On 29 September, the collective campaign People for Himalaya held a press conference in New Delhi to condemn the arrest of environmental activist Sonam Wangchuk under the National Security Act (NSA) and demanded his immediate release. They called the arrest an infringement on democratic rights aimed at silencing the concerns of Ladakh’s people regarding constitutional rights, livelihoods, and the environment. The group also criticized the violent police crackdown on peaceful protestors in Leh on 24 September, which resulted in four deaths and over 80 injuries.
People for Himalaya called for accountability, including a judicial inquiry and the resignation of local officials. They supported the Leh Apex Body and Kargil Democratic Alliance’s demands for statehood and Sixth Schedule protection for Ladakh. The campaign linked Ladakh’s plight to broader issues of environmental and governance failures across the Himalayas, emphasizing that recent ecological disasters were linked to climate change, poor governance, and unregulated development.
The group condemned the dilution of environmental safeguards, specifically citing the Char Dham road project as a significant risk factor for landslides, and demanded improved disaster response systems, fair rehabilitation for affected communities, and enforcement of the Dam Safety Act. They also rejected harmful projects in sensitive areas and called for the scrapping of the 2023 amendments to the Forest Conservation Act, advocating for robust environmental impact assessments and decentralized governance.
Solidarity with Ladakh and Himalayan communities battling ecological destruction was emphasized, along with a commitment to supporting their fight for democratic rights and sustainable futures. This movement, launched in 2024 following disasters in Himachal, Joshimath, and Sikkim, aims to strengthen pan-Himalayan solidarity for ecological justice amid ongoing crises.
