Time for all to save wetlands: Bhupender Yadav
Source: Chronicle News Service / DIPR

Imphal, April 29 2023: The Loktak Lake is revered as "Ima" by the inhabitants of the Manipur valley and is considered the lifeline of the state, said Union Minister of Environment, Forest & Climate Change Bhupender Yadav, while pointing out the lake's significance to Manipur.

The union minister was addressing the inaugural function of a two-day Regional Consultative Workshop for Restoration and Integrated Management of Wetlands, organised by Ministry of Environment, Forest & Climate Change at Hotel Classic Grande, here, on Saturday.

Bhupender Yadav continued that the Lake is a very prestigious natural gift to Manipur and acts as the largest source of fish, edible plants and fresh water.

He then called on every citizen of the country to join hands with the government for conserving the wetlands eco-system of the country.

Asserting that the purpose of preserving the wetland is to also preserve the lives and livelihood of the locals, he said that it is not possible to conserve and preserve our wetlands without the people's participation.

Wetland conservation and sustainable management are deeply interrelated, he added.

The union minister also said that because of the expansion of cities, consumption habits, over explosion of population in present times, our wetlands are in danger.

But despite all the difficulties, India achieved the significant milestone on its 75th year of Independence by declaring 75 wetlands as Ramsar sites.

We are committed to increase this number and committed to increase more awareness on the wetlands, he contended.

The union minister also said that wetlands are main-streamed in the developmental agenda.

This requires integration of conservation and sustainable development of wetlands at district level plans and programmes, prepared for different sectors such as tourism, disaster management, environment and others.

He continued wetlands are essentially societal assets with the government acting as trustee of these assets and unless the entire society participates and partners in wetland conservation tangible change cannot be achieved.

Bhupender highlighted that Prime Minister Narendra Modi had launched Mission Life in October last year, which puts individual and collective duty on everyone to live a life that is in tune with earth and does not harm it.

He also spoke on the importance of Amrit Dharohar Mission informing that it will be implemented over the next three years to encourage optimal use of wetlands, and enhance bio-diversity, carbon stock, eco-tourism opportunities and income generation for local communities.

In his speech, Chief Minister N Biren said that wetlands are one of the most valuable ecosystems on earth and are crucial for maintaining biodiversity, regulating the water cycle, and mitigating climate change.

However, despite their importance, wetlands are under threat globally, with over 35 percent having been lost in the last century alone.

One wetland that is facing particular challenges is Loktak Lake of Manipur, Biren said, adding that efforts are on for rejuvenation of rivers falling into the lake to save the lake.

Loktak is also home to a diverse range of plant and animal species, including the endangered Manipur brow-antlered deer, also known as the Sangai.

However, the ecological, economic and cultural value of Loktak Lake is under threat.

As such, a cabinet sub committee has been formed in connection with efforts to fence the entire lake, he informed.

Over the last few decades, Loktak Lake has been heavily degraded due to human activities such as pollution, overfishing, and encroachment.

The degradation has had severe ecological consequences, including the loss of biodiversity, the spread of invasive species, etc., the CM conveyed.

Thus, to save Loktak Lake and other wetlands, there is an urgent need for effective management and conservation efforts, he asserted.

Biren also highlighted that one crucial step is to regulate human activities around the lake, such as reducing pollution, regulating fishing practices, and promoting sustainable agriculture.

Additionally, sustainable tourism practices can be promoted to raise awareness about the ecological, economic, and cultural value of Loktak Lake and to generate revenue for conservation efforts.

Loktak Development Authority (LDA) has been doing a tremendous job in this regard, the CM said, adding that the LDA over the years has grown into a professional lake management organisation through the experiences gained and a systematic process of capacity building at various levels to effectively respond to the challenges of managing Loktak Lake through integrated lake basin management practices.

He further expressed hope that this workshop conducted under the Sahbhagita Mission to conserve and manage the country wetlands will deal with the challenges that lay ahead of us in conserving the wetlands of our country.

As the Mission involves local communities in conservation efforts, it is only through participatory processes that the Mission will succeed in creating awareness about the importance of wetlands and their services, including water purification, flood control, and carbon sequestration, he added.

Later, a book, titled "Cultural significance of Indian Wetlands" was also released during the session.

The book not only highlights the cultural value of wetlands but also informs about the traditional knowledge, beliefs of the people residing near the wetlands, festivals, works done by communities and historical accounts.

The inaugural function was also attended by Forest, Environment and Climate Change minister Th Biswajit Singh, LDA chairman M Asnikumar Singh; officials of the central and state Environment, Forest and Climate Change; representatives from all states of the North Eastern region, experts, intellectuals among others.

During the first session of the workshop, Ministry of Environment, Forest & Climate Change joint secretary Dr Sujit Bajpayee briefed on the workshop, while the respective moderators of the discussions presented the recommendations of the round-table discussions.

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