Ganderbal: Engineer, innovator and education reformist from Ladakh Sonam Wangchuk on Sunday started his seven -day long climate fast over climate issues concerning the cold desert region of Ladakh . Wangchuk is seeking steps for environment conservation and implementation of the 6th Schedule of the Constitution for Ladakh.
“HOPE PRAYERS WORK BETTER THAN PROTESTS. Leaders of all communities in Ladakh gathered for 1 Day #ClimateFast prayers to support the talks between Ladakhi leaders and #HomeMinistry,” Sonam Wangchuk tweeted.
Wangchuk has been working on the development of Ladakh for the last 30 years. He is credited with designing solar-heated buildings and artificial glaciers, while more recently providing the people with better education facilities. Wangchuk was the 2018 winner of the Ramon Magsaysay Award, sometimes referred to as the Asian Nobel, for “harnessing nature, culture and education for community progress.”
His life story was the inspiration for one of the lead roles in the 2009 film “3 Idiots,” one of the most successful in the history of Indian cinema.
Wangchuk’s “climatic fast” comes a day ahead of talks between the Ministry of Home Affairs and a six-member joint delegation of Leh-based Apex body and Kargil Democratic Alliance (KDA) who are seeking full statehood, constitutional safeguards under sixth schedule, separate Lok Sabha seats for the two districts and recruitment and job reservation for the youth of Ladakh. Wangchuk, had earlier staged a five-day hunger protest in January this year in support of safeguards in Ladakh .
“We have dedicated the first day of the climatic fast for the success of the talks between the central government and our leaders,” Wangchuk, who was joined by a large number of locals at NDS Stadium, in Leh told reporters.
He said thousands more across Ladakh are observing fast and holding prayers for a successful meeting and positive outcome.
Wangchuk said,”We want a solution to our issues peacefully without any disturbance or agitation.”
He added that other motive behind his fast is to attract the attention of people around the globe, especially those living in the cities to make necessary changes in their lifestyles for saving the environment. “
Our glaciers and environment cannot be only protected by the government alone and so, I appeal the people of India, and in fact the world, to join me and take the pledge to change their lifestyle because the emissions which we are causing is melting the Himalayan glaciers at a rapid speed and we face the fear of very little being left by the end of the century,” he said.