On the occasion of World Wetlands Day, Director General, Shri G. Asok Kumar, National Mission for Clean Ganga presided over a webinar today on the theme 'Connecting Wetlands, Rivers and People: Challenges, Experiences and Opportunities'. The webinar was organized jointly by NMCG and World Wide Fund (WWF). World Wetlands Day is observed every year globally on 2^nd February aiming to raise awareness about the vital role the wetlands play for people and the planet. February 2^nd also marks the date of the adoption of the Convention on Wetlands in 1971 in the Iranian city of Ramsar. The two-hour long session brought together various stakeholders including experts and practitioners to deliberate on why and how wetlands be conserved.

The panelists of the webinar included Dr. Rajiv Sinha, Professor, IIT Kanpur, Dr. B.C. Choudhury, retired professor, Wildlife Institute of India, Dr. Arvind Kumar, President, India Water Foundation, Shri Sanjay Kumar, Secretary of Finance, Uttar Pradesh Dr. Ruchi Badola, Dean, FWS, Wildlife Institute of India, Dr. Ritesh Kumar, Director, Wetlands International South Asia, Mr. Brijesh Sikka, Senior Consultant, NMCG and Mr. Suresh Babu, Director, Rivers, Wetlands and Water Policy, WWF-India.

The theme of 'World Wetlands Day' this year is 'Wetlands Action for People and Nature', which is a call to take action for preservation of wetlands.

DG, NMCG Shri G. Asok Kumar expressed his pleasure over the coordinated efforts being undertaken by the associated bodies to help conserve various aquatic systems in the country. The return of flora and fauna of many aquatic species is a clear indication of the success that has been achieved through such efforts.  “Wetlands are the most significant aspects of nature, and our mission is not only to conserve the wetlands of the Ganga basin but throughout the country', he added. 

He emphasized that people's participation and awareness are crucial and fundamental to conserve the wetlands and that the holistic approach derived from practical knowledge and experiences could bring the positive outcomes as regards to restoration of wetlands.

Dr. Rajiv Sinha made a presentation on 'Key Approaches for Mapping Wetland Connectivity' and demonstratedthe lessons from Ramganga and Haiderpur wetland. He said the basis and functions of the wetlands can be understood only when perceived through an integrated approach and gave some recommendations to efficiently conserve the same. Substantiating the need for a meaningful collaboration amongst various bodies for the cause of preserving wetlands, Dr. Arvind Kumar, President, India Water Foundation, made an insightful presentation on 'Wetlands for Achieving SDG Targets and Biodiversity Goals'.

A presentation on the case of Haiderpur Wetland, which is one of the largest man-made wetlands lying in the strategic Central Asian Flyway, came from Shri Sanjay Kumar, who was instrumental in preparing the case of Haiderpur Wetland to be included in Ramsar sites. He talked about the multi-departmental and multi-sectoral collaboration and collective actions for wetland conservation.

Dr. Ruchi Badola, Dean, FWS, Wildlife Institute of India, shared experiences from NMCG initiatives on wetland rejuvenation with focus on urban and floodplain wetlands. Emphasizing the need to sustainably utilize the wetlands for the benefit of humankind, she said that mass awareness at the grassroot levels and investment in human capital have been the key aspects of the various nature conservation initiatives, especially of wetlands.

Dr. Ritesh Kumar, Director, Wetlands International South Asia, gave a presentation carrying experiences from Uttar Pradesh concerning the conservation of floodplain wetlands along the river Ganga. He demonstrated a management strategy involving a basin-wide approach for wetland conservation and emphasized on the need to create a well-demarcated institutional mechanism under the existing regulatory regime. The panel discussion was followed by audience interaction. An interesting quiz on wetlands was also conducted as part of the event.

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