Plea to protect Puducherry’s wetlands: Activist urges authorities to act on Supreme Court order
PUDUCHERRY: Environmental activist and president of the Bangaaru Vaickal Neeraadhara Koottamaippu, V Chandrasekhar, a farmers association has urged Lieutenant Governor K Kailashnathan, to take immediate action to safeguard wetlands and waterbodies in the UT. Highlighting non-compliance with a Supreme Court directive issued in 2017, Chandrasekhar stressed the urgent need for delineation, eviction of encroachments, and protection of these crucial ecosystems.
The Supreme Court had mandated all states and Union Territories to establish State Wetlands Authorities and demarcate waterbodies, evicting encroachments and providing alternative sites for conditional pattas. However, Chandrasekhar noted that Puducherry, like several other UTs has failed to implement the order, prompting fresh directives to complete the process within three months.
Citing the availability of mapped data from the World Bank-funded Hydrology Project and the Tank Rehabilitation Project in Puducherry, Chandrasekhar called for the immediate survey, demarcation, and restoration of all 84 identified tanks, wetlands, lagoons, marshes, and ponds in the region.
He criticised the fragmented governance of waterbodies, which are under the control of multiple departments, including Local Administration (LAD), Public Works (PWD), and Agriculture. He argued that the lack of coordination leads to neglect and poses a threat to wetland conservation efforts, particularly in the face of climate change and extreme weather events. He proposed the creation of a dedicated Water Resources Department to consolidate oversight and ensure accountability.
Chandrasekhar also highlighted the need for transparency, pointing out that the Forests & Wildlife Department lacks a public-facing website. He urged authorities to prioritise the creation of a portal featuring details on wetlands, their status, and the activities of the Wetlands Authority for public access.