Wildlife board clear 12 key project in ladakh
The Standing Committee of the National Board for Wild Life (NBWL) recently cleared 12 key defence and paramilitary projects in high-altitude protected areas of Ladakh. These projects are considered critical for national security, especially in light of increased Chinese military assertiveness along the Line of Actual Control (LAC).
Details of the Projects
The 12 projects in Ladakh are primarily for the Ministry of Defence (MoD), the Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP), and the Border Roads Organisation (BRO), and include the development of various military infrastructure. Key projects include:
- Field Ammunition Storage Facilities (FASF): Two FASFs were approved; one at Tsogtsalu in the Changthang Sanctuary (24.2 hectares) and another in the Karakoram Sanctuary (47.1 hectares).
- Brigade Headquarters: Construction of a headquarters for the 142 Infantry Brigade at Chushul, covering 40 hectares, to improve command and control near the LAC.
- Training Area: A 48.6-hectare Training Node Area at Tara in the Changthang Sanctuary to facilitate high-altitude tactical training for troops.
- Forward Posts and Camps: An artillery battery (9.46 hectares) and an Army camp (8.16 hectares) in the Karakoram Sanctuary were cleared.
- Border Outposts (BOPs): Three new ITBP border outposts were recommended at Quazi Langer, Bopsang Lungpa, and KM-156.
- Logistics Hubs: Other facilities include a forward aviation base at Shyok, a site for helicopters and UAVs at Partapur, and various housing and logistics areas.
Environmental Considerations
The projects are located in ecologically fragile cold desert ecosystems, which are home to rare and endangered species like the snow leopard, Tibetan wolf, brown bear, and wild yak.
The NBWL approved these projects with strict environmental safeguards and mitigation measures to minimize ecological disturbance, including:
- The legal status of the diverted land remains unchanged (as sanctuary land).
- Construction activities are restricted to specific, approved uses.
- The inclusion of animal passage structures to ensure the safe movement of wildlife.
- Mandates for proper waste management and regulated operational timings.
The Environment Ministry has emphasized the need for utmost caution to prevent irreversible damage to the sensitive Himalayan landscape, which has extremely slow regeneration rates.
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