Leh Apex Body to begin five-day march on April 17, says Sonam Wangchuk

The Leh Apex Body (LAB) will start a five-day foot march to Skang Chu-Thang near the Himachal Pradesh border on April 17 to meet the shepherds who are reportedly losing their pasture land to major industrial projects, climate activist Sonam Wangchuk said on Sunday. However, he said the marchers, numbering around 20, would move forward to Changthang near the China border only if there is no objection from the government. The LAB, along with the Kargil Democratic Alliance (KDA), is spearheading an agitation for the past four years to demand statehood for Ladakh and its inclusion in the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution. Wangchuk expressed his annoyance over "some people in Delhi" dubbing them as "anti-nationals or Chinese and CIA agents" and said the only purpose of the march is to "take the pain of the people" of Ladakh to the government which needs to fulfil its promises. The LAB had earlier called for the border (Pashmina) march on April 7 to highlight the plight of farmers who a