news details |
|
|
| Ladakh redraws its map: Sankoo becomes 8th district, gets its own Hill Council | | | Early Times Report
Jammu, Oct 16: Ladakh’s administrative map changed again on Friday. The Union Territory carved out Sankoo as a new district, taking its tally to eight and extending the decentralisation drive it has pursued since becoming a separate UT in 2019.
The Revenue Department issued Notification S.O. 284 declaring Sankoo a district, with Sankoo town as its headquarters. It comprises four tehsils, Sankoo, GM Pore, TSG and Taisuru, along with the revenue villages listed in the notification. The jurisdiction of Kargil district has been modified to exclude these areas.
Until this year, Ladakh had only two districts, Leh and Kargil. In April, the administration created five more: Nubra, Sham, Changthang, Zanskar and Drass. Sankoo is the latest addition.
An official spokesperson in Leh said the reorganisation aims to bring governance closer to remote communities, cut travel distances for administrative work and improve service delivery across Ladakh’s vast and difficult terrain.
In a parallel move, the administration notified the Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Council (LAHDC), Sankoo, under the LAHDC Act, 1997. Notification S.O. 285 says the Lieutenant Governor has constituted the Council under Section 3(1) of the Act. It will exercise all powers and functions provided under the Act, as amended over the years.
The move automatically alters the jurisdiction of LAHDC Kargil, which will no longer administer the tehsils and villages now in The Revenue Department has issued a notification S.O. 284 declaring Sankoo a district
It comprises four tehsils, Sankoo, GM Pore, TSG and Taisuru, along with the revenue villages listed in the notification.
The jurisdiction of Kargil district has been modified to exclude these areas.
Elections to the new Council will follow a formal notification under Section 8 of the Act.
The creation of the district and its Council is widely seen as a response to the long-standing demand of Suru Valley residents for easier administrative access and decentralised governance.
A third notification, S.O. 286, redefines tehsils and revenue villages across five districts. Issued under Section 5 of the J&K Land Revenue Act, 1996, it reorganises Aryan Valley tehsil in Sham, Sodh tehsil in Kargil, Phey tehsil in Zanskar, Thasgam tehsil in Drass, and Himya tehsil in Changthang
The order lists the revenue villages in each tehsil and their headquarters. Once it takes effect, these villages will cease to be part of their previous tehsils and fall under the newly constituted ones.
The notification follows the creation of 17 new tehsils in July 2026, which raised Ladakh’s total to 37. The administration has repeatedly argued that such restructuring is essential in a region where geography, climate and distance pose unique challenges.
In another decision aimed at strengthening grassroots administration, the powers of the Additional Deputy Commissioner, Durbuk, have been delegated to the Sub-Divisional Magistrate (SDM), Durbuk. An official said the move answers persistent public demand and should speed up service delivery in one of Ladakh’s most remote border regions. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
| |
|
|
|
|
 |
|
|
