New Delhi, Nov 9 — The Standing Committee of the National Board for Wildlife (NBWL), chaired by Union Environment Minister Bhupender Yadav, has granted clearance to 12 major defence projects in Ladakh aimed at strengthening India’s operational readiness along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) with China.
According to the Defence Ministry, several of these projects are critical for maintaining a “high level of operational preparedness” amid the “increasing assertiveness” of the People’s Liberation Army (PLA).
The approved proposals include a training node at Tara, an artillery battery in Leh, two Formation Ammunition Storage Facilities (FASF), a brigade headquarters at Chushul, and new border outposts for the Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) at Qazi Langar near Depsang. These projects fall within the ecologically sensitive Changthang Cold Desert Sanctuary and the Karakoram Wildlife Sanctuary, as per the minutes of the NBWL meeting held on October 29.
In addition, the panel has approved the construction of an Army camp in Leh and a 158-metre permanent bridge at Pinjoli on the Balipara–Charduar–Tawang road in Arunachal Pradesh’s Eaglenest Wildlife Sanctuary.
Citing the PLA’s growing activity in the region, the Defence Ministry emphasized the need for dedicated high-altitude training infrastructure around 15,000 feet. “Regular and realistic training at super high-altitude areas is essential to maintain operational efficiency,” the ministry noted. The proposed training site is adjacent to the Tara Battalion, within the Chushul sub-sector.
These clearances come as part of the government’s ongoing effort to ramp up military and border infrastructure in the wake of the 2020 Galwan Valley clash, which claimed the lives of 20 Indian soldiers.
Environmental authorities, while endorsing the proposals, highlighted the need for stringent ecological safeguards, noting the fragile nature of the cold desert ecosystem that supports endangered species such as the snow leopard, Tibetan wolf, wild yak, and bharal.
The two FASF projects — at Tsogtsalu in Changthang Sanctuary and in the Karakoram Sanctuary — will require 24.2 hectares and 47.1 hectares of protected land respectively.
Another major project includes the allocation of 40 hectares of land in Changthang Sanctuary for establishing the Headquarters of the 142 Infantry Brigade at Chushul. “Since the units under the brigade are already deployed along the LAC, locating the headquarters close to the frontier is crucial for effective command and control,” the Defence Ministry stated.
The Environment Ministry, while granting approvals, directed that utmost caution be exercised to minimize ecological damage and ensure wildlife conservation measures are strictly implemented in all project areas.
