Ladakh Administration Orders HIAL School to Halt Operations

The Government of Ladakh ordered the Desert Flower School, operated by the Himalayan Institute of Alternatives, Ladakh (HIAL), to immediately halt all classes and educational activities on November 1, 2026. The Office of the Tehsildar, Leh, issued the notice to HIAL CEO Gitanjali J. Angmo, alleging the school began operations without mandatory statutory clearances or a No Objection Certificate.

This order is part of a broader legal conflict regarding a 53.8-hectare land allotment in Phyang Thang. The administration revoked the lease in August 2025, claiming HIAL failed to pay land premiums or execute the lease deed. In a 136-page affidavit, the administration further asserted that the lease lapsed in 2019 and that HIAL is not a recognized university. While the High Court of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh has barred the administration from creating third-party rights on the land, the order to suspend school activities remains in effect.

HIAL co-founder Sonam Wangchuk has characterized the administration's actions as a "witch-hunt" designed to suppress his activism for Ladakh's statehood and Sixth Schedule protections. Separately, Wangchuk petitioned President Droupadi Murmu to intervene in Arunachal Pradesh to protect the Adi people resisting the Siang Upper Multipurpose Project, arguing that treating border communities as suspects weakens national security.