A meeting with all the 21 Tibetan settlement representatives of Leh district was convened by CEC, Hill Council, Leh, Advocate Tashi Gyalson on November 25 at DC office conference hall. 

MP Ladakh, Jamyang Tsering Namgyal; Deputy Chairman, Tsering Angchuk; Additional Dy. Commissioner, Leh, Sonam Chosjor,  Director TCV, representatives from  Men-Tsee-Khang, PHC Tibetan Settlement Choglamsar and  Tibetan Refugee Service Cooperative Society Choglamsar headed by Chief Representative Officer, Sonamling Tibetan Settlement Tsetan Wangchuk were present.  

Expressing high respect for Tibetans settled in Leh, CEC assured to provide all kinds of facilities at par with Ladakhis without any harassment or unjust. 

He said, “Earlier in the erstwhile J&K govt. we used to get very meager funds, now after Ladakh becoming UT we are empowered financially which will also help a lot to fulfill the demands and issues of Tibetan living in Ladakh.”

Taking serious note about the issue of land allotted to Tibetan refugees in Leh being sold to local people by Tibetans in the past and the possibility of such practice in future too, CEC appealed to Tibetan people to refrain from such practice in the future. He stressed on identification and demarcation of land under their occupation at their own level. Also, he appealed to Tibetans to expend their welfare programmers for their community by exploring more means and ideas.  

MP Ladakh said that Tibetans and Ladakhis share a great affinity of culture and religion and thus live in a congenial relationship in Ladakh since their settlement here. 

Remembering concerted efforts of former CEC Late Dr. Sonam Dawa Lonpo in addressing the issues of Tibetan people in 2015-16, MP JTN hoped that present 6th LAHDC, Leh under the leadership of CEC Gyalson will try their best to resolve the genuine demands and issues of Tibetan settled in Leh. He also assured his full support and help to the Tibetan at the GoI level.

He further appealed to Tibetan people to give true and proper data during the upcoming 2021 Census of India so that they could also get the benefits of all centrally sponsored welfare schemes of GoI in the future. 

Dy. Chairman, Tsering Angchuk also responded to the demands like issuance of ration cards including BPL ration cards, subsidized ration and LPG for TCV hostel and old age home. He assured to look into the matter at the earliest. 

Additional Dy. Commissioner, Leh, Sonam Chosjor requested Tibetans to identify a land under their position for setting up of a  Solid Resource Management Centre ‘Project Tsang-Da’ which will be established by the administration at first and later handed over to the community. 

CRO Tibetan Settlement highlighted the demands and issues of Tibetan people settled in Ladakh including the problem of migration of nomads from Changthang, benefits of ₹ 129.50 crore Changthang package to the Tibetan nomads living in Changthang region, land lease agreement settlement, allotment of land for Tibetan families who are living in rented accommodation and construction of home for them, Solar Water Heater for 375 Tibetan families of Changthang region, fencing for agriculture land cultivated by Tibetan in Changthang, equal opportunities for Tibetan Nurses in UT Ladakh, etc. 

Representatives from all the 21 Tibetan settlement of Leh,  Director TCV, representatives from  PHC Tibetan Settlement Choglamsar, and  Tibetan Refugee Service Cooperative Society Choglamsar also raised their basic demands and issues like issuance of ration cards, electricity problems like low voltage problem and transformer issues, drinking water, internal roads, toilet, land issues, streetlight,  stray dog issue, recruitment of Tibetan labours in Army, telecommunication problem for Tibetan living in Changthang, fodder for livestock of  Tibetan nomads, etc.