Mohinder Verma
Leh, which was the capital of the Himalayan Kingdom of Ladakh, is the second largest district in the country, after Kutch in Gujarat as it is spread over an area of 45,110 square kilometers. It was an important stopover on trade routes along the Indus Valley between Tibet to the East, Kashmir to the West and also between India and China for centuries.
Mountains dominate the landscape around the Leh and the principal access roads include the 434 km Srinagar-Leh highway which connects Leh with Srinagar and the 473 km Leh-Manali Highway which connects Manali with Leh. Both roads are open only on a seasonal basis. Although the access roads from Srinagar and Manali are often blocked by snow in winter, the local roads in the Indus Valley usually remain open due to low level of precipitation and snowfall.
Unlike other districts of the State, Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Council (LAHDC) is in charge of governance in Leh. The Hill Council was constituted in 1995 so as to provide a transparent development in the area. But still the MLA has an important role to play in ensuring development of district in general and Leh Assembly segment in particular, which during the past 12 years is being represented by Nawang Rigzin Jora, who even remained Cabinet Minister during this period.
Though ensuring holistic development of Leh Assembly constituency always remained a matter of concern keeping in view the geographical conditions, the necessity of planned development assumed importance especially after the devastating flash floods of 2010, which rendered major parts of the area as mud-field with damages everywhere.
The words “development” and “progress”, which were unknown to the people several years back, now have a meaning for them due to numerous works undertaken by the sitting MLA. But at the same time there are people, who still feel that MLA could have done much more by making use of his position as Cabinet Minister in two successive Governments in Jammu and Kashmir and more vigorously pursuing left-over issues with his party led Government at the Centre, which ruled the country during this period.
Though his critics may not have same kind of opinion because of their political compulsions, yet they too recognize his contribution at least in the tourism sector, which according to them, received required fillip particularly when Jora was holding the tourism portfolio and fruits of his initiatives are now visible in the shape of increased number of tourists.
During the random survey conducted in different parts of Leh Assembly constituency, EXCELSIOR came across with numerous people, who are enthused over the performance of Nawang Rigzin Jora as well as have some sorts of complaints against him.
The complaints are particularly relating to delay in rebuilding of infrastructure damaged during the flash floods of 2010, his failure to get their mother language -Bhoti included in the 8th Schedule of the Indian Constitution and project at the right forums the common demand of the entire population-Union Territory status to Ladakh. Some of the people even alleged biased approach of the MLA towards certain areas but majority of the people with whom EXCELSIOR interacted rebuffed this allegation.
A group of students of Leh town presently pursuing higher studies in Jammu, while sharing their opinion about the MLA’s performance at Choglamsar, said, “no-doubt our MLA fully utilized his Ministerial status in sanctioning projects and works for Leh but he has failed to get two major and long pending demands of entire population—inclusion of Bhoti language in the 8th Schedule of Indian Constitution and UT status conceded”.
“It was a golden opportunity for him as not only in Jammu and Kashmir even at New Delhi Congress remained in power during this period and he could have easily got Bhoti language included in the 8th Schedule”, they rued, adding “we have even not heard about our MLA raising the demand of Union Territory status to Ladakh despite the fact that this demand unites each and every soul of Ladakh region”.
Tashi Dorjey, a shopkeeper said, “no doubt Rigzin Jora has to his credit many developmental works but he should have ensured holistic development of all the areas so that migration of the people to the town for better standard of living could have been avoided”.
According to him, many opportunities in Leh town as compared to several other parts are attracting large number of people from backward areas to urban areas of Leh and this is creating several problems in terms of sanitation, drinking water facility and strain on infrastructure and resources.
“Some areas still remain in a state of relative disadvantage as compared to other areas”, Tashi Dolkar of Leh town said, adding “this can be gauged from the fact that people of such areas have flocked towards the urban areas and formed settlements like Kharnakling and Zarak Mane in Choglamsar, Skalzangling and Skampari”.
Dolkar said that lop sides of development needs to be catered effectively in order to bring every area under progress, adding “there is need for the integration of the neglected areas within the development process”.
A retired Government official said, “during the past several years Hill Council has been demanding hike in annual district plan but MLA despite being Minister during the past several years failed to persuade the Government for the same”. He also raised the issue of Bhoti language and UT status and said, “on both these demands our representative has failed completely”.
The official, however, gave credit of rebuilding of infrastructure damaged during the flash floods of 2010 to Mr Jora and said, “he remained with the people in the hour of need and thereafter left no stone unturned to get funds sanctioned from the Union Government”.
Some people alleged that in many areas training of nullahs, which caused massive havoc during 2010 flash floods and rebuilding of irrigation khuls have not received the attention of MLA till date. They even went to the extent of saying that Mr Jora gave priority to rebuilding of infrastructure on political considerations.
Lauding MLA for his visionary approach towards the development of district in general and constituency in particular, Kunzang Dolma of Nimoo said, “not only on tourism sector, which is the mainstay of our economy, he paid special attention towards health, roads and education sectors and the outcome of the same is visible on ground”.
“As far as development is concerned, Leh is at par with capital cities of the State”, large number of people claimed, adding “there is hardly any village which is not having proper road connectivity and electricity. There are health volunteers or ASHA workers in all those areas where there is no health centre to attend to the health related problems of the people”.
During his tenure, several new educational institutions were opened and even streams of students’ choice started in the Degree College, they said, adding “it would not be justified to undermine the performance of the MLA in majority of the sectors by equating the same with UT status and Bhoti language”.
As per our information, Mr Jora tried his level best to get Bhoti language included in the 8th Schedule of the Constitution and he projected this demand at various forums during his tenure but the same could not become reality due to one or the other reason.
“As far as UT status is concerned, it would be possible only when Kashmir issue is resolved”, Tenzin of Merak said, adding “political issues should not be equated with the developmental activities and I think Mr Jora left no stone unturned to meet our developmental aspirations and result is visible on the ground”.
The people of Nimoo village have all the praises for the MLA for getting the work on hydro electric project completed. “Not only as Power Minister but as a Tourism and Urban Development Minister this project remained his priority”, they said, adding “he tried his level best to provide electricity through DG sets or solar plants to all those villages which were not having any source of power”.
When contacted, Mr Jora, who is presently Minister for Urban Development, admitted that he could not meet the aspirations of the people vis-à-vis UT status to Ladakh and inclusion of Bhoti language in the 8th Schedule of Indian Constitution.
“As far as development is concerned, I can easily claim that Leh has witnessed tremendous developmental activities during the past 12 years”, he claimed, adding “on many fronts Leh constituency is better than the capital cities of Jammu and Srinagar despite the fact that we have many constraints due to tough terrain and geographical conditions”.
He said, “at present Rs 1500 crore worth developmental activities are going on in Leh and for that I had to vigorously chase the projects at State as well as Union Government level”, adding “I got Rs 217 crore worth projects sanctioned under JNNURM/UDISSMT and Rs 250 crore under Rajiv Gandhi Gramin Vidyutikaran Yojana. It was due to my personal efforts that Nimmo Basgo hydro electric project got included in the Prime Minister’s Reconstruction Plan”.
Listing his other achievements, Mr Jora said that he has got huge funds sanctioned under NABARD, ADB and RAY, which has helped in changing the developmental profile of the constituency. Opening of several new educational institutions, health centres, Rs 39 crore worth golf course and Rs 15 crore worth International Convention Centre are the other major achievements of the MLA.
About the allegations that during his tenure Hill Council’s importance has been undermined, he said, “I am the strong votary of strengthening Hill Council and I took several measures for the empowerment of Council”, adding “it is due to my efforts that CEC has got the status of Cabinet Minister and Executive Councilors as Deputy Minister status. Moreover, land allotment powers were vested on the Council only due to my personal efforts”.
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