Leh, Nov 3: Amid simmering protest in Arunachal Pradesh over the proposed Siang Dam, Ladakh-based climate activist Sonam Wangchuk on Tuesday appealed to President of India, Droupadi Murmu, to look into the concern and to protect the rights of indigenous communities.
In a detailed letter Murmu, Wangchuk said that that indigenous communities across the cold deserts of Ladakh and the lush valleys of Arunachal Pradesh share an intrinsic bond with their mountains, rivers, and forests, noting that their lives, cultures, and national security are closely linked to the health of these ecosystems.
Wangchuk, further, sought the President’s urgent intervention regarding the resistance by indigenous communities, particularly the Adi people, against the proposed Siang Upper Multipurpose Project.
Wangchuk said that the people of Ladakh understand the distress of those affected in Arunachal Pradesh, having spent years peacefully demanding constitutional safeguards under the Sixth Schedule to protect their own ecology, ancestral lands, and cultural identity.
He said that as a leader hailing from an indigenous tribal community, President Murmu would understand that nature for the Himalayan people is not merely a resource to be exploited, but a mother to be protected.
