Principal Secretary, Forest, Ecology, and Environment, Dr. Pawan Kotwal reviewed the progress of wildlife clearance proposals in UT Ladakh on February 5.

Wildlife Warden Leh, Pankaj informed that a total of 69 proposals for wildlife clearance were uploaded on the Parivesh portal out of which 62 proposals were represented in the State Wildlife Board. Out of the 62 proposals, 58 were already cleared by the State Wildlife Board. 

Further, the Wildlife Warden, Leh informed that the 58 cleared cases were sent for consideration to the National Board for Wildlife, out of which 44 cases were already cleared.

The Principal Secretary directed the Public Works Department to submit an Animal Passage Plan for the construction of roads within Changthang Cold Desert Wildlife Sanctuary and Karakoram Wildlife Sanctuary. After every 5km, at strategic locations, an underpass or an overpass has to be installed as passageways for the safe movement of wildlife. The Principal Secretary directed wildlife officials to share the guidelines on animal passage plans along with various designs of the passages with all the agencies.

Further, he instructed the Administrative Secretaries to appoint a nodal officer to coordinate with the Wildlife Department for submission of wildlife clearance proposals of their respective departments on the Parivesh portal. He also directed the Public Works Department and Power Development Department to submit the pending proposals by February 11, 2022, to the State wildlife board.

Commissioner Secretary and Divisional Commissioner UT Ladakh apprised the Principal Secretary on the status of their respective department’s wildlife clearance proposals.