Why Pangong Tso lake in news?

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Both India and China have ramped up infrastructure development on the north bank of Pangong Tso Lake in eastern Ladakh and western Tibet. China is constructing a bridge to connect the north and south banks of the lake, while India is building a black-topped road on its side of the north bank.

Pangong Tso Lake

• Pangong Tso Lake is a boomerang shaped landlocked water body.
• Pangong Tso Lake is situated on the banks of India and China.
• Pangong Tso Lake is a high altitude salt water lake situated at almost 4.350 metres.
• Pangong Tso Lake is 5Km wide and 134Km long.
• One third of Pangong Tso Lake is lying in India and other two-third in China.
• Pangong Tso Lake is a famous lake of Ladakh which is quite deep with the depth of almost 328 feet.
• Pangong Tso Lake is not always salty, its eastern part has freshwater and western part is saline in nature.
• Around 40% of Pangong Tso Lake is situated in India, 50% in Tibet (China) and rest 10% is disputed between the two and is a de facto buffer zone.
• The Lake has shrunken in seize over the past due to geographical reasons.
• During winter, Pangong Lake freezes and become a point of ice- skating and Polo.
• There are many islands situated on the Pangong Tso Lake and one of its famous island is Bird Islet.

Pangong Tso Lake as a Tourist Site:

• Inner Line Permit is required to visit the Pangong Lake as it is situated at the border of Line of Actual Control.
• Tourists can rent a boat but can’t land on island.
• China National Highway 219 passes by eatern side of Pangong Lake.
• The “Khumak Bridges” are the twin bridges over the Pongong Lake, one is smaller and a bigger one for the heavy
• vehicles, built by China to connect Khumak Bridge of North to Rutog in Southeast which will reduce the distance of 150Kms.

Flora Fauna of Pangong Tso Lake

• According to the guides, there are no fish or any other aquatic life on Indian side of Pangong Lake except some crustaceans.
• There are numerous ducks and gulls over and on the lake surface.
• There are some species of scrubs and perennial herbs grow in the marshes around the sea.
• The lake acts as an important breeding ground for the variety of birds including migratory birds.
• During summer, the Bar Headed Geese and Brahmini ducks are commonly seen here.
• Freshwater snails of genes Radix also found in the Pangong Lake.

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