Lessons from Zojila Closure and Shortage of Commodities

The entire region of Ladakh remains mostly dependent on Zojila Pass to inflow human needs whether it is basic need of daily use or secondary needs. For the whole summer season, all goods pass through the Zojila which is the only sustainable and comparatively easy lifeline for Ladakh in summer. Its blockade due to snow in winters results in lot of sufferings and shortage of essential goods for Ladakh.

The Zojila pass which is at an altitude of 11516 feet above the sea level, serves as a six month closed gateway for the region. The activities which are dependent on the Srinagar-Kargil National highway via Zojila pass are limited to at least six months of the summer season. After that, due to snowfall, the whole region of Ladakh becomes a lone survival for the next five to six months in the winter season.

Though, the provision of air buses has eased some facilities like travelling to other cities. However, it is limited to the Leh district; for public in Kargil district, travelling via flights is not a satisfactory choice. At this time, the markets in Ladakh, especially Kargil records acute shortage of essential food items like packed milk, vegetables and other daily need items. The shortage of essential commodities is adversely affecting life in the district. Only Allah knows, through what condition some families have gone through.

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From the long blockade of Zojila pass this year and the shortage of essential commodities in market,the people of Kargil have to learn lessons from these sufferings. This author has coined four key lessons Kargil need to learn from these days of anxiety and sufferings.

First, despite of facing the same crises for decades, still the government has not yet come up with a solution to tackle the crises. Today, in the 21st century, some governments dare to set up hotels in spaces, send peoples to Mars, and many other unbelievable achievements have been bagged. On the other hand our UT Ladakh government cannot supply limited essential stocks to the resident of the region for the winter season where the population is more or less three lac. There are lots of feasible ways to meet the demand of people for the winter season if the government steps in. Development of agriculture sector and progressive farmers, boost entrepreneurship startups, and develop a civil airport in Kargil can tackle the crisis. 

Second, we the residents of the region are also responsible for the condition in winter because we have never tried to become self dependent in some sectors and still rely on Zojila which results in a harsh living condition in winter even in the era of technology. We have the potential to grow various essential local stocks through agriculture and independent entrepreneurship. Foods like Green leaves, cabbages, cauliflowers, potato, turnip, tomato can easily grow in greenhouses by practicing the latest scientific notions. We lack local entrepreneurs for startups. There is some small-scale business running by some local Women as they sell dried leaves, potatoes, turnips and other possible items by their end during winter when there is an acute shortage of essential food items. I salute them for the steps.

 Third, the region has practising cattle breeding since the ancestral period and it is continued by the current generation as well. The live cattle breeding have the potential to develop on a large scale in Kargil. The need of dairy industry is not fulfilled yet which is also a very significant business requirement in the region as it will compensate the milk demand and by-products in the market, especially in winter. 

Four, development of a civil airport in Kargil has remained a long pending demand of the people in the district. As said above, this would ease the sufferings of people in winters. The long queue for tickets in AN 32 courier services has irked the people of the district that is added by its continuous cancellation. A civil service in the district can fulfill the demands of essential commodities as well in winter. E-commerce business startups will take birth for which one might wait for so long. Besides the above-mentioned things, there are many other things to pinch for the failure which you can think of on your own. The inference of the article is that we need to boost our economy by encouraging entrepreneurship to start their business on a large scale. Government must take this on a priority. We have to become independent now for at least the things that we can do in our region. We need to expand the agricultural business through various schemes using the proper use of the so-called rivers and the only demand which is Civil Airport in Kargil for which the whole people of the district deprived of.

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