Koksar Villages to Suspend Tourism for Halda Festival Celebrations

Closure of Tourism Activities in Koksar

Munish Sood
Mandi

In a pivotal decision aimed at preserving age-old tribal customs and cultural practices, the Gram Sabha of Gram Panchayat Koksar in the Lahaul-Spiti district has declared a complete halt to tourism and commercial activities in Ward No. 4 and Ward No. 5, which include the villages of Dimpuk, Ramthang, and Koksar, starting January 14, 2026.

This resolution comes in anticipation of the sacred Halda festival, which follows Makar Sankranti and is of great religious and cultural importance to the local communities. According to the village assembly's resolution (PESA Gram Sabha), access for all non-residents and tourists to these wards will be strictly prohibited, and all shops and markets will remain closed until March 2026.

The Gram Sabha emphasized that this initiative is designed to safeguard local traditions, customs, and community life during the holy festival period. “We are dedicated to preserving our cultural identity and traditional values. Thus, tourism will be entirely suspended in these areas during the Halda festivities,” stated the village body.

This decision is backed by the Panchayats (Extension to Scheduled Areas) Act, 1996 (PESA), which grants village assemblies in Scheduled Areas the authority to protect and maintain the traditions, customs, cultural identity, and community resources of indigenous populations. Specifically, Section 4(d) of the Act empowers Gram Sabhas to defend cultural heritage and customary practices.

In light of this, the Gram Sabha has formally appealed to the district administration to enforce the PESA Act directives and ensure compliance with the closure. They have requested the Deputy Commissioner of Lahaul-Spiti, the Sub-Divisional Magistrate of Keylong, and the local police authorities to establish necessary measures, including police barricades at Kuthbihal after January 14 to prevent unauthorized access.

The village body has also called upon various departments—such as Forest, Revenue, Rural Development, Panchayati Raj, Scheduled Tribe Welfare, Social Justice, and Industries and Mining—to provide full support in executing this decision.

Moreover, the Gram Sabha has requested the clearing of snow on the National Highway from Kuthbihal to Pagal Nallah, including the North Portal of the Atal Tunnel at Rohtang, as well as on critical Public Works Department link roads connecting upper villages like Tailing, Laling, Kharchod, Jamyaling-Yuramurti, and Sarkhang. These villages are part of the Special Area Development Authority (SADA) wards of Gram Panchayat Koksar.

A copy of the resolution has also been sent to the local Member of Legislative Assembly to ensure coordinated implementation across all administrative levels.

The tribal leadership has reiterated the significance of customs and traditions in Scheduled Areas, urging all stakeholders to respect these values. The administration has been called upon to enforce the closure strictly to preserve cultural integrity and community harmony during the Halda festival.