Dharamshala, Sept. 29 -- Spiti valley in Himachal's Lahaul-Spiti district, has been recognised as India's first Cold Desert Biosphere Reserve under UNESCO's prestigious Man and the Biosphere (MAB) Programme.

The recognition was formally conferred during the 37th International Coordinating Council (MAB-ICC) meeting held in Hangzhou, China, from September 26 to 28. With this inclusion, India now has 13 Biosphere Reserves in the MAB Network.

Congratulating the Forest Department and its Wildlife Wing, chief minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu said, "The state government is committed to protect and conserve Himachal Pradesh's rich natural and cultural heritage and fragile ecology in the era of climate change, while ensuring harmony between devel...