SRINAGAR: Environmentalist and Leh Apex Body (LAB) member Sonam Wangchuk and LAB co-chairman Tsering Dorje Lakrook Monday said they oppose the proposed joint venture between the Ladakh Power Development Department (LPDD) and the REC Power Development Corporation LTD (RECPDCL) for the power sector in Ladakh, alleging the tie-up fails to safeguard interests of the people of Ladakh.“We believe this model, in its present form, is being pursued without adequate public consultation and it fails to safeguard the interests of the people of Ladakh, a strategically sensitive region with unique challenges,” Wangchuk and Lakrook said at a presser in Leh.“It excludes the local youth, marginalises local contractors and poses threat to strategic interests. The proposed model offers no binding provisions for local employment, risking further unemployment among Ladakhi youth,” the LAB leaders said.“Commercialisation of power sector may lead to increased electricity costs, placing an additional burden on households, small businesses and the tourism sector,” they said, adding that the power infrastructure in Ladakh is critical for national security and must remain under strong public control. “We view this proposal as privatization in disguise, prioritizing profit over public welfare,” he said.
