The Standing Committee of the National Board for Wildlife (SC‑NBWL) recently approved more than 30 defence and strategic infrastructure projects in ecologically sensitive protected areas across multiple states, including Ladakh, Sikkim, and Arunachal Pradesh. This sweeping clearance includes vital road linkages, battalion camps, ammunition storage, and aviation support infrastructure, underlining the government’s priority to boost border defence preparedness while navigating ecological sensitivities.
Strategic Infrastructure in Ladakh
In eastern Ladakh, the board gave the green light to around 26 defence projects, most of which fall within the Changthang High Altitude Cold Desert Wildlife Sanctuary and the Karakoram‑Nubra‑Shyok Wildlife Sanctuary. These include key infrastructure such as forward aviation bases, missile facilities, traffic control posts, and the 10.26‑km Daulat Beg Oldie (DBO)‑BPM Hut link road, crucial for India’s tactical positioning near the Line of Actual Control (LAC).
Expansion Beyond Ladakh
The panel also cleared proposals beyond Ladakh, including a controversial highway segment through the Namdapha Tiger Reserve in Arunachal Pradesh, and strategic road and troop deployment plans across Sikkim’s Pangolakha Sanctuary. These approvals were made subject to strict mitigation protocols aimed at preserving core wildlife zones and minimising impact on local fauna and ecosystems.
Balancing Security and Conservation
Each approved project is bound by federal safeguards to limit ecological disruption – such as preservation of wildlife corridors, controlled tree-felling, waste disposal systems, and minimal habitat interference measures. Defence Ministry officials emphasized that construction will follow guidelines to ensure protection of species like snow leopards, Tibetan antelopes, Himalayan wolves, and other high-altitude wildlife.
Rise in Wildlife Clearances
This move comes amid a marked surge in project approvals within protected zones. Since 2019, over 200 defence infrastructure proposals in Ladakh alone have been cleared. Nationally, the number of total clearance cases rose from 71 in 2019–20 to over 400 by 2023–24, reflecting wider changes in policy towards development within wildlife zones.
Key Projects Approved
• Battalion camps, missile units, and observation posts
• Telecom and signals installations via Army Signals Corps
• Ammunition storage facilities for enhanced operational readiness
• Support infrastructure for aviation operations in Siachen and high-altitude regions
• Strategic roads for troop mobility and border personnel meetings
Conservationists’ Concerns
Environmental groups have raised alarms over this rapid liberalisation of protected area usage. Many point to policy inconsistencies where state and national wildlife boards approve development projects – even in core sanctuary zones – without adequate public consultation or compensation concerns, undermining conservation goals in forested regions. Some experts argue the accelerated pace of approvals risks biodiversity and ecological integrity in fragile habitats.
What Lies Ahead
The wildlife panel has signalled robust oversight in approving these defence projects, but the true test lies in how mitigation measures are implemented on ground. The coming months will likely be focused on monitoring actual environmental impact, execution of approved safeguards, and whether the development-security balance can be upheld.
