towards project snow leopard - Nature Conservation Foundation

18 • Addresses
despite his very busy schedule. I extend a most hearty welcome to him and to his team of senior
officers Shri J.C. Kala, Director General Forests and Special Secretary and Shri Anmol Kumar,
Deputy Inspector General Forests of the Ministry of Environment and Forests. I acknowledge
profusely the support and constant guidance provided by the Minister of Environment and Forests
in organizing this workshop.
I feel extremely delighted with the distinguished presence here of Shri. Rigzin Jora, Hon’ble
Minister for Power Development, Industries and Commerce Jammu & Kashmir, Mr. Tsering Dorje,
Chairman, Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Council, Shri Thupten Chhewang, Hon’ble
Member of Parliament, Ladakh, Shri P. Namgyal, Hon’ble MLC, Leh, Shri Pinto Nurboo, Hon’ble
MLA, Nurba and Hon’ble Executive Counselors of Leh who have very kindly spared their valuable
time to attend the workshop.
I am glad to note that the Principal Chief Conservators of Forest, Chief Wildlife Wardens
and other senior officers of Sikkim, Arunachal Pradesh, Himachal Pradesh and Uttranchal States
have traveled all the way to Leh to participate in the workshop.
I am told that the Nature conservation Foundation, Mysore and the International Snow
Leopard Trust have extended technical support in holding this workshop. Their participation in
this workshop will go a long way in devising the most appropriate strategy and action plan for
conservation of snow leopard in this mountainous region.
The state of Jammu & Kashmir is famous the world over, for its lofty mountains,
picturesque valleys, fascinating lakes, streams and rivers, unending varieties of its landscape, lush
green forests and the rich biodiversity, which make the state virtually a paradise on the earth. The
state is divided into three geographical regions viz, Kashmir, Jammu and Ladakh, all differing in
terms of climate, physiography, ethnic groups and culture. This makes the state very unique in the
sense that it possesses some rare and endemic faunal species like the Kashmir stag (Hangul), the
Himalayan musk deer, the Himalayan brown bear, the ibex and the snow leopard etc.
Forest Management in Jammu & Kashmir has taken special care of the needs of wildlife
conservation. Protected area network covers nearly 15% of the state’s geographical area and comprises
4 National Parks, 14 Wildlife Sanctuaries and 35 Conservation Reserves, affording protection to
several flagship species. The state has a full fledged Department of Wildlife Protection created for
the purpose of conserving our faunal and floral heritage.
With the increasing responsibility of the Department from ‘game regulation’ to the
wildlife conservation, the functions of the department have evolved considerably to meet new
responsibilities and challenges for the scientific management of the protected areas. At present we
are making efforts to come at par with the scientific management of protected areas at national level
as per the recommendations of the Indian Board for Wildlife.
I am happy that Leh has been selected as the venue for this important workshop. Ladakh,