SRINAGAR: The LG administration in Ladakh has issued a notice to climate activist and Leh Apex Body (LAB) leader Sonam Wangchuk’s Himalayan Institute of Alternatives (HIAL), asking it to stop "prejudicing" the court case pending before the High Court of J&K and Ladakh.

The direction was issued through a notice dated November 1 by the tehsildar's office in Leh and addressed to Gitanjali J Angmo, HIAL's co-founder and CEO, who is also Wangchuk's wife.

According to the administration, even as HIAL’s land allotment cancellation case is sub-judice before the High Court, Wangchuk went ahead with the functioning of "Desert Flower School" under HIAL without obtaining any clearance or approval from the concerned authorities.

In the notice served to Wangchuk’s wife, Gitanjali J Angmo, who is the CEO of HIAL, the administration has asked her to “strictly maintain status quo” in the matter and avoid taking any action that could cause “prejudice” to the ongoing case.

The notice issued by Tehsildar Leh on November 1, states that Angmo had approached the Deputy Commissioner, Leh, through a letter dated September 22, 2026, seeking a No Objection Certificate (NOC) for the proposed members of the Managing Committee of Desert Flower School at Phyang under the HIAL ecosystem.

"It has been brought to its notice that the school had commenced classes and other activities without obtaining the requisite consent, clearances or necessary approvals from the competent authorities," states the notice.

The administration has advised Angmo not to undertake any action towards the functioning or commencement of activities at the school until the matter is finally decided by the High Court or further directions are issued.

"You are further advised to strictly maintain the status quo in the matter and ensure that no action is taken which may prejudice the matter pending before the High Court of Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh," reads the notice.

The dispute stems from the UT administration's decision in August 2025 to cancel the land allotment made to HIAL. The institute subsequently challenged the decision before the High Court of J&K and Ladakh by filing a writ petition, which is presently pending adjudication.

The notice has put a clear administrative restraint on the proposed activities of Desert Flower School amid the ongoing legal proceedings.

HIAL, founded by Wangchuk, is an educational initiative based in Ladakh that promotes alternative and environment-oriented approaches to learning.

Wangchuk was booked by the administration under stringent NSA after September 24, 2025 violence in Leh during protests for statehood and 6th Schedule in which four persons were killed and more than 40 injured. 

He was lodged at Jodhpur jail in Rajasthan and released in March this year after the central government revoked NSA on him.