Ladakh Authority Calls for Fresh Public Hearings to Clarify Traditional Land Rights

In a decisive move announced on September 12, Ladakh’s Deputy Chief Minister Vinay Kumar Saksena directed that new public hearings be convened immediately to address objections and suggestions from indigenous residents of the Hemis, Changthang and Karakoram wildlife sanctuaries. The announcement, made at the 16th State Board for Wildlife session, highlighted that earlier boundary recommendations were merely theoretical and did not comply with the statutory safeguards of the Wildlife (Protection) Act. Saksena warned that any future delimitation must balance national security, conservation goals, and the rights of local communities that have lived in the region for centuries. District commissioners and settlement officers have been tasked with organizing these hearings and completing the entire claims‑resolution process within two months, ensuring that both legal and ecological priorities are met.