood and safeguards under the Sixth Schedule to the region. "Today is the last day of my symbolic carbon neutral climatic fast and I am thankful to the people for joining me. The fast was an attempt to invite the attention of Prime Minister (Narendra Modi) so that our leaders can brief him about

Ladakh: Sonam Wangchuk says he's under house arrest, police deny charge

Engineer and innovator Sonam Wangchuk claims he has been placed under house arrest at his institute here, a charge denied by police which says he was only prevented from observing a five-day fast at the top of Khardung La. The education reformist, who inspired a pivotal character in the Bollywood blockbuster 3 Idiots, had announced the hunger strike at the 18,380 feet high Khardung La from January 26 to invite the BJP-led Centre's attention to the demands of the people of Ladakh. These include extension of the sixth schedule of the Constitution and environmental protection form unchecked industrial and commercial expansion. In a tweet on Saturday, Wangchuk shared a copy of a bond, which among other things sought an undertaking that he will not make any comments, statements, public speech, hold or participate in public assemblies or any activity related to the recent events in Leh district. "CALLING LAWYERS OF THE WORLD!!! The #Ladakh UT administration wants me to sign this bond eve

Ladakh to showcase rich culture, heritage during G20 summit, says LG Mathur

Ladakh will get the opportunity to showcase its rich culture and heritage during the G20 summit, Lt Governor RK Mathur said on Thursday. Mathur, who unfurled the Tricolour and inspected a parade during the 74th Republic Day celebrations, emphasised on the need to achieve Prime Minister Narendra Modi's 'panch pran (five pledges)'. "Ladakh will get the opportunity to showcase its rich culture and heritage to the entire world while hosting cultural events during the G20 summit," he said. The 'Lifestyle for Environment (LiFE)' movement associated with the summit will encourage the citizens to adopt environmentally-conscious practices, greenery and cleanliness, he said. "With India entering 'Amrit Kaal', it is the responsibility of the citizens to take the country on the path of becoming a prosperous and developed nation over the next 25 years," Mathur added. Emphasising on the need to achieve the prime minister's five pledges, Mathur said, "The 'panch pran' are moving forward with a .

India loses access to 26 of 65 patrol points in Eastern Ladakh: Report

The report was presented at the annual meeting of the nation's senior police commanders, which took place last week in Delhi and was attended by Prime Minister Narendra Modi

Cong slams govt as India unable to patrol at 26 out of 65 points in Ladakh

Slamming the NDA government over reports that India is not able to patrol at 26 out of the 65 Patrolling Points in Ladakh, AICC spokesperson Pawan Khera on Wednesday alleged that Prime Minister Narendra Modi "gave a clean chit to China" in 2020 by saying that the nieghbouring country has not entered into our territory. Citing media reports on the issue, he said every citizen should be concerned about the country not being able to patrol at those points and that the Prime Minister is not concerned. "And, why it happened? Because, June 20, 2020... the Prime Minister of this country gave a clean chit to China that China has not entered," Khera, Chairman of AICC's Media and Publicity department, told reporters here. The valour of 20 of our brave soldiers has been insulted, he said. China is feeling confident now that, whatever it does, PM "Narendra Modi ji would close his eyes" to save his image and say that China has not done anything wrong, he alleged. Khera, who claimed that the ..

Act now or Ladakh could become a barren land of disasters: Sonam Wangchuk

Wangchuk, who inspired 3 Idiots character, to go on fast; says Joshimath should be lesson for Ladakh

2/3rd of Ladakh glaciers endangered: Sonam Wangchuk urges PM for action

Sonam Wangchuk, the Social reformist from Ladakh whose life story inspired the Bollywood film 3 Idiots, has urged PM Modi for ensuring the safety and protection of Ladakh

At minus 6.4 degrees Celsius Srinagar records coldest night of season

At minus 6.4 degrees Celsius, J&K's Srinagar city recorded the coldest night of the season so far on Thursday.

Amit Shah to hold high level review meetings regarding J&K and Ladakh

Union Home Minister Amit Shah will chair two high-level review meetings regarding the status of security and development projects in Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh

No breakthrough in 17th round of India-China high-level military talks

Senior military officers of the two sides held the dialogue at Chushul-Moldo border meeting point on Chinese side of LAC in eastern Ladakh

India, China held constructive talk: Joint statement on eastern Ladakh row

India and China held a fresh round of high-level military talks on December 20 with a focus on resolving the remaining issues in eastern Ladakh, a joint statement said on Thursday. It said the talks were "frank and in-depth" keeping in line with the guidance provided by the leaders of the two countries to work for the resolution of the remaining issues at the earliest. "The 17th round of India-China Corps Commander level meeting was held at Chushul-Moldo border meeting point on the Chinese side on December 20," Arindam Bagchi, the spokesperson of the Ministry of External Affairs, said at a media briefing, reading from the statement. He said the two sides exchanged views on the resolution of the relevant issues along the LAC in the Western sector in an "open and constructive manner". "They had a frank and in-depth discussion, keeping in line with the guidance provided by the state leaders to work for the resolution of the remaining issues at the earliest which would help in restorat

ISRO to develop spatial infrastructure geoportal for Ladakh: Union minister

The government of the Union Territory of Ladakh has approached a unit of the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) for developing Spatial Data Infrastructure geoportal 'Geo-Ladakh' for UT-Ladakh

Army focus on setting permanent defences using 3D printing tech in Ladakh

In a major technology push, Indian Army has envisioned construction of "permanent defences" along the Line of Actual Control in eastern Ladakh using cutting-edge 3D printing technology, a move that will save time and improve its defence preparedness, sources said on Tuesday. 3D printing technology uses complex software and robotic unit that helps in creating a structure through multiple stages from a digital model. These 3D-printed permanent defences can withstand a direct fire by a T-90 tank from about 100 metres, they said. Sources in the defence establishment said since the eastern Ladakh border standoff in 2020, shelters for about 22,000 troops have come up in the last two years, and these are relocatable, modern, compact, and can be lifted and erected in a few days. The army has taken a number of steps to boost its capability development and achieve modernisation, and sources said trials on the use of 3D printed defences have been successful. Besides building habitat for 22,

India's groundwater extraction stage at 60% in 2022, says report

In 2022, around 87 per cent of the total annual ground water extracted that is around 208.49 Billion Cubic Meters (BCM) was for irrigation which in 2020 was around 89 per cent

Always maintain force's operational readiness at peak: Rajnath tells Army

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh called on the top Army commanders on Wednesday to always maintain the force's operational readiness at its peak level amid a lingering border row with China in eastern Ladakh. In an interaction with the commanders at their ongoing biannual conference, Singh reasserted the faith of the billion-plus citizens in the Indian Army as one of the "most trusted and inspiring organisations" in the country. At the five-day conference that started on Monday, the commanders are carrying out a comprehensive review of India's national security challenges along the borders with China and Pakistan, besides delving on ways to bolster the 1.3 million-strong force's military prowess. The main highlight of the third day's proceedings was Singh's interaction with the senior leadership of the Army, which was preceded by a briefing on "Transformational imperatives for a future-ready force". The Army said the defence minister commended the force for maintaining a high ...

They can't stop China in Ladakh, but won't let me in Kargil: Omar Abdullah

National Conference leader Omar Abdullah has claimed that authorities in Union Territory of Ladakh tried to dissuade him from visiting Kargil. "They told me not come here. There (Eastern Ladakh) China has come in, you could not stop them, you could not send them back. We are only going from Srinagar to Kargil via Drass. We were not here to occupy the town," Omar told a gathering of his supporters in Drass on Monday. The National Conference leader alleged he was denied the permission to use a public address system and the Day Bungalow facility in Drass. "I have been a chief minister of Jammu and Kashmir for six years, but I fail to understand certain decisions made by them. At best, I would have only used the Dak Bungalow to freshen up," he added. Abdullah said the government had no confidence in its own decisions. "In August 2019, they separated you (Ladakh) from Jammu and Kashmir. If that was your heartfelt demand, why are they scared of allowing us in?" he asked. Hitting out at

Rajnath dedicates 75 infra projects worth Rs 2,180 cr from eastern Ladakh

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Friday dedicated to the nation 75 infrastructure projects including bridges, roads and helipads built at a cost of Rs 2,180 crore in strategically key areas of Ladakh, Jammu and Kashmir, Arunachal Pradesh and Sikkim among others. He inaugurated the projects at a function held at the Darbuk-Shyok-Daulat Beg Oldi (DS-DBO) road that provides connectivity to India's northernmost outpost of Daulat Beg Oldi in eastern Ladakh. The highlight of the event was the onsite inauguration of 120-metre-long 'class-70 Shyok Setu' on the DS-DBO Road at an altitude 14,000 feet, the defence ministry said. The bridge will be of strategic importance as it will facilitate logistics movement of the armed forces. Other projects inaugurated virtually by Singh included two helipads, one each in Hanle and Thakung, in Eastern Ladakh, it said. These helipads will enhance the operational capabilities of the Indian Air Force in the region. The rest of the projects were inaugurate

2 dead, 10 injured after tipper truck topples in Ladakh's Sasoma-Saser La

As many as two people died and ten others were injured after a tipper truck toppled in the Sasoma-Saser La area of Ladakh on Wednesday while road construction work was underway

No breakthrough at India-China diplomatic dialogue, talks to go on

India and China agreed on Friday to hold the next round of military-level talks at an early date to resolve the remaining issues in eastern Ladakh and create conditions for the restoration of normalcy in the bilateral ties, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said. It was the only decision taken at a meeting of the Working Mechanism for Consultation and Coordination on the India-China Border Affairs as there was no breakthrough to resolve the issues at the key friction points of Demchok and Depsang. The MEA said the two sides agreed to continue discussions through diplomatic and military channels to resolve the remaining issues "at the earliest" so as to create conditions for the restoration of normalcy in the bilateral relations. "To achieve the objective of resolution of remaining issues along the LAC in the Western Sector in accordance with the existing bilateral agreements and protocols, they agreed to hold the next (17th) round of the Senior Commanders meeting at an early ..