The last outpost
By Rahul Das

Development in the Ladakh region is like the work of a whimsical artist — a potential masterpiece left unfinished.

Air is rare up there. And so, it seems, is development. The Suru valley, which comes first if one is travelling from Srinagar to Leh, presents a classic exception to the trickle-down theory of development. The battle for subsistence takes place right in the backyard of modern urban hubs as the black-top bitumen highways bifurcate villages without any attendant benefit.

The lack of employment avenues has forced people to migrate to other parts of the state in search of livelihood. The irony is poignantly illustrated by a resident.

" The government’s helplessness is understandable. Inhospitable terrain and inclement weather conditions puts the case for state-funded development on a weak footing. And, unlike other areas, business- driven job opportunities do not exist here.Yet the place is dear to us and we do not really want to leave our native land," Mohammed Abbas said.

Kargil presents a case of life in shadow of death. Regular shelling by Pakistanis seems to have nipped the development process in the bud.

Mangled remains of buildings present a sorry spectacle. A case in point is a hotel which was badly damaged last year. Today, construction activity is in full swing and locals are hopeful that the hotel would begin operation by early next year.While some residents of Kargil fled to safer areas when the problem began, there are others who decided to return and re-build their destroyed homes.

The government is doing its bit. A new technology suited to the region has been introduced . It greatly increases the insulation in the houses, making them comfortable during the harsh winters. Though it is not very popular as yet, the acceptance level is slowly and surely rising. Government officials claim that it will bring a sea-change in the lifestyles of Ladakhis.

The people usually stay in houses which are primarily made of mud and stones. They dump grass on the roof and cover it with wood. This is done to ensure that there is enough food for the livestock -- mainly Dimo and Dzomo which are a cross between a Yak and a cow.

The roads are unmetalled and the ride can be very bumpy. People, however, are happy that there are roads where there were none a few decades back. Maintenance of roads is difficult as the Zanskar valley snows up for a major part of the year, a senior government official explained.

The further one goes into the Suru valley, the earlier darkness descends. Electricity is a rare commodity. Ironically, there appears to be a sub-station potential for mini-hydel projects in this region. Even the few sub-stations that are there fail to deliver a steady flow of power due to Pakistani shelling.

"We require a sub-station closer to our villages so that the power supply is not as erratic as it is now," villagers pointed out.

Tele-communication in the area seems to be of a different age altogether. Basic telephone services have not found their way into this area, leave alone computers, faxes and other value added services. No wonder that people believe in being self-sufficient so that they do not have to depend on the outside world for help even in times of emergency.

The mention of the word ‘development’ evokes a strong response from those residing in this region. The villagers point out that there has been some improvement in the living conditions, specially in the past two decades but a lot more needs to be done.

At Trespone village, the villagers spoke about how only a handful of the menfolk manage to find gainful employment and the rest have to go to different places to find work. "Work is difficult to come by in this area and we have to travel long distances so that we can earn and save a little money for home," a village youth said.

Tourism is one sector that holds out immense revenue and employment generating potential. For a tourist, the region is a perfect symphony of nature, colour, land and people. A tourist guest house is an immediate necessity. "The government is doing its job but slowly", locals said.

In Zanskar valley, things are not much different from the Suru valley, except for the fact that Padam village is witnessing significant changes. For one, a PCO has come up and it is now not difficult to get through to other places. The only problem is that the satellite link tends to snap frequently.

Importantly though, social development appears to have outpaced economic progress. For instance, nowadays girls are allowed to participate in cultural events.And unlike the earlier days, the level of education is on the upswing which is a healthy sign.

The locals are keen that their children should study in good schools. Hence, more and more parents are saving money so that their wards can go and study in a good school outside the region.

Not much disparity is observed in the occupational structure of the region. Agriculture is the mainstay of the region. Harvesting pattern and modes of cultivation have not changed much over the years. Sadly, though, agriculture itself is a seasonal occupation. The farmers are forced to harvest the crop before the onset of winter when the area is under several feet of snow.

It is important to be self-sufficient as help is always far off. The people utilise their knowledge of herbs found in the high mountains to cure illness. "The mountains provide us with everything. They are not only for us but for our horses and cattle also, as the herbs needed to cure them of disease can be found in the mountains," a village elder said, adding that even day-to-day necessities like clothes and shoes are made by the villagers themselves.

The people of the Ladakh region cannot be described as living below the poverty line in the strictest sense of the term. A rich man may have a number of horses, cattle and precious and semi-precious stones but his style of living and participating in community life is not very different from the others. What the region needs is an indigenous model and not an imported one to bring about a quantitative and qualitative difference in the lives of these hardy people.