NEW DELHI: In a push to increasing vigil along the India-China border in Ladakh and Arunachal Pradesh, the Union environment ministry has given approval to over 40 infrastructure projects, mainly in areas of recent skirmishes, for construction of approach roads and tunnels, setting up of border outposts and deployment of operational assets to strengthen defence coverage.
The posts and roads cleared will strengthen vigil in the area of recent flashpoints between Indian and Chinese forces. The projects passing through wildlife sanctuaries and reserves were taken up by the ministry’s Standing Committee of National Board for Wildlife (SC-NBWL). The projects have been cleared after members of the committee unanimously agreed that “proposals may be recommended in view of the importance of the border outposts for national security”.
The SC-NBWL recommended over 30 proposals for construction of border outposts by Indo-Tiberan Border Police and road passing through the Changthang Wildlife Sanctuary and Karakoram Wildlife Sanctuary in Ladakh.
The ministry also approved nine proposals for setting up border outposts in a total of 13.4 hectare passing from Dibang Wildlife Sanctuary. “Distance of these outposts from the international border ranges from 4 km to 11 km. The border outposts are important from a defence point of view in areas passing through wildlife sanctuaries and reserves,” informed the Chief Wildlife Warden, Arunachal Pradesh.
The proposal for construction of Nechipu Tunnel with an approach road to connect the already existing BCT (Balipara-Charidwar-Tawang) Road was approved after the committee was apprised that the proposed tunnel will bypass a dense fog zone where visibility is at times restricted to 4-5 metres. This is used by the army and local residents.
A proposal for use of 9.51 hectare of forest land from Bahu Conservation Reserve for deployment of operational assets to strengthen defence coverage to Jammu Region by Indian Air Force was approved. “The proposed area has proximity with the Army base in Sunjwan and it will strengthen defence coverage to the Jammu region,” the committee was told.