Last Updated on December 19, 2020 at 3:57 pm
The Lieutenant Governor of Ladakh, R K Mathur chaired the first meeting of Wildlife Board of UT Ladakh.
The objective of the meeting was to appraise the Wildlife Board members of the status of the wildlife sector of Ladakh and to discuss the way forward. L-G RK Mathur termed the first meeting of Wildlife Board as a landmark occasion for UT Ladakh. He asserted that wildlife plays an important role in the entire ecosystem of Ladakh, it’s prosperity and it’s future. Mathur stressed on taking along development, security and needs of the people harmoniously to achieve sustainable development for Ladakh.
Based on the consensus of Wildlife Board members, the LG agreed to take up with the Wildlife Institute of India to rationalise boundaries of wildlife protected areas. Taking note of the ex-gratia compensation for livestock loss and injury by wild animals, LG Mathur said government insurance schemes and funding patterns involving local stakeholders including councillors and community members would be put in place. He directed the wildlife department to dispose of pending cases regarding compensation claims within a month and to ensure that such cases are resolved within 15 days in the future. Mathur stressed the need to use IT technology to simplify the procedures of claiming ex-gratia compensation.
Mathur approved the proposal to increase the compensation for the deaths of human beings or domestic animals due to wild animal attacks. He also advised considering compensation in injury and crop damage cases. He added that a permanent agenda should be included in the meetings to constantly review the issue of the feral dog. He also stressed the need to review the availability of pasture lands for nomads in the Changthang area.
CEC, LAHDC Kargil, Feroz Ahmad Khan; CEC, LAHDC Leh, Tashi Gyaltson; MP Ladakh, Jamyang Tsering Namgial; EC (Wildlife & Forest) LAHDC Leh, Tashi Namgyal; EC (Wildlife & Forest) LAHDC Kargil, Mohammed Ali Chandan; Advisor to L-G Ladakh, Umang Narula; Commissioner Secretary, Wildlife & Forest, Rigzin Samphel; SS Khandare, IGP Ladakh; PP Singh, Chief Conservator of Forests, Ladakh; Dr MK Ranjitsinh, former chairman of Wildlife Trust of India, officials from Wildlife Institute of India, Wildlife & Nature Conservation Trust, Snow Leopard Conservancy Trust Ladakh, National Research Institute for Sowa-Rigpa Ladakh, the Indian Army, and others were present during the meeting.
