towards project snow leopard - Nature Conservation Foundation

24 • Addresses
Shri Tsering Dorje, the Hon’ble Chief Executive Councillor, Ladakh Hill Development Council
Thiru A. Raja, Hon’ble Union Minister for Environment and Forests, Government of India, Jenab
Tariq Hameed Karra, Hon’ble Minister for Housing, Urban Development and Forests, Jammu
& Kashmir State, Shri Rigzin Zora, Hon’ble Minister for Power Development, Industries &
Commerce, Jammu & Kashmir, Shri Tsering Dorje, the Chief Executive Councilor and Chairman
Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Counsel, Shri Thupten Chhewang, Hon’ble Member of
Parliament, Ladakh, Shri P. Namgyal, Hon’ble MLC, Leh, Shri J.C. Kala, Director General Forests,
Ministry of Environment & Forests, Government of India, Shri, Najmus Saqib, Commissioner/
Secretary to Government, Forest Department, Jammu & Kashmir, Shri Irshad Ahmad Khan,
Principal Chief Conservator of Forests, Jammu & Kashmir, Dr. C. Mishra, Executive Director,
Nature Conservation Foundation, Mysore, Shri A.K. Srivastava, Chief Wildlife Warden, Jammu
& Kashmir, the Principal Chief Conservator of Forests and Chief Wildlife Wardens of Sikkim,
Arunachal Pradesh, Himachal Pradesh and Uttranchal states, Shri P.R. Sinha, Director, Wildlife
Institute of India, Dehradun, senior officers from Jammu & Kashmir Forest Department and
District Administration, representatives of leading NGOs present in the workshop, representatives
of the press, Doordarshan and Radio Kashmir, Srinagar and Leh, other distinguished guests, ladies
and gentlemen.
First of all, I would like to welcome you to Ladakh. It is a matter of pride for us to host
this very important national workshop on Project Snow Leopard. And what better place to host
such a workshop than Ladakh, which accounts for the largest extent of high altitude snow leopard
habitat in India.
Being blessed with significant populations of the snow leopard, a variety of wild sheep
and goats, antelopes, breeding waterfowl and the endangered black-necked crane, we in Ladakh are
keenly aware of our responsibility towards conservation of this magnificent wildlife – a responsibility
we also owe to the rest of the country, and indeed the rest of the world.
As you might be aware, our people have scratched out a living from a relatively harsh
landscape for eons. Despite the difficulties, our people have harmoniously shared their lands with
wildlife for eons. Over most of Ladakh, hunting is frowned upon. We have always believed in
respecting all forms of life, and sharing resources with them. The ease with which you can see
wildlife in Ladakh, even while driving on the main highways, is testament to this harmonious coexistence
between humans and wildlife.
Of course, there are legitimate concerns. As you are aware, in the high altitudes, pastoralism
is the predominant form of land use and source of economy. Indeed, our people suffer losses at the
hands of wildlife – a significant amount of livestock is lost to wild predators such as the snow
leopard and wolf. This causes substantial economic losses. Similarly, in some areas where people
cultivate the single and precious crop the harsh environment allows, a proportion of the crop is lost
to wild herbivores.