Wildlife panel OKs IAF base, other infra in Ladakh sanctuaries near LAC- UPSC Daily Important Topic | 15 September 2022

Wildlife panel OKs IAF base, other infra in Ladakh sanctuaries near LAC-

✓The standing committee of the National Board for Wildlife (NBWL) has cleared the setting up of a new IAF base in Ladakh where Indian and Chinese troops have been facing off along the LAC since May 2020.

● Clearances:

✓The projects were cleared by the Chief Wildlife Warden of Ladakh before being sent to the NBWL for clearance.

✓Ministry of Defence will now require environmental clearances, including under the Forest Conservation Act (1980) and Environment Protection Act (1986)

✓Reason: The region falls under Ladakh’s protected cold desert.

✓The upgradation of three roads, located in the strategically important region, has also been cleared

✓27.5 ha from the Karakoram sanctuary for the double-laning of 22.5 km of the Khalsar-Agham road

✓6.875 ha from the Karakoram sanctuary for upgradation of the Leh-Chalunka road

✓107.406 ha from the Changthang sanctuary for the construction of T-Salu Changchemo road in Ladakh.

✓First time that the NBWL has looked at proposals from the Ladakh region as the area did not fall under the WPA prior to the 2019 abrogation of Article 370 for Jammu and Kashmir.