Kargil, June 30/ VOL News Desk/ The Union Territory of Ladakh, particularly Kargil district, has been under the grip of an intense heatwave for the past four days, severely affecting normal life and causing various problems for the public. The unusually high temperatures have impacted daily activities, educational matters, and public movement.
The severe heat is affecting children, elderly people, and those engaged in physical labor the most. The continuous rise in daytime temperatures is bei...
Editors Pick
Apex Body Leh, KDA Warn Government; Call for Ladakh Bandh on June 23
Leh, June 20, 2026: The Apex Body Leh and the Kargil Democratic Alliance (KDA) have issued an appeal to the Central government and the Union Territory administration, announcing a region-wide bandh in Ladakh on June 23 over pending constitutional and political demands.
The announcement follows concerns raised by the leadership over the outcome of a sub-committee meeting held under the Ministry of Home Affairs in New Delhi on May 22. Leaders alleged that key points agreed upon during the m...
Ladakh Academy of Art, Culture and Languages accorded Autonomous Status; Governing Bodies constituted
Leh, June 19, 2026: In a landmark step towards the preservation, promotion, and advancement of Ladakh’s rich cultural and linguistic heritage, the Administration of the Union Territory of Ladakh, with the approval of the Hon’ble Lieutenant Governor, UT Ladakh, Shri Vinai Kumar Saxena, has formally constituted the General Council and Executive Committee of the Ladakh Academy of Art, Culture and Languages (LAAC&L), thereby operationalising the Academy as an autonomous institution.
The const...
Concern Over Industrial Smoke Near Damsna Tourist Spot in Suru Valley; Locals Demand Environmental Probe
Damsna, Taisuru/Kargil: Thick smoke allegedly emanating from an industrial unit near Damsna, a popular tourist and recreational spot in the Suru Valley, has caused concern among local residents, tourists, and environmental circles.
According to local sources, the industrial unit has been set up by a company named Top Line under a National Highway macadam laying project.
Reports indicate that some local tourists recorded images and videos of the smoke coming from the industrial unit and shared ...
AI and India’s Job Market: Transformation, Not Catastrophe
Biju Dharmapalan
The spectre of artificial intelligence destroying jobs has become one of the most persistent anxieties of our times. Boardrooms and classrooms alike buzz with the same dread- are machines on the verge of replacing us at a scale never seen before? There is little concrete proof so far that AI has significantly disrupted employment patterns. Instead, what we are witnessing is not a sudden collapse of jobs, but the early stages of a complex and uneven transformation.
The Indian ...
Farming on the Edge: Climate-Resilient Agriculture in India’s Fragile Himalayan Regions
Biju Dharmapalan
India’s agricultural landscape stands at a critical crossroads. Unpredictable and erratic
monsoons, prolonged droughts, unseasonal rainfall, and increasing pest outbreaks are no
longer anomalies—they are becoming the norm. Against this backdrop, farming that is
resilient to the impacts of climate is not a political option, but a national need in this changing
environment. Its effects are far more extensive than harvests and may define the future of
food security, the livelihoods o...
Ladakh’s ₹1,196 Crore All-Weather Game Changer: Twin-Tube Tunnel Approved at Iconic Fotu La Pass
Kargil, March 27/ VOL News Desk/ The Centre Government has approved ₹1,196.22 crore for the Union Territory of Ladakh for construction of a unidirectional twin-tube tunnel, along with approach roads, across the iconic Fotu La Pass on National Highway 1 (NH-01), announced the Minister of Road, Transport and Highways of India, Mr. Nitin Gadkari in a post on X.
NH-01, which connects Uri to Srinagar and Leh, reaches its highest point at Fotu La, situated at an altitude of approximately 4,108 ...
From Climate Innovator to Political Prisoner: The Sonam Wangchuk Affair
The arrest and eventual release of Sonam Wangchuk has become a revealing
episode in India’s evolving relationship with dissent. What began as a campaign for
environmental protection and constitutional safeguards in Ladakh ended with a
globally recognized climate innovator spending nearly six months in jail under a
national security law.
For observers of South Asian politics, the affair offers a window into a broader
tension between centralized governance and regional demands for autonomy in
post-20...
National Commission for Women’s Two-Day Journalism Conference Held in New Delhi, Emphasis on Gender-Sensitive Reporting
New Delhi, 21 March/ The National Commission for Women (NCW) organised a two-day National Media Conference at Sushma Swaraj Bhawan, which began on 20 March and concluded on the evening of 21 March. The conference highlighted the importance of ethical, responsible, and gender-sensitive reporting on issues related to women.
Prominent journalists, reporters, and editors from print media across the country participated in the event. Addressing the gathering, NCW Chairperson Vijay Rahatkar, along ...
Government’s Big Decision: Environmental Activist Sonam Wangchuk’s NSA Detention Revoked
New Delhi, 14 March/ VOL News Desk/ The central government has taken a major decision by cancelling the detention of Ladakh’s prominent environmental activist Sonam Wangchuk under the National Security Act (NSA). According to officials, this decision was made keeping in view the need to restore normal peace and order in the region and to reduce tensions.
Wangchuk was detained under NSA by the District Magistrate following the situation that allegedly arose in Leh on 26 September 2025. After i...