​Which of the following statements is Incorrect about the Himalaya Project recently resolved to declare Yaya Tso.

1. The panchayat of Chumathang village, along with the Gol-UNDP-GEF SECURE Himalaya Project, recently resolved to declare Yaya Tso as Ladakh's 3rd Biodiversity Heritage Site.

2. The resolution was signed on 17th December 2023 after multiple rounds of consultations between the village stakeholders and the SECURE Himalaya Project to declare the high-altitude lake and its catchment as a Biodiversity Heritage Site.

3. The proposed Yaya Tso BHS will have an approximate area of 160 sq. km, which will also include the lake's watershed.

Correct option is A

The correct answer is (a) 3 and 2 only

Explanation:

• Statement 1: “The panchayat of Chumathang village, along with GoI-UNDP-GEF SECURE Himalaya Project recently resolved to declare Yaya Tso as Ladakh's 3rd Biodiversity Heritage Site.”
  Correct – The panchayat of Chumathang, in collaboration with the SECURE Himalaya Project (GoI-UNDP-GEF), passed a resolution to declare Yaya Tso as Ladakh’s 3rd Biodiversity Heritage Site. This statement is factually accurate.
• Statement 2: “The resolution was signed on 17th December 2023…”
  Incorrect – The resolution to declare Yaya Tso as a Biodiversity Heritage Site was not signed on 17th December 2023. It was signed earlier in January 2023 after consultations with village stakeholders. Thus, the date mentioned here is wrong.
• Statement 3: “The proposed Yaya Tso BHS will have an approximate area of 160 sq. km…”
  Incorrect – The actual proposed area of the Yaya Tso Biodiversity Heritage Site is approximately 60 sq. km, not 160 sq. km. Hence, this statement is also factually wrong.

Information Booster

Yaya Tso and the SECURE Himalaya Project

• Yaya Tso is a high-altitude lake located in the Changthang region of Ladakh, at an elevation of around 4,820 meters.
• It is home to various endangered and migratory birds, including black-necked cranes, making it ecologically significant.

Secure Himalaya’ Project – Overview

• Launch Year: 2017
• Funding Agency:Global Environment Facility (GEF)
• Objective: Conservation of the snow leopard and its habitat through a landscape-based approach in the high-altitude Himalayas.

Key Components:

1. Conservation of Key Biodiversity Areas:
• Focus on long-term ecosystem resilience,
• Maintenance of habitat connectivity,
• Protection of snow leopards and other endangered species.
2. Sustainable Livelihoods & Natural Resource Management:
• Support for community-based livelihoods,
• Promotion of sustainable practices in high-altitude regions.
3. Wildlife Crime Reduction:
• Strengthening enforcement,
• Enhancing monitoring and cross-border cooperation
• Tackling illegal wildlife trade.
4. Gender Mainstreaming & Knowledge Management:
• Inclusion of gender-sensitive approaches,
• Emphasis on monitoring, evaluation, and data-driven knowledge sharing.

Regions Covered:

• Changthang – Ladakh (Jammu & Kashmir)
• Lahaul-Pangi & Kinnaur – Himachal Pradesh
• Gangotri-Govind & Darma-Byans – Uttarakhand
• Khangchendzonga–Upper Teesta Valley – Sikkim