GANGTOK,: A two-day regional workshop on “Conservation and Wise Use of Wetlands” under Sahabhagita Mission for North Eastern States commenced today at Ranka.
Organised by the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEF&CC) in collaboration with State Wetland Authority under Forest and Environment department, the workshop brought together representatives from the Northeastern States of Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland, Sikkim and Tripura.
In his address, Dr. Pradeep Kumar, PCCF and secretary of State Forest and Environment department, emphasized the importance of wetlands in Sikkim’s ecosystem and economy, stating that popular tourist sites like Tsomgo Lake are vital wetland areas. He also read a message from Chief Minister P.S. Golay wherein the Chief Minister urged citizens to take responsibility for protecting wetland ecosystems.
The event had keynote addresses from officials of the MoEF&CC including scientist Dr. Ramesh M., who outlined the objectives of the workshop and discussed the National Plan for Conservation of Aquatic Ecosystems (NPCA), Ramsar Convention and the legal framework for wetland management under the Wetlands (Conservation and Management) Rules, 2017. Dr. Ramesh informed attendees of the ongoing revision of these rules and the recent issuance of revised NPCA guidelines for 2024, which introduce an interim Framework Management Plan (FMP) for swift action in wetland conservation.
Highlighting India’s progress under Mission Sahbhagita, launched in 2022, Dr. Ramesh shared that over two million people have been sensitized about wetland conservation with over 8 lakh volunteers registered as “Wetland Mitras.” He said the upcoming goals include designating 15 additional Ramsar sites by 2025, implementing "Amrit Dharohar" initiative at Ramsar sites and enhancing private-sector involvement in wetland management.
The workshop had presentations from States and Union Territories during plenary-1 wherein the proposed amendments to the Wetlands (Conservation and Management) Rules were discussed. The plenary-2 on formulation of FMP and IMP for wetlands as per the revised NPCA guidelines was chaired by Dr. Ramesh M. and moderated by Suchita Awasthi, national coordinator for Wetland International South Asia.
The workshop also included capacity-building activities, with GIZ and SEEDS leading discussions on developing education and awareness strategies. Local Wetland Mitra Sangay Lama Sherpa gave a presentation on opportunities in eco-tourism for livelihood enhancement, drawing from community experiences.