Leh’s Chief Executive Councillor (CEC) Tashi Gyalson has defended the cancellation of nearly 1,000 kanal of land allotted to the Himalayan Institute of Alternatives, Ladakh (HIAL), saying founder Sonam Wangchuk failed to pay a Rs 14-crore premium mandated under the 2018 allotment order.

“Before doing the lease deed, the premium has to be deposited. But Sonam Wangchuk has not deposited the premium of Rs 14 crores. Late Dr. Sonam Dawa’s order has not mentioned anywhere that HIAL is exempted from paying the premium amount. It is written in the allotment order that premium will be accepted and also, the rent will be collected every year for the land,” Gyalson said at a press conference on August 27.

He recalled that in 2020, HIAL sought a waiver through then CEO Gitanjali, but the council found “no ground to wave off the premium” during an Executive Council meeting. “We cannot give a private person land in 1000s of kanals free of cost,” he added, noting that while the amount was Rs 14 crore in 2018, “its market value may now be around Rs 27–30 crore, plus pending rent.”

Gyalson said multiple complaints from villagers and local representatives were also received regarding alleged violations by HIAL, prompting the UT administration to step in. “The Chief Secretary, as Financial Commissioner, took cognisance of the matter and found many loopholes and violations. The administration then took a decision. Efforts are being made to look like the Council or the CEC have done it,” he said.

Delayed Recognition, Bypassing Council

According to sources, the CEC also accused HIAL of dragging its feet on regulatory approvals. “Since 2018 till now, HIAL failed to register with the UGC; it failed to get an affiliation with the AICTE. If they could not do anything, HIAL could at least have affiliated with a private university,” he said.

Questioning the convocation ceremonies held by HIAL, Gyalson remarked: “They say that they have conducted convocations; the question is what valid degree they have given? To give a degree, there should be certification; there should be approval by someone. Your hand-made degree will not work.”

Gyalson criticised HIAL for bypassing the Hill Council and writing directly to the Deputy Commissioner. “In the last five years during my tenure, Sonam Wangchuk never approached me to resolve the issues regarding HIAL land. Bypassing me, they exchanged correspondence with the DC. If they had approached me once, who knows, it may have been resolved,” he said.

The CEC dismissed Wangchuk’s claim that Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan stalled HIAL’s file because of his support for Sixth Schedule status. “Sonam Wangchuk conveniently takes anybody’s name without verifying. It does not look good for prominent people like you to make such statements in the society,” Gyalson said.

While acknowledging HIAL’s innovative work, Gyalson insisted that “laws and procedures must be followed.” He added, “They say it is an alternate university; if their degrees do not require recognition, then they are great.”

Wangchuk’s Stand

Sonam Wangchuk, in previous statements, alleged that bureaucratic hurdles and political motives were behind the lease cancellation. As reported by the Wire, he maintains that the institute’s efforts to gain recognition were deliberately obstructed, and that the Council and administration failed to support Ladakh’s first experimental university.

His wife, the institute's co-founder Gitanjali J Angmo, has also defended HIAL’s record, arguing that paperwork delays were systemic, not willful defaults.