Regulatory mechanism for protection of wetlands soon

New Delhi, Apr 21 (UNI) The government is preparing a regulatory framework for wetlands which have in recent decades sufferred massive degradation.

The need for a legal framework to protect and conserve the wetlands was being felt for a long time.

So far, nine meetings to discuss the regulatory frameworks have been held in the Ministry of Environment and Forests to prepare a draft notification, which was now being given final shape.

The regulatory mechanisms would work at the Central, state and local level, the Ministry said.

The government has identified 94 wetlands for conservation, as recommended by the National Committee on Wetlands.

Wetlands are the transitional zones between aquatic and dry terrestrial ecosystems. India has a wide variety of wetlands like marshes, open water bodies, mangroves, swamps and and salt marshes etc.

Wetlands are essential for environmental balance. They help to retain water during dry season, thus helping in maintaining the water table. During floods, they act to reduce flood levels and to trap suspended solids and nutrients to the lakes.

The wetalnds have suferred alarming decline because of the rapidly expanding human population, large scale changes in land use and land cover and implementation of development projects.

An scheme on conservation and management of wetlands was initiated in 1987.

A Research sub-committee on wetlands has also been constituted to identify more wetlands of national importance and to supplement management action plan for intensive conservation.

Guidelines for the preparation of comprehensive management action plans for identified wetlands have been formulated for the use of user agencies.

UNI