The flare-up on the LAC between India and China in the eastern Ladakh has heightened the sense of uncertainty in the people of the UT which is facing a surge in the coronavirus cases.
Sources said that since July 20, the UT has reported 35 COVID deaths. “Before that only one COVID death was reported from Leh in May.”
The total number of confirmed positive cases has almost reached 2,840 including 2039 who have recovered so far. Presently, the number of active cases in the UT is 766 including 493 in Leh and 273 in Kargil district.
“The government should take a firm stand to deescalate the tension on the LAC (line of actual control) through diplomacy,” Tashi Namgyal of Leh said.
He said that Ladakh “is now fighting on two fronts— one is coronavirus and the other is the situation along the LAC”. Namgyal said the government “first hid what was happening on the LAC.”
According to Sajjad Hussain Kargili, who previously contested Parliament elections as an independent candidate from Ladakh “redrawing of the political map of J&K and Ladakh post abrogation of Article 370 and 35-A, provoked China to intensify its incursion.”
“The NDA government,” he said, “failed to keep good diplomatic ties with China.”
He said that the government of India “must let the nation know the actual situation in eastern Ladakh.”
He also said that the UT administration has “failed” to contain the spread of coronavirus in Ladakh. Meanwhile, the re-imposition of certain restrictions to contain covid19 has badly affected the businesses and peak tourist season.