The 7th meeting of the State Board for Wildlife of UT Ladakh was chaired by the Lieutenant Governor of Ladakh, RK Mathur on October 20 at Raj Niwas.

The meeting was attended by Chairman, LAHDC Leh, Advocate Tashi Gyalson; Executive Councillor, LAHDC Kargil, Mohsin Ali; MP Ladakh, Jamyang Tsering Namgyal; Advisor, Umang Narula; Principal Secretary, Dr. Pawan Kotwal; Commissioner/Secretary, Padma Angmo; Secretary, PDD, Ravinder Kumar; wildlife expert Dr. Ranjit Sinh; DIG Ladakh Police, Sheikh Junaid; Chief Wildlife Warden, Sajad Mufti; Director, Sheep/Animal Husbandry, Dr. Mohd Raza; Director, Wildlife Institute of India (WII), Dr. Satya Prakash Yadav; Scientist, WII, Dr. S Sathyakumar; representatives from Zoological Survey of India and Botanical Survey of India; Officer Incharge, National Institute of Sowa Rigpa; Dr. Padma Gurmet; Senior Scientist, Nature Conservation Foundation, Dr. Yash Veer Bhatnagar and Trustee, Legal Initiative for Forest and Environment, Dr. RK Singh, were among those who attended the meeting virtually.

Emphasizing the need to tackle the issue of feral dogs in Ladakh, LG Mathur advised the Wildlife Department to coordinate with Animal Husbandry Department (AHD) and provide necessary assistance to them, including the utilization of outsourced staff, to conduct sterilization camps across Ladakh to neuter feral dogs. He further advised Animal Husbandry Department that necessary support may be provided to Indian Air Force (IAF) to conduct sterilization camps at the IAF station to ensure air safety. He directed AHD to work in coordination with the Indian Army and Indian Air Force to ensure that food waste is not thrown in the open.

LG Mathur stressed the need to conduct the sterilization of feral dogs on a large scale in all parts of Ladakh in April or May next year in coordination with all the departments and complete the process within three months. He emphasized the need to assess the damage caused by feral dogs to wildlife and take necessary steps to tackle feral dogs so that humans don’t become their targets.

LG Mathur stated that the rationalization of boundaries of Wildlife Sanctuaries is being done in consultation with local stakeholders so that appropriate action can be taken to ensure that the ownership of lands remains with the people residing in these areas.    

Chairman, LAHDC Leh, Advocate Tashi Gyalson; EC LAHDC Kargil Mohsin Ali; MP Ladakh Jamyang Tsering Namgyal and wildlife expert Dr. Ranjit Singh gave suggestions to tackle the issue of feral dogs and rationalization of boundaries of wildlife sanctuaries for the protection of wildlife and overall benefit of the people of Ladakh.

Earlier, Dr. S Sathyakumar from WII informed that four reports on the assessment of wildlife values and land tenure based on the rationalization of boundaries of Changthang Cold Desert Wildlife Sanctuary and Karakoram Wildlife Sanctuary have been prepared and shared after proper consultation with the residents of Changthang and Nubra areas. He informed that the final report would soon be submitted.

Director, AHD, Dr. Mohammad Raza, informed about sterilization camps being conducted in both Leh and Kargil under which 3544 feral dogs have been neutered this year.