660
services rendered by wetlands. The NEP states
the following:
Wetlands are under threat from drainage and
conversion mainly for human settlements. Many
of them are also victims of pollution. This happens because public authorities or individuals
having jurisdiction over wetlands derive little
revenues from them, while their often irrational
use may result in big fi nancial gains to man.
However, in many cases, the economic values of
wetlands’ environmental services may signifi -
cantly exceed the value from irrational alternative
uses. On the other hand, the reduction in economic value of their environmental services due
to dereliction and the health costs due to degradation, etc., are not generally taken into account
while using them as a waste dump. Further, there
is no formal and good system of waste disposal
regulation in wetlands outside the purview of
international commitments made in respect of
Ramsar sites. As such, a holistic view of the
‘wetlands’ is necessary, which would look at
each identifi ed wetland in terms of its causal linkages with other natural entities, human needs and
its own attributes.
31.14.1.2 The Environmental Policy
Identifi es the Following
Sixfold Action Plan
1. To set up a legal regulatory mechanism for
identifi ed wetlands in order to prevent their
degradation and enhance their conservation. To
develop a national inventory of such wetlands.
2. To formulate conservation and prudent-use
strategies for each signifi cant catalogued wetland, with participation of local communities
and other relevant stakeholders.
3. To formulate and implement ecotourism
strategies in identifi ed wetlands through multistakeholder partnerships involving public agencies, local communities and investors.
4. To assess the impact of major development
projects on wetlands. In particular, the reduction in economic value of wetlands may be
explicitly factored into cost-benefi t analysis.
5. To identify unique wetlands.
6. To integrate wetland conservation, including
conservation of village ponds and tanks,
into sectoral development plans for poverty
alleviation and livelihood improvement.
Further, sincere efforts are to be made for
conservation and sustainable use of wetlands
and to link them with the ongoing rural infrastructure development and employment
generation programmes. Promote traditional
techniques and practices for conserving
village ponds.
Concomitant to above, the tank boundaries are
susceptible to encroachment. These sensitive
areas should be properly monitored. Cattle
grazing in the marshy areas of the tanks can
contribute signifi cant amount of nutrients to
the lake/tank thereby leading to eutrophication.
Anthropogenic activities like cloth washing,
vehicle servicing and cattle bathing in the tanks
should be prevented considering the quality to be
maintained for future use as drinking water.
Further, water extraction should be allowed by
taking utmost care to avoid release of the wastewater into the tanks again. Properly maintained
database on ecological conditions, regular water
quality and catchment area monitoring, etc., are
essential for any conservation exercise. It may be
noted here that healthy catchments are required
for maintaining the health of the wetlands. The
degraded areas of the catchments may be brought
under afforestation programmes associating the
local stakeholders.
31.14.2 State Steering Committees
There could be State Steering Committees at the
provincial level to coordinate the various kinds
of national and international programmes for
wetlands and fi sheries developments.
31.14.2.1 Monitoring (from MOEF)
Concomitant to above, in India, a three-tier
system at national, state, and district levels is in
operation for effective coordination to implement
the programmes.
31 Management and Conservation of Wetlands
services rendered by wetlands. The NEP states
the following:
Wetlands are under threat from drainage and
conversion mainly for human settlements. Many
of them are also victims of pollution. This happens because public authorities or individuals
having jurisdiction over wetlands derive little
revenues from them, while their often irrational
use may result in big fi nancial gains to man.
However, in many cases, the economic values of
wetlands’ environmental services may signifi -
cantly exceed the value from irrational alternative
uses. On the other hand, the reduction in economic value of their environmental services due
to dereliction and the health costs due to degradation, etc., are not generally taken into account
while using them as a waste dump. Further, there
is no formal and good system of waste disposal
regulation in wetlands outside the purview of
international commitments made in respect of
Ramsar sites. As such, a holistic view of the
‘wetlands’ is necessary, which would look at
each identifi ed wetland in terms of its causal linkages with other natural entities, human needs and
its own attributes.
31.14.1.2 The Environmental Policy
Identifi es the Following
Sixfold Action Plan
1. To set up a legal regulatory mechanism for
identifi ed wetlands in order to prevent their
degradation and enhance their conservation. To
develop a national inventory of such wetlands.
2. To formulate conservation and prudent-use
strategies for each signifi cant catalogued wetland, with participation of local communities
and other relevant stakeholders.
3. To formulate and implement ecotourism
strategies in identifi ed wetlands through multistakeholder partnerships involving public agencies, local communities and investors.
4. To assess the impact of major development
projects on wetlands. In particular, the reduction in economic value of wetlands may be
explicitly factored into cost-benefi t analysis.
5. To identify unique wetlands.
6. To integrate wetland conservation, including
conservation of village ponds and tanks,
into sectoral development plans for poverty
alleviation and livelihood improvement.
Further, sincere efforts are to be made for
conservation and sustainable use of wetlands
and to link them with the ongoing rural infrastructure development and employment
generation programmes. Promote traditional
techniques and practices for conserving
village ponds.
Concomitant to above, the tank boundaries are
susceptible to encroachment. These sensitive
areas should be properly monitored. Cattle
grazing in the marshy areas of the tanks can
contribute signifi cant amount of nutrients to
the lake/tank thereby leading to eutrophication.
Anthropogenic activities like cloth washing,
vehicle servicing and cattle bathing in the tanks
should be prevented considering the quality to be
maintained for future use as drinking water.
Further, water extraction should be allowed by
taking utmost care to avoid release of the wastewater into the tanks again. Properly maintained
database on ecological conditions, regular water
quality and catchment area monitoring, etc., are
essential for any conservation exercise. It may be
noted here that healthy catchments are required
for maintaining the health of the wetlands. The
degraded areas of the catchments may be brought
under afforestation programmes associating the
local stakeholders.
31.14.2 State Steering Committees
There could be State Steering Committees at the
provincial level to coordinate the various kinds
of national and international programmes for
wetlands and fi sheries developments.
31.14.2.1 Monitoring (from MOEF)
Concomitant to above, in India, a three-tier
system at national, state, and district levels is in
operation for effective coordination to implement
the programmes.
31 Management and Conservation of Wetlands