Guv okays rotational HQ for Ladakh

Tribune News Service

Jammu, February 15

Addressing the concerns of Kargil people who have been protesting for the last one week, Governor Satya Pal Malik on Friday announced to have rotational headquarters of the new Ladakh division for equal period in Kargil and Leh districts.

“The newly created administrative and revenue division of Ladakh will have its headquarters jointly at Leh and Kargil. There will be offices at both the places. Two Additional Divisional Commissioners will be posted, one each in Leh and Kargil. The Divisional Commissioner and Inspector General will spend half their time in Kargil and half in Leh,” a Raj Bhawan spokesperson said after a meeting of All Party Co-ordination Committee members from Kargil district with the Governor here.

It was decided that the periodicity of this would be determined by a high-level committee constituted by State Administrative Council under the chairmanship of the Principal Secretary (Planning).

The meeting, attended by Legislative Council Chairman Haji Anayat Ali, Chief Executive Councillor of the Kargil Council and senior leaders, was convened to understand and resolve the concerns of the people regarding the Ladakh division. Kargil residents had been protesting since the announcement of the new division on February 8 demanding its rotational headquarters.

“The SRO will be revised. The periodicity of the Divisional Commissioner’s and IG’s sitting at Leh and Kargil will be determined by the committee which will also identify the posts of divisional-level heads of various departments that may be required for the new Ladakh division, their equitable locations at Kargil and Leh and their staffing pattern. The committee will submit its report by February 24,” the spokesperson said.

It was also decided that the state government would immediately provide Rs 200 crore from the Jammu and Kashmir Infrastructure Development Finance Corporation and other sources to a separate account to convert the Kargil airport into a full-fledged civilian airstrip which can handle medium body jets like Boeing and Airbus.

“The Secretary (Ladakh Affairs) will constantly engage with the Ladakh Area Hill Development Council, Kargil, and other people’s representatives to improve the development prospects of Kargil. The coordination committee welcomed the Governor’s decision and agreed to call off all demonstrations in Kargil,” the spokesperson said.