Lok Sabha Question No. 1970 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2017-03-14
Subject: Conservation of Aquatic Ecosystems
Ministry: ENVIRONMENT,  FORESTS AND CLIMATE CHANGE
Asked by: ANANDRAO  ADSUL, Shrirang Appa Barne

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.1970

TO BE ANSWERED ON 14.03.2017

## Conservation of Aquatic Ecosystems

1970:  SHRI ANANDRAO ADSUL: SHRI SHRIRANG APPA BARNE:

Will the Minister of ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE be pleased to state:

- (a)    the status of implementation  of the National Plan for Conservation of Aquatic Ecosystems in all the States in the country;
- (b)     whether  the  Government  has  not  notified  all  wetlands  under  the  Wetlands (Conservation and Management) Rules and if so, the reasons therefor;

(c) whether all the States have been asked to constitute State Wetlands Authorities as nodal agencies for integrated policy, planning and regulation of wetlands;

- (d) if  so,  the  names  of  the  States  who  have  not  constituted  State  Wetland Authorities and the steps taken by the Government in this regard; and
- (e) whether the tenure of the Central Wetlands Regulatory Authority (CWRA) - a nodal agency to coordinate with multiple stakeholders in the country for conservation and sustainable management of wetlands has expired and if so, the details thereof?

## ANSWER

MINISTER OF STATE (INDEPENDENT CHARGE) FOR ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE (SHRI ANIL MADHAV DAVE)

- (a) Under the Centrally Sponsored Scheme of 'National Plan for Conservation of Aquatic Eco-systems' (NPCA), financial assistance is provided to the State Governments  for  conservation  of  identified  lakes  and  wetlands  in  the  country,  on cost sharing basis between the Central Government and respective State Governments.  Various  conservation  activities  taken-up  under  the  scheme  include interception, diversion and treatment of waste water, shore line protection, de-silting, eatment, lake beautification, survey & demarcation, bio-fencing, fisheries development, weed control, biodiversity conservation, education and awareness creation, community participation, etc. So far, an amount of  Rs.  151.94  crores  has  been  released  to  the  States  and  other  organizations  for conservation and management of 82 identified wetlands in the country. Similarly, this Ministry has so far sanctioned projects for conservation of 63 lakes in 14 States at a total cost of Rs. 1096.09 crores. So far, an amount of Rs. 687.588 crores has been released for the sanctioned projects and work on 34 lakes has been completed.

(b) So far,  25  wetlands, designated as Ramsar sites, have been notified under the  Wetlands  (Conservation  and  Management)  Rules,  2010.  Notification  of  more wetlands could not be taken-up due to non-submission of proper 'Brief Documents'/ requisite  details  by  the  concerned  State  Governments  as  per  the  Wetlands (Conservation and Management) Rules, 2010.

(c)  &  (d)  In  order  to  conserve  lakes  and  wetlands  in an  integrated  manner,  all  the States have been advised for giving high priority for constitution of  State Wetland/ Lake Authorities, identification  and  notification  of  priority  wetlands,  development of integrated management plans, securing resources for implementation of management plans, monitoring and evaluation, strengthening research-management interface, etc. A  few  State  Governments  namely,  Odisha,  Karnataka,  Bihar,  Sikkim,  Tamil Nadu,  Rajasthan,  Madhya  Pradesh,  Kerala  and  Punjab  have  already  constituted State  Wetland/Lake  Authorities.  Specific  lake  authorities  like  Chilika  Development Authority,  Loktak  Development  Authority,  Wullar  Conservation  and  Management Authority and East Kolkata Wetland Management Authority have also been set up.

Remaining States have not yet constituted their State Wetland Authority.

(e) The Central Wetlands Regulatory Authority under the provisions of Wetlands (Conservation and Management) Rules, 2010 has recently been reconstituted for a period of three years i.e. up  to 13 th February,  2020  vide  notification  dated 14.02.2017.

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