NEW DELHI: The Union Government has today denied that the international Ramsar site, Bhoj Wetland in Bhopal faces no threat of delisting from Ramsar Convention list of wetlands of International importance.
There were reports that the prestigious Ramsar site Bhoj Wetland was under threat of getting delisted from Ramsar Sites – an international convention on Wetlands which was signed in February 1971 in Ramsar (Iran) under the auspices of UNESCO.
A proposed road is being planned through the catchment of the Bhoj wetland which prompted a local environmental activist to file a complaint against the Bhoj wetland to the secretariat of Ramsar Conventions.
The Union Minister Of State in the Ministry of Environment, Forest And Climate Change, Kirti Vardhan Singh said as reported by Madhya Pradesh State Wetland Authority, Bhoj Wetland in Bhopal faces no threat of delisting from Ramsar Convention list of wetlands of International importance.
Further, Ministry of Environment, Forest & Climate Change (MoEF&CC) has notified the Wetlands (Conservation and Management) Rules, 2017 under the provisions of the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986 as regulatory framework for conservation and management of wetlands across the country to conserve, manage and maintain the ecological character of the wetlands without restricting the wise use.
The said Rules inter-alia restrict the activities, like solid waste dumping, discharge of untreated wastes and effluents from industries, cities, towns, villages and other human settlements. Also Govt. of Madhya Pradesh has issued order vide date 16th March 2022 for enforcement of Wetland (Conservation and Management) Rules, 2017 at Bhoj wetland, Bhopal.
MoEF&CC is implementing a centrally sponsored scheme namely, National Plan for Conservation of Aquatic Ecosystems (NPCA) for conservation and management of wetlands in the country including Madhya Pradesh, on cost sharing basis between Central Government and respective State Governments.
The scheme covers various activities such as interception, diversion and treatment of wastewater, shoreline protection, lakefront development, in-situ cleaning i.e., desilting & de-weeding, stormwater management, bioremediation, catchment area treatment, lake beautification, survey & demarcation, bio-fencing, fisheries development, weed control, biodiversity conservation, education and awareness creation, community participation, etc.
Based on the proposals received from the State Government of Madhya Pradesh, this Ministry had sanctioned projects at a total cost of ₹ 432.03 lakhs during 2018-2019 for conservation of Bhoj Wetland in Bhopal and central share of ₹ 200.00 lakhs out of ₹ 259.22 lakhs has been released to Government of Madhya Pradesh for conservation and management of Bhoj wetland.