India will now have its first-ever dark sky reserve in Ladakh. For boosting and promoting astro tourism, a tripartite Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed between the Indian Institute of Astrophysics (IIA) Bengaluru and the Ladakh Administration and Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Council (LAHDC), Leh. The Hanle Dark Sky Reserve will be part of the Chanthang Wildlife Sanctuary.
The news was shared by the LAHDC on their official Twitter account on Friday, June 17. “Chief Executive Councilor Tashi Gyalson also attended the event of the signing of the tripartite MoU for the setting up of the first Dark Sky Reserve of the country at Hanley. It was signed between the UT administration, LAHDC Leh and the Indian Institute of Astrophysics (IIA),” said the tweet.
The dark sky reserves are particular areas that are preserved and maintained for their astronomical value. These places are preserved from light pollution and offer the best Astro experience.
Lieutenant Governor of Ladakh, RK Mathur also lauded the initiative and expressed gratitude towards the professors of IIA for their efforts and also mentioned that it will not only cater to the needs of the scientific community but will also boost the economy of the region through tourism.
