3 weeks ago
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With section socio-political-religious groups up successful arms against privatisation of energy successful Ladakh, the Union Territory (UT) medication connected Thursday (May 7, 2026) said section stakeholders volition beryllium onboard connected immoderate determination to acceptable up a powerfulness corporation in the portion and assured determination were nary plans to acceptable up immoderate star powerfulness works successful the ecologically-sensitive country of Changtang.
“It’s unfortunate that without seeking clarification from the UT medication that baseless rumours astir privatisation of the energy section are being dispersed successful a portion bordered by China and Pakistan. We judge successful dialog and antiauthoritarian process. Any determination volition beryllium made successful a transparent mode and stakeholders volition beryllium onboard,” said Ashish Kundra, Chief Secretary of Ladakh.
Mr. Kundra’s connection came successful the aftermath of resentment shown by the Leh Apex Body (LAB) and the Kargil Democratic Alliance, amalgams of socio-political and spiritual groups, implicit the projected enactment of a Joint Venture betwixt the Ladakh Power Development Department (LPDD) (49%) and the Rural Electrification Corporation (51%) for the powerfulness assemblage successful Ladakh.
Mr. Kundra, however, clarified that mounting up a corp was a request nether the Electricity Act, 2003. “It has been done successful J&K already. Every State successful the state has acceptable up corporations. We request to spot if we tin acceptable up corporations with companies already moving successful Ladakh similar National Hydroelectric Power Corporation Limited NHPC) oregon REC Power Development and Consultancy Limited and are acceptable to invest. We are inactive successful the process of exploring what is the champion for Ladakh,” helium said.
He said Ladakh was buying energy from J&K astatine ₹10 per unit, highest successful the country. Ladakh needs to enactment thrust connected gross generation. At present, the interest collected by the powerfulness section goes to the Centre. However, with a corp the interest postulation volition enactment successful Ladakh for the region’s future,” helium added.
He said a corp volition besides person a flexibility to bargain from the spot marketplace of the powerfulness exchange. He also clarified that the existent employees of the powerfulness section volition stay arsenic authorities employees and lone the aboriginal recruitments volition beryllium of the corporation. “Any caller employment procreation volition beryllium filled 90% by locals,” helium added.
Expressing willingness to clasp dialog connected the issue, Mr. Kundra said the UT medication volition not instrumentality immoderate measures that wounded the interests of Ladakh’s onshore oregon culture.
On mounting up star energy plants, Mr. Kundra said determination was nary program to disturb the Changtang region, which is location to pashmina goat herders. “We volition not disturb the accepted employment mode. We volition place onshore that is barren and wherever nary farming is done for specified plants,” helium added.
