As many as 32 defence infrastructure proposals, including construction of strategic roads, helipads, training areas, ammunition depots, housing for troops and artillery regiments, involving diversion of land from protected areas and eco-sensitive zones across Arunachal Pradesh, Gujarat, Ladakh and Sikkim have received recommendation from Standing Committee of the National Board for Wildlife (NBWL).
A major portion of these projects is located in Ladakh's ecologically fragile Karakoram and Changthang sanctuaries.
In Arunachal Pradesh, the committee, headed by Union Environment Minister Bhupender Yadav, cleared two major projects of the Border Roads Organisation (BRO) inside Dibang Wildlife Sanctuary: the 56-km Malinye-Balua-Kapuda road (involving 111.29 hectares of forest land and 9.73 ha from the Eco-Sensitive Zone) and the 20.88-km Kapuda-Phuphu road (involving 44.13 ha of forest land), reported news agency PTI.
In Gujarat's Narayan Sarovar Wildlife Sanctuary, two projects were cleared, one for the construction of a Border Out Post (BOP) link road over 5.586 ha and another for setting up a helipad, living area and training space at Rodasar Lakki over 19.83 ha.
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In Ladakh, the committee cleared over two dozen proposals, most within the Karakoram (Nubra-Shayok) and Changthang Cold Desert Wildlife Sanctuaries. These include 33.4 ha for an artillery regiment and field hospital at Bogdang; 47.6 ha for a forward aviation base at Shyok; 25.1 ha for housing Short Range Surface to Air Missile systems; 31 ha for an ammunition storage facility at Gapshan and 40.47 ha for an Army regiment at Nidder.
Besides, various other proposals for roads, helipads, housing troops, veterinary facilities and training grounds were approved.
The committee noted on the Ladakh proposals: "Legal status of the land shall remain unchanged for the proposed diversion/wildlife clearance. The User agency will have the right to take up only approved activities as per the approved proposal."
"Any diversion of land for any other purpose except for the referred purpose shall not be admissible without fresh approval from the Standing Committee of the National Board for Wildlife," it added.
The proposal for the formation of a Field Ammunition Storage Facility (FASF) at Hanle and another for reconnaissance and holding of helicopters at Partapur were also cleared by the committee.
The committee approved the use of 0.29 ha of forest land from Pangolakha Wildlife Sanctuary for operating a hot mix plant under BRO's Project Swastik in Gangtok district in Sikkim.
