Nexus of Good: A giant leap forward

⁕ The Ramsar Convention, 1971 — an international convention on wetlands — to which India is a signatory, takes a broad approach in determining the wetlands which fall under its aegis. In the context of the convention (Article 1.1), wetlands are areas of marsh, fen, peatland or water, whether natural or artificial, permanent or temporary, with water that is static or flowing, fresh, brackish or salt, including areas of marine water the depth of which at low tide does not exceed six meters. Wetlands are ubiquitous ecosystems and provide a myriad of ecosystem services and biodiversity values in the country, and are spread over 15.26 mha area which is 4.6 per cent of the country's geographical area. They are considered the most vital natural solutions for mitigating water scarcity in the country. Wetlands are natural sponges, and are considered as lifelines of society as they augment water storage, regulate water regimes and streamflow, help in groundwater recharge and water purification, buffer communities against disasters like floods, droughts, cyclones and wave surges. Wetlands support livelihood by providing food, water and other natural resources.

⁕ India introduced a regulatory framework for wetlands in the form of Wetlands (Conservation and Management) Rules, 2017 — framed under the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986 — and guidelines for implementation in the year 2020. These rules supersede those issued in 2010, and provide for decentralized regulation through creation of wetland authorities within states and union territories. The country has been very proactive in bringing a regulatory framework for the protection and conservation of wetlands, which is extremely vital for water, food, economic and climate security of the nation. The conservation and wise use of wetlands figure significantly in various policy commitments. The National Environment Policy of 2006 identifies wetlands as components of freshwater resources and, therefore, recommends their integration in developmental planning, management based on prudent use of strategies, promotion of ecotourism and implementation of a regulatory framework.

⁕ The Government of India established the National Wetlands Conservation Programme in 1986 to provide the overarching policy framework and financial assistance to the state governments for implementation of site management plans. Later on, the National Wetlands Conservation Programme and National Lake Conservation Programme of the Government of India were merged in 2013 to give way to a unified scheme titled National Plan for conservation of Aquatic Ecosystems. The scheme was meant to ensure an integrated and multidisciplinary approach through a common regulatory framework, with a broad objective of halting and reversing the continued degradation and loss of wetlands, as already about 30 per cent of the wetlands have been degraded or lost in the past three decades.

⁕ The wetlands conservation is not a new concept in India and abroad. However, awareness on the utility of wetlands in the water and economic security of the country is still to be materialised on a wider scale. The lack of awareness among local communities, as also among the government departments, on the role that wetlands play in groundwater recharge, flood and drought mitigation, climate change mitigation and adaptation, etc., is becoming a leading cause of its degradation, as a number of threats are emanating from anthropogenic and non-anthropogenic pressures.

⁕ The degradation of wetlands has been a cause of concern because it adversely affects biodiversity and human wellbeing in a number of ways, as is evident from conversion of marshes associated with Wular lake for agriculture and afforestation, which has reduced the capacity of the wetland system to regulate the flow regime, leading to increased floods and droughts. Similarly, the Pallikaranai Marshland — one of the largest urban marshlands right in the heart of the Chennai city — is under severe threat from anthropogenic pressures, and is required to be protected from further degradation by the State of Tamil Nadu. Pallikaranai Marshlands are extremely crucial for mitigating the floods resulting from intense precipitation triggered by climate change. Therefore, it would be a daunting task for the state government to protect and conserve the Pallikaranai, particularly when the marshland has been recently added to the Ramsar site.

⁕ The Ramsar Convention on Wetlands, to which India became a signatory in 1981, is based on the core philosophy of wise use of wetlands for sustainable development of aquatic ecosystems, and encourages community engagement and transparency in negotiating trade-offs and determining equitable outcomes for conservation. There are over 2,400 Ramsar sites in the world, which are wetlands of international significance, and are declared by the Ramsar Secretariat after a very strict scrutiny of the wetlands' documentation, which is submitted online in the form of Ramsar Sheet Information System by various countries.

⁕ India had 47 Ramsar sites till the start of the year 2022, and there was a vehement push from the Hon'ble Prime Minister of India to designate 75 Ramsar sites in the country during the 75th year of independence i.e., Aazadi kaa Amrit Mahotsav. His sheer determination and grit made it happen; in the history of wetland conservation, 28 wetlands in the country were recognized as the wetlands of international importance in one go, and this added to the Ramsar sites in India, at a never-before scale.

⁕ The state of Tamil Nadu grabbed the golden opportunity, and substantially improved the number of wetlands under the Ramsar site from just one in the year 2002 to 14 in the year 2022 under the Tamil Nadu Wetlands Mission, which was announced by the state government for ecological restoration of 100 wetlands with focus on livelihood improvement of the local communities. An officer of 1992 batch of the Indian Forest Service, Deepak Srivastava, who was posted by the state government as a full-time Additional Principal Chief Conservator of Forests and Member Secretary of the Tamil Nadu State Wetland Authority, was entrusted with the responsibility of spearheading the mission. The Wetlands Department had a bare minimum staff and infrastructure support at the disposal of the officer, as it was an upgraded post which had been most of the time under additional charge. By the time of the posting of full-time Additional Principal Chief Conservator of Forests and Member Secretary, it was realised by the officer that the befitting start for the Tamil Nadu Wetlands Mission can be declaration of a greater number of Ramsar sites in the state, as Tamil Nadu had only one Ramsar site out of 47 sites in the country at the time of the announcement of the mission. Without caring for the logistical support and basic infrastructure, nine officers at the level of District Forest Officers were identified for accomplishing the onerous task of preparation of 13 Ramsar sites proposal, after detailed in-house consultations with the two part-time consultants, with all the available resources at their end.

⁕ The move to declare a greater number of Ramsar sites was well-supported at the state and Central levels which, after a detailed and minute scrutiny at the Union Government level, was forwarded to the Ramsar Secretariat within a period of one year from the announcement of the Tamil Nadu Wetlands Mission. Tamil Nadu did not lose the wonderful opportunity of adding maximum number of Ramsar sites when there was a vehement push by the Government of India to declare 75 wetlands as part of Bharat kaa Amrit Mahotsav.

The hard work, sincerity and meticulous planning by Srivastava and his youthful team of Indian Forest Service officers not only paved the way for declaration of 13 Ramsar sites during July-August 2022, but also made the state of Tamil Nadu numero uno with 14 Ramsar sites in the country. Of the 26 Ramsar sites which were declared by the Ramsar Secretariat during July-August, 2022, as a part of 'Bharat ka Amrit Mahotsav', due to continued and aggressive push from the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, Government of India, 13 Ramsar sites were from a single state — Tamil Nadu. This was a very joyous moment for the state, especially as it could add 13 more Wetlands as Ramsar sites after a long period of 20 years, as the sole Ramsar Site i.e., Point Calimere, Nagapattinam, was declared during the year 2002. Nothing could have been a befitting and outstanding start for the Tamil Nadu Wetlands Mission, which was made possible due to concerted efforts from the leader and his handful of team mates. The hard work and dedication of the officers in getting 13 more wetlands added to the Ramsar sites in Tamil Nadu has been exemplary, and shows that strong determination and commitment cannot deter anyone from achieving any milestone, within or outside the government set-up.

Views expressed are personal