INS Sudarshini and Lokayan 26 Expedition | White-Bellied Heron Concerns over Kalai-II Hydel Project

INS Sudarshini and Lokayan 26 Expedition

Defence

Context

• INS Sudarshini arrived in Antigua and Barbuda after successfully completing a historic trans-Atlantic passage as part of the Lokayan 26 Expedition.

INS Sudarshini

• INS Sudarshini is a sail training ship of the Indian Navy designed to train naval personnel in traditional sailing and seamanship skills.
• The vessel was built by Goa Shipyard Limited and was commissioned into the Indian Navy in 2012.

Lokayan 26 Expedition

• The Lokayan 26 Expedition is a landmark 10-month, 22,000-nautical-mile transoceanic voyage by the Indian Navy’s sail training ship, INS Sudarshini.
• The expedition aims to promote maritime diplomacy, strengthen relations with friendly nations, and enhance professional sailing skills among naval personnel.
• The voyage marks the first Atlantic crossing by INS Sudarshini, while the last such crossing was undertaken by INS Tarangini in 2007.

About Antigua and Barbuda

• It is a twin-island country in the Caribbean Sea, made up of two main inhabited islands, Antigua and Barbuda, along with a few smaller, neighboring islands.
• The islands gained independence from the United Kingdom in 1981.
• Antigua: The larger island is the economic hub, home to the capital city of St. John’s.
• Barbuda: Located about 25 miles north of Antigua, this island is much flatter, less developed, and known for its pristine natural beauty and bird sanctuaries.

White-Bellied Heron Concerns over Kalai-II Hydel Project

Environment

Context

• The Union Environment Ministry’s Forest Advisory Committee (FAC) has granted in-principle forest clearance to the Kalai-II Hydroelectric Project, raising concerns due to its potential impact on the White-Bellied Heron.

Kalai-II Hydroelectric Project

• The project is a 1,200 MW run-of-the-river hydropower project proposed by THDC (Tehri Hydro Development Corporation Limited) India Limited.
• It is located in Anjaw district of Arunachal Pradesh, near the India–China border.
• The project involves the construction of a 128.5-metre concrete gravity dam and an underground powerhouse.
• Concerns: Around 869 hectares of forest land will be diverted, including the submergence of 638 hectares of forest area.
• Since Arunachal Pradesh has more than two-thirds of its geographical area under forests, compensatory afforestation will be undertaken in Madhya Pradesh.

White-Bellied Heron

• • Scientific Name: Ardea insignis.
  • Significance: The species serves as an indicator of healthy riverine ecosystems.
  • IUCN Status: Critically Endangered.
  • Its global distribution is restricted mainly to Bhutan, India, and Myanmar.

• In India, it is primarily found in Arunachal Pradesh and parts of Assam.

• Concerns: The submergence of forest and riverine areas may destroy the bird’s nesting, feeding, and breeding habitats.