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Ladakh administration charging money from returnees in quarantine centres, allege BJP councillor
Amid recent controversy over bus and train fares being charged from migrant workers, BJP councillor of Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Council of Leh, Sayeeda
Amid recent controversy over bus and train fares being charged from migrant workers, BJP councillor of Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Council of Leh, Sayeeda Ladakhi on Friday alleged that Ladakh administration has been charging ₹2,500 to ₹3,000 per day from residents returning to the Union territory and being kept in quarantine centres including hotels.
“People cannot afford to pay ₹2,500 to ₹3,000 per day. The UT administration has issued an order under SOP (standard operating procedure) wherein they asked people to pay for their accommodation. The Centre had sanctioned ₹1 crore each for Leh and Kargil districts. Where are those funds,” she asked.
Aghast over money being charged by Ladakh residents, Sayeeda also wrote a letter to commissioner secretary Rigzin Samphel and took up the matter with party MP Jamyan Tsering Namgyal.
The BJP councillor added that people, largely women of Chuchot Yogma village, 10 km from Leh, wanted to meet Leh district commissioner on Thursday so as to urge him to send their relatives, who were returning to Ladakh, to their homes rather than keeping them in quarantine centres, however, the commissioner did not show up.
“While maintaining social distancing, these women raised slogans against Leh DC. The police lathicharged the protesters leaving four women injured,” she said.
The councillor also alleged that students being ferried by buses were charged ₹500 to ₹1,000 in total contravention to government order of free transportation.
Commissioner secretary Samphel did not respond to repeated calls. Leh district commissioner Sachin Kumar Vaishya said that “There was no need” (to react to her claims) and that “these are routine works”.
Later, Sachin shared a clarification issued by his office on Thursday, a part of it read, “the passengers who do not wish to stay with their relatives and friends can stay in administrative quarantine facilities being run by the district administration without any charges (FCI, Dharma centre etc). However, those who do not wish to stay even in these quarantine facilities can stay in the centres identified by the administration at their own expense. However, they shall undergo mandatory 14 days home quarantine.”
Sources said that the Thursday clarification was in fact issued on Friday following uproar by people and the BJP councilor.
Calls to BJP MP Jamyang Tsering Namgyal went unanswered.
