The Environment Ministry has come up with fresh draft guidelines for amendment to Wetland (Conservation and Management) Rules, 2010, that were notified by the UPA Government. The draft guidelines, Ministry officials said, will be in sync with the original rules and aim to give States a clear roadmap to protect wetlands along with resources, provided they fulfill certain conditions. The States will be encouraged to form wetland protection authorities as societies in order to attract private investments.
The Wetland Rules, 2010, were notified by the UPA Government to identify and conserve wetlands and ensure that they are not degraded. Marshes, peatlands, man-made reservoirs, tanks, lakes, inter-tidal areas fell under the category of wetlands. They are a rich habitat for birds, aquatic life and also provide food, drinking water and livelihood to farmers and fishermen.
According to sources in the Ministry , the draft guidelines will be in sync with the original rules and aim to give States a clear roadmap to protect wetlands along with resources, provided they fulfill certain conditions. While land is a State subject the onus of wetland protection is largely on the States, yet, the response of State Governments has not been up to the mark said the sources in the Ministry.
The absence of State-level wetland protection authorities is one of the chief reasons the Ministry has prepared the fresh draft guidelines. Under the earlier wetland rules, State Governments were to create a ‘brief document’ to identify and classify wetlands within a year and also create State-level authorities to protect wetlands. Odisha was the only State to comply with the directives of the Ministry.