Excelsior Correspondent
LEH, June 16: Lieutenant Governor of Ladakh, Brigadier (Dr) BD Mishra (Retd.), convened a meeting at the LG Secretariat to address the infiltration of the Gujjar-Bakarwal community into the grazing areas of Rangdum.
Tsering Tashi, General Secretary of the Rangdum Gonpa Cultural and Welfare Society, briefed the LG on the recent encroachments by the Gujjar and Bakarwal community, despite a prior agreement made last year to halt such activities.
Tashi also highlighted the unauthorized construction of buildings by the Police and Animal Husbandry Department on land belonging to Rangdum Gonpa, urging their removal.
Tashi pointed out that another part of the grazing land is disputed between Parkachik and Rangdum villages, a matter currently sub-judice.
He requested the LG’s intervention to prevent further encroachment from Parkachik until a court ruling is issued.
LG Mishra referred to his visit to the area last year, during which both the Rangdum and Gujjar-Bakarwal communities had agreed to respect the grazing boundaries.
He expressed concern over the Administration of Kishtwar district’s failure to uphold the agreement and directed the ADGP Ladakh and Director of Animal and Sheep Husbandry to vacate the disputed buildings and relocate to Shafat Nallah on the Kishtwar side.
Additionally, the LG instructed DC Kargil and SSP Kargil to report on recent developments in the matter.
He clarified that the administration would not intervene in the land dispute between Rangdum and Parkachik villages and emphasized the importance of maintaining law and order.
Advisor to the LG, Dr Pawan Kotwal, confirmed that instructions had been relayed to DC Kishtwar.
He noted that following the LG’s visit, the SSP Kargil submitted a report recognizing the traditional grazing rights of the Gujjar-Bakarwal community.
However, DC Kargil, Shrikant Suse, reported that no official documents in the revenue records validate these grazing rights.
The meeting was attended by Dr Pawan Kotwal; ADGP Ladakh, Dr SD Singh Jamwal; Commissioner Secretary to the LG, Laltinkhuma Franklin; DC Kargil, Shrikant Suse; SSP Kargil, Shriram R; Director of Animal and Sheep Husbandry, Dr Mohd Iqbal; Assistant Commissioner of Revenue, Mohammad Sharief, and representatives from Rangdum Gonpa.
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