The Leh tehsildar’s office issued a formal directive on November 3, freezing operations at the Desert Flower School in Phyang. The notice, addressed to Gitanjali J Angmo, co-founder and CEO of the Himalayan Institute of Alternatives (HIAL), explicitly forbade the commencement of classes or any institutional activity. Officials cited a failure to obtain requisite consent and clearances from competent authorities as the primary justification for the halt.
This move lands squarely in the middle of a legal tussle. A case concerning HIAL is already sub judice before the High Court of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh. The administration’s notice warns against any action that could prejudice the ongoing judicial proceedings, demanding strict maintenance of the status quo until the court delivers a final verdict.
The roots of this friction trace back to May 2018, when the government allotted 1,076 kanals and one marla of land at Phyang Thang to HIAL. The intent was to build an alternative university focused on sustainable development in the Himalayan region. The land was earmarked for a 40-year lease, subject to specific conditions. But the administrative relationship soured over time. On August 21, 2025, the Ladakh administration revoked the allotment, claiming HIAL failed to complete lease formalities and establish the proposed university. Angmo had previously sought a 'no objection certificate' on September 22 for the school's managing committee, a request that now hangs in limbo alongside the broader land dispute.
Now, the ball is in the court of the judiciary. HIAL has challenged the cancellation of the land grant, and the High Court’s decision will determine whether the school can resume operations or if the land reverts to the government. For now, the campus in Phyang stands silent, awaiting a legal ruling that will define the future of Wangchuk’s educational vision.