Leh, Oct 01: The All Ladakh Hotel and Guest House Association (ALHGHA) has called for collective action to restore peace and safeguard Ladakh’s fragile Himalayan environment following a turbulent year for the region’s tourism sector.
The association demanded a judicial inquiry into the deaths of four individuals during violent clashes in Leh on September 24.
ALHGHA President Rigzin Wangmo Lachic highlighted a 50% drop in tourist arrivals this year, triggered by the Pahalgam incident, compounded by unprecedented rainfall and the recent tragedy.
Emphasizing tourism’s critical role in supporting local livelihoods, including hotels, homestays, restaurants, taxis, and bike rentals, the association urged the government and residents to unite in addressing these challenges.
“The season began with a sharp 50 per cent decline in tourist arrivals following the unfortunate Pahalgam incident, and was further disrupted by the unprecedented rains here and in neighbouring states. Now, with this recent tragedy, the crisis has deepened,” Rigzin Wangmo Lachic, said.
“Most have built their businesses from scratch with heavy bank loans, and today they stand under immense financial stress. It is therefore imperative that the scale of this economic crisis be taken into account with utmost seriousness by the government,” she said
The Association sincerely hopes for peace to be restored at the earliest, the statement said and urged both the people of Ladakh and the government to come together to make this possible.
“We unequivocally support the people’s demand for safeguards because protecting our land and our rights is inseparable from protecting our livelihoods,” Lachic said.
Lachic said to continue with the current process, without deeper and more inclusive consultations, risks leading to ecological and cultural harm, and could jeopardise the harmony that has long supported both people and nature here.
“At the same time, it is essential to let diversity flourish, to decentralise and strengthen the local economy, and to create more space for the active involvement of local communities. Even within Ladakh, cultures across regions are distinct, and it is this very diversity that must be celebrated and protected,” she said.
She noted that Ladakh’s unique landscape, extreme climatic conditions, and distinct culture are unlike anywhere else in the country.
“This reality does not just call for, but demands, a bottom-up approach to policy: one that ensures the meaningful involvement of local voices and integrates our traditional knowledge systems and indigenous practices into all development plans,’” she said.
Demanding judicial probe into the killing of four persons, she said the events of September 24 have shattered the profound peace of Ladakh and left a wound on the collective soul of its people.
