By TIOL News Service

NEW DELHI, NOV 26, 2022: THE work on India's first-ever Night Sky Sanctuary, being set up by CSIR under Union Ministry of Science & Technology, in Ladakh's Hanle is going on in full swing and shall be complete in over a month's time. The Night Sky Sanctuary will attract tourists from across the world over to picturesque Ladakh and also boost astro-tourism in the region.

This was stated here yesterday by Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) Science & Technology; Minister of State (Independent Charge) Earth Sciences; MoS PMO, Personnel, Public Grievances, Pensions, Atomic Energy and Space, Dr Jitendra Singh, when Lieutenant Governor of Ladakh, R K Mathur called on him at North Block yesterday.

This was a follow-up to the meeting held between the two in the month of September this year, when the Union Minister had announced that the setting up of India's first-ever "Night Sky Sanctuary" in Ladakh, the Dark Sky Reserve will be completed within 3 months. The two leaders also discussed a wide range of development related issues pertaining to the Union Territory.

RK Mathur apprised the Union Minister Dr. Jitendra Singh about the Rozgar Mela held on 31st October in Ladakh where the UT Administration gave away appointment letters to around one thousand local youth, furthering the call of Prime Minister Narendra Modi to give jobs to the deserving youth of the country.

While discussing the various projects, Dr Jitendra Singh said, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has always accorded highest priority to Ladakh and other peripheral regions.

Dr. Jitendra Singh appreciated the efforts of RK Mathur-led Ladakh administration in carrying out development work in various spheres in Ladakh. The Union Minister assured all possible assistance of the Centre in completion of developmental projects in the UT. Mathur informed the Union Minister Dr. Jitendra Singh about the status of several public welfare and developmental projects in Ladakh.

In a unique and first-of-its-kind initiative, the Department of Science & Technology (DST), Govt of India, has undertaken to set up India's first-ever "Night Sky Sanctuary" in Ladakh. The proposed Dark Sky Reserve will be located at Hanle in Ladakh as a part of Changthang Wildlife Sanctuary. It will boost Astro tourism in India and will be one of the world's highest-located sites for optical, infra-red, and gamma-ray telescopes.