India Increases Tally of Ramsar Sites to 80 of World Wetlands Day 2024
GG News Bureau
New Delhi, 2nd Feb. The Ministry of Environment, Forest & Climate Change (MoEF&CC), in collaboration with the Government of Madhya Pradesh, organized a national event at Sirpur Lake, Indore.
The event was held to celebrate World Wetlands Day (WWD) 2024 and was facilitated by the Indore Municipal Corporation and Environmental Planning & Coordination Organisation (EPCO), Government of Madhya Pradesh.
The theme of WWD-2024 is ‘Wetlands and Human Wellbeing’, which emphasizes the important role wetlands play in enhancing our lives. It highlights how wetlands contribute to flood protection, clean water, biodiversity, and recreational opportunities, all of which are essential for human health and prosperity.
The event was inaugurated by Dr. Mohan Yadav, the Chief Minister of Madhya Pradesh, and Dr. Musonda Mumba, Secretary General of the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands, as a Special Guest. Dr. Mumba is visiting India to participate in the celebration of WWD 2024.
It was also attended by cabinet ministers of the Government of Madhya Pradesh, Shri Jitendra Kumar, Director General (Forest) & Special Secretary, MoEF&CC, Dr. Sujit Kumar Bajpayee, Joint Secretary, MoEF&CC, and other senior officials from the Government of India and Government of Madhya Pradesh.
During the event, three publications were released, including revised guidelines for the ‘National Plan for Conservation of Aquatic Ecosystems (NPCA)’, ‘Management Effectiveness Tracking Tool: A Practitioners’ Guide’, and a Compendium on Phyto-diversity of Ramsar Sites in India’.
The NPCA Guidelines 2024 provide specific guidance on the regulatory framework of wetland management in India, including the structure of the Framework Management Plan and the steps to be followed for its preparation.
The compendium, developed by the Botanical Survey of India, includes a rapid assessment of plant diversity in and around all the 75 Ramsar Sites of India.
The practitioners’ guide is a self-appraisal tool to support adaptive wetland management and assess progress over time. Two brochures were also released during the event.
The first brochure, titled ‘Wetlands Conservation: Approach and Initiatives’, highlights the initiatives taken by the Government of India for wetlands conservation.
The second brochure, ‘Peoples Documentation of Biodiversity of 75 Ramsar Sites’, provides an overview of the Biodiversity Management Committees (BMCs) situated around Ramsar Sites.
Additionally, a series of educational videos developed jointly by MoEF&CC and the Central Institute of Educational Technology (CIET), NCERT, were launched to educate school students about the importance of wetlands conservation and management.
A film festival series titled ‘Wetlands for LiFE Forums & Film Festivals’ was also launched, which will highlight the unique aspects and critical importance of wetlands. A training module for Nature-guides developed under the Green Skill Development Programme (GSDP) of MoEF&CC was also released. A Nukkad Natak (Street Play) was enacted by students to raise awareness about the importance of wetlands.
The winners of the National Slogan writing, Painting, and Photography competitions on the theme of “Wetlands and Human wellbeing” were also announced.
The event included an exhibition with participation from over 25 exhibitors representing different states, technical organizations, and government departments.
The exhibition showcased wetland products, wetland tourism, wetland livelihoods, Mission LiFE, Green Skill Development Programme, and wetland conservation efforts in India. Two selfie walls were also erected to display the paintings and photographs from the country-wide competitions.
During the event, Dr. Mohan Yadav mentioned the efforts taken by Madhya Pradesh for the conservation of wetlands and requested the Secretary General to consider designating Indore as the Wetland City.
Dr. Musonda Mumba expressed her happiness to be in India for the celebration of WWD 2024 and spoke about the importance of wetlands. She also assured that more Ramsar Sites will be designated soon.
The event started with birdwatching at Sirpur Lake, where migratory and endemic birds were sighted.
The dignitaries also participated in a plantation drive. Overall, the event aimed to raise awareness about the importance of wetlands and celebrate their role in enhancing human wellbeing.
