The National Board for Wildlife led by environment minister Prakash Javadekar gave approval to the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), to build a missile launch testing facility in Krishna Delta Complex of Andhra Pradesh.
The DRDO project seeks an area of around 155 hectares of forest land for setting up a test site, a technical facility, a road connecting the test and technical facility. However the site is a nesting site of Olive Ridley turtles, an endangered species.
The testing facility proposed by DRDO has been opposed by the Andhra Pradesh’s wildlife officials who are not in favour of the project coming up at the site. DRDO would be able to build the missile launch testing facility only after receiving a final clearance from the Supreme Court of India.
Knowledge is Wealth
- Wheeler Island is the most important missile test facility for Indian missiles such as Akash Missiles, Agni Missiles, Astra Missile, BrahMos, etc.
- DRDO was established in 1958 and Avinash Chander is the Director General of DRDO.
- The olive ridley sea turtle is also known as the Pacific ridley sea turtle.
- The olive ridley is classified as Vulnerable according to the International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources.
