Leh, Aug 06: The Wildlife Institute of India organised a stakeholder consultation workshop for local institutions and community representatives from Changthang region on August 5 at the Conference Hall of the Hospitality and Protocol Office, Leh.

The Institute is providing technical support to the Administration of Union Territory of Ladakh in the rationalisation of Changthang and Karakoram Wildlife Sanctuaries, through assessing the wildlife values and land tenure in these regions.

The project team from the Institute shared identified High Priority High Conservation Value Areas of social-ecological importance in the Changthang region with local communities, and listed agreeable concerns in the rationalisation and zonation planning.

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Executive Councillor, Tashi Namgyal Yakzee chaired the workshop and encouraged the participants to share their concerns during the workshop, noting the need of development in the villages.

Chief Wildlife Warden, UT Ladakh, Sajad H Mufti emphasised the importance of maintaining balance between increasing needs of development and conservation of natural heritage of the region.

Dr S Sathyakumar, Dr Bilal Habib and Dr Salvador Lyngdoh, Scientists from Wildlife Institute of India shared the results of work conducted by the researchers’ team on the areas important for wildlife conservation, ecosystem services and for meeting local communities’ sustenance and cultural needs, in Changthang.

The representatives of local communities participated actively in the workshop, shared their concerns relating to location within wildlife sanctuary and spoke about issues pertaining to wildlife management and development challenges in the region. They also noted the importance of these villages in the nation’s defence due to their strategic location closer to the international border.

EC Tashi Namgyal appreciated the efforts of WII team in involving local communities in the rationalization planning, and providing them a platform to share their apprehensions regarding Protected Area and Wildlife management in the specified region.

The workshop was attended by 49 participants which included councillors from Nyoma, Korzok, Rong and Chushul, BDCs from Durbuk, Korzok, Nyoma and Rong, and Sarpanch and gobas from Hanley, Kargyam, Panguk, Parma, Korzok, Koyul, Lukung, Merak, Chushul, Demjok, Durbuk, Mudh, Nyoma, Phobrang, Rockchen, Samadh, Rong, Rongo, Sumdo and Tangtse villages.