Nasir Azam
Srinagar, May 16 : In a significant move, the National Board for Wildlife (NBWL) has recommended that a study may be conducted over the impact of infrastructural projects on wildlife in Ladakh Union Territory.
A record note of 72nd meeting of the standing committee of NBWL held on April 25, 2023 reveals that a suggestion for the study was made by an official of the Central government. “ADG suggested that in view of the various infrastructural projects being undertaken in Ladakh, a study may be conducted on the pattern of wildlife movement in Ladakh,” reads minutes of the meeting chaired by Union Minister of State for Forests, Environment and Climate Change.
The suggestion was made by the ADG when a proposal for diversion of wildlife land for an infrastructural project came up for discussion in the meeting.
After discussion, the panel recommended that a study may be conducted by Wildlife Institute of India with regard to the impact of infrastructural development in Ladakh on the movement of wildlife.
The record note of the meeting, a copy of which is in possession of news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO), was released by the NBWL on May 11, 2023.
The meeting was attended by officials of the Central Government and States/ Union Territories.
There are two wildlife sanctuaries in Ladakh- Changthang Wildlife Sanctuary and Karakoram Wildlife Sanctuary. Wild animals like Snow leopard, Tibetan urial sheep (shapo), ibex , marmot, Tibetan argali sheep (nyan), Tibetan gazelle, lynx, Tibetan antelope, red fox and Tibetan wolf can be found in Ladakh—(KNO)
