The cold deserts of Lahaul-Spiti and Leh-Ladakh will soon be on the world’s network of biosphere reserves based on the UNESCO’s man and biosphere programme. The Ministry of Environment and Forests (MOEF) has notified the cold desert of Lahaul-Spiti as biosphere reserve, but it has yet to get approval from the J&K government.

The cold desert biosphere reserve will be first its kind in India’s Himalayas, and will be the biggest among country’s 15 biospheres notified so far. In fact, apart from the cold desert biosphere, the ministry wants to notify two more biospheres, Tawang Wetscoming in Arunchal Pradesh, and Blue mountains in Mizoram.

With three more biospheres, India will have 18 notified biospheres while it needs as many 27 keeping country’s eco-diversities in mind, say scientists. But only four biospheres - Nada Devi, Nilgiris, Gulf of Mannar, Sunderban Tiger Reserve - have found their way to the UNESCO’s man and biosphere network, they inform.

LMS Palni, director of the GB Pant Institute of Himalayan Environment and Development (GBIHED), says the state government has given its permission for the cold desert, but it is awaiting approval of the J&K government. This part of the biosphere has been notified, he adds.

The cold desert biosphere will run from the Pin Valley National Park and wetland of Chandertal in Lahaul-Spiti to Hemis National Park, Tsomoriri, Tsokar and Pangong Tso lakes in Ladakh as a core area. “It spans over 97,665 sq km area from Spiti, Pin, Chandrabhaga and Bara Shigri glacier to Nubra, Rupsu, Drass and Suru valley in Ladakh in Jammu and Kashmir,” the scientists say.

These parks and lakes attract thousands of high-end tourists and migratory birds every summer. Tsomoriri lake is country’s only breeding ground for rare bar-headed geese and black-necked crane outside China.

The Pin valley and Hemis national parks are home to rare and endangered species of kiang, snow leopard, Himalayan blue sheep, lynx and ibex, besides exotic herbs and medicinal plants.

Dr SS Samant, scientist in charge, GBIHED, Kullu, says, “The idea behind the cold desert biosphere is to protect the rare wildlife and plant species and local communities from the onslaught of mass tourism and environmental degradation. The cold desert biosphere is the source of Spiti and Pin, tributaries of the Satluj, Chenab and the Indus.

It is home to rustic Buddhist monks and rare Korzok of Ladakh where thousands of gompas and monasteries with varied lifestyles coexist with nature, scientists add.

SOURCE: tribuneindia.com