In a fresh administrative escalation, the Ladakh administration issued a formal notice on Tuesday, November 3, 2026, ordering the Himalayan Institute of Alternatives, Ladakh (HIAL)—co-founded by climate activist Sonam Wangchuk—to immediately halt all classes and educational operations at the Desert Flower School in Phyang.
Issued by the Office of the Tehsildar, Leh, on November 1, the notice was addressed to HIAL Founder and CEO Dr. Gitanjali J. Angmo. The administration alleged that HIAL initiated academic sessions and campus activities at the Desert Flower School without securing mandatory statutory clearances or a No Objection Certificate (NOC) from relevant authorities.
Status Quo Directive Pending High Court Verdict
The administrative warning explicitly links the halt order to an ongoing legal dispute before the High Court of Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh concerning the institute’s land allotment:
- Maintain Status Quo: The notice directs Dr. Angmo to strictly maintain the status quo and refrain from any actions that could be construed as prejudicing the proceedings before the High Court.
- Premature Operations: While Dr. Angmo wrote to the Leh Deputy Commissioner on September 22, 2026, requesting NOC approval for the proposed managing committee members of Desert Flower School, the administration asserted that classes were launched prematurely prior to receiving formal approval.
Background: The 1,076-Kanal Land Allotment Dispute
The dispute traces back to May 2018, when 1,076 kanals and 1 marla of land at Phyang Thang was allocated to HIAL on a 40-year lease framework to establish an alternative university focused on sustainable mountain development.
- 2025 Lease Cancellation: The Ladakh administration cancelled the land allotment in August 2025, claiming that HIAL failed to execute the formal lease deed, deposit the mandatory land premium within one year, or establish a statutorily recognized university.
- HIAL’s Counter-Defense: HIAL challenged the cancellation in the High Court, which issued an interim restraint preventing the administration from creating third-party rights on the land.
- Administrative Delays vs. Activism: HIAL co-founders maintain they submitted lease execution requests within 15 days of allotment in 2018 and made dozens of follow-up visits. Wangchuk has accused the administration of utilizing the land dispute to target him politically over his ongoing activism for Ladakh’s Sixth Schedule inclusion and statehood.
