Sonam Wangchuk Urges People To ‘Live Simpler, Carbon Neutral Life’ As He Completes 5-Day Climate Protest

Sonam Wangchuk had announced his 5-day hunger strike at the 18,380-feet high Khardung La on January 26 to invite the BJP-led Centre’s attention to the demands of the people of Ladakh,

New Delhi: Celebrated innovator Sonam Wangchuk urged people to live a simpler and carbon neutral life as his five-day climate protest entered the fifth and final day today. The 56-year-old education reformist announced his five-day hunger strike at the 18,380-feet high Khardung La on January 26 to invite the BJP-led Centre’s attention to the demands of the people of Ladakh, including extension of sixth schedule of the Constitution and environmental protection form unchecked industrial and commercial expansion.

“I am feeling wonderful and I am alive,” he said in a video posted on Twitter on the last day of his protest. 

Wangchuk explained the twin purpose of his fast first being “to draw attention of PM Modi towards the safeguard of Ladakh” and the second “to draw attention around India and world to live a simpler, carbon neutral life.”

He also exhibited his solar equipment which helped him stay warm during his fast in the snow capped mountains. He showed a solar concentrator dish that would collect all rays of the sun falling on it and concentrate it towards the vessel with water in the middle, thus boiling the water. 

He also showed his solar bed with black water mattress that would absorb heat throughout the day and provide warmth during the night. 

Sonam Wangchuk Claims He Was Put Under House Arrest, Officials Deny 

During his fast, Wangchuk had claimed that he was placed under house arrest at his institute in Leh, a charge denied by the police which said he was only prevented from observing a five-day-long fast at Khardung La top.

"He (Wangchuk) was not given permission by the administration to hold a five-day fast at Khardung La pass as the temperatures fall below minus 40 degrees Celsius there. "It was high risk for him and his followers to move to the place and accordingly, he was requested to observe the fast at his Himalayan Institute of Alternatives, Ladakh (HIAL) campus," Senior Superintendent of Police, Leh, P D Nitya said.

As per the official, Wangchuk was intercepted when he tried to move towards Khardug La pass and the police requested him to return but he showed resistance and was brought back under lawful action to his institute.

"He has signed a bond and police was deployed as a precautionary measure as he did not cooperate with the police," the officer said.

However, Wangchuk said "he was under house arrest, actually worse than the house arrest at the institute where he had started the five-day fast coinciding the Republic Day." "I have announced a five-day climate fast to save and safeguard the Himalayas, the glaciers, Ladakh and its people under the sixth schedule of Article 244 of the Indian Constitution. I was initially told that the policemen are deployed for my safety and I did not take it otherwise," he said.