Wangchuk, wife hit back at Ladakh administration over HIAL land lease row

Srinagar, Oct. 24 -- Climate activist Sonam Wangchuk and his wife, Gitanjali Angmo, have accused the Ladakh administration of targeting the Himalayan Institute of Alternative Learning (HIAL) over a land lease dispute, alleging that officials are blaming the institute for delays caused by the administration itself.

The allegation follows an affidavit in the High Court that questions the institute's claim to its land in Leh.

The affidavit was filed on Wednesday in the High Court of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh while responding to a writ petition by the HIAL, which challenged an August 21, 2025 order cancelling the land lease allotted to itThe administration told the court that HIAL is occupying government land in Leh without paying dues. It...