The government has recognized 130 wetlands for restoration as a top priority for the next five years and requested states submit their separate integrated management plans.
These wetlands will be rehabilitated as part of the National Plan for the Conservation of Aquatic Ecosystems (NPCA) comprehensive plan for wetlands and lake conservation and restoration. The National Plan for Conservation of Aquatic Ecosystems has released almost INR 1,000 crores to conserve 157 wetlands across the country (NPCA).
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UN Conference
This decision was made upon the sidelines of the UN Conference on Desertification (COP14), now taking place in Greater Noida. Aside from that, the government has proposed introducing the notion of a “Wetland Health Card” to track the entire ecosystem using different parameters. The government announced the formation of ‘Wetland Mitras’ (several self individuals) to take care of the recognized wetlands throughout the country to boost community engagement.
Why Are Wetlands Important?
- Wetlands are land areas that have been submerged, whether temporarily or permanently. This category includes marsh, fen, and peatland.
- They have an important part in the water cycle and flood mitigation and water supply, food production, and raw material production.
- They serve as water sources and ecosystems that help prevent land deterioration and desertification.
- Moreover, in the summer, such land areas support tens of thousands of migrating birds from colder parts of the planet.
- Wetlands are considered the ecosystem’s kidneys because mangroves protect coasts and filter pollution.
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The Situation of Wetlands in India
ISRO released a nationwide wetlands atlas based on satellite imagery in 2011, charting approximately two lakh wetlands representing 4.63 percent of India’s total geographic area. Chilika lakeside areas (Odisha), Sambhar Lake (Rajasthan), Renuka (Himachal Pradesh), Wular lake (J&K Renuka (Himachal Pradesh), Deepor Beel (Assam), while others are among India’s notable wetlands. These are included in India’s Ramsar Convention list of 26 wetlands. The Ramsar list includes 2,220 wetlands worldwide.
National Plan for Aquatic Ecosystem Conservation (NPCA)
The National Parks Conservation Association (NPCA) is a unified conservation initiative protecting both marshes and lakes. It’s a federally funded program that the Union Ministry of Environment and Forests is now implementing (MoEF). The National Lake Conservation Plan and the National Wetlands Conservation Programme were merged in 2015 to create this plan. The National Parks Conservation Association (NPCA) works to improve synergy and reduce administrative overlap.
The central support under the NPCA plan is based on requests by state governments by criteria and budget availability. Interception, diversion, and wastewater treatment, coastline safeguards, lakefront development, in-situ cleaning (desilting and weeding), stormwater, bioremediation, community participation, lake beautifying, survey and bifurcation, bio fencing, fisheries development, catchment treatment, weed control, education, and awareness creation, community engagement, biodiversity conservation, and so on are all covered by the scheme.
Goals and Objectives
Through an integrated and interdisciplinary strategy with a shared regulatory framework, it strives to achieve comprehensive protection and preservation of lakes and wetlands to achieve desirable water quality enhancements and improvements in biodiversity and ecology. The project would aid in the lowering of pollutants and the enhancement of biodiversity, and the production of goods.
Efforts to Conserve Aquatic Ecosystems
Since 2001, the National Lake Conservation Plan (NLCP) has been in place to address pollution problems in urban lakes. Projects worth INR 1096.09 crore have been approved to preserve 63 lakes across 14 states. Dal Lake Project in J&K received 100% funding under the 70:30 funding pattern (90:10 for the NE States).
The National Wetland Conservation Program (NWCP) aims to protect wetlands. Since 1986, 115 wetlands in 24 states and two UTs have been designated for conservation and management. 100% financial assistance in annual grants to state and local governments for MAP implementation. Catchment area treatment, de-siltation, pollution prevention, afforestation, fisheries, public engagement, and so forth are all permissible components.
The Wetlands (Conservation and Management) Rules of 2010 are a set of rules that govern the conservation and management of wetlands. Within wetlands with their zone of effect, it proposes forbidden and restricted activities. The Central Wetland Regulatory Authority (CWRA) enforces the Central Wetland Regulatory Authority (CWRA) Draft updated Wetlands Rules, 2016.
The nodal agency for notice, regulation and management would be the State Wetland Authorities. There will be no Central Wetland Regulatory Authority.
Mandatory boundary demarcation, ecological character characterization, and regulatory thresholds. Regulations of wetlands in protected areas notified forests and coastal zones by applicable laws and rules and management based on wise use principles.
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