Lok Sabha Question No. 26 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2024-11-25
Subject: National Plan for Conservation of Aquatic Ecosystems
Ministry: ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE
Asked by: Shri Appalanaidu Kalisetti, Shri Kesineni Sivanath, Shri B K Parthasarathi, Shri Daggumalla Prasada Rao

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

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 26

TO BE ANSWERED ON 25.11.2024

## National Plan for Conservation of Aquatic Ecosystems

## 26. SHRI B K PARTHASARATHI:

SHRI DAGGUMALLA PRASADA RAO:

SHRI KESINENI SIVANATH:

SHRI APPALANAIDU KALISETTI:

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

- (a)   the guidelines and criteria established for identifying and declaring wetlands;
- (b)   the number of wetlands in the State of Andhra Pradesh, district-wise;
- (c)   whether any wetlands in the said State have been designated under the Ramsar Convention and if so, the details thereof and if not, the reasons therefor;
- (d)   the number of wetlands and lakes restored under National Plan for Conservation of Aquatic Eco-systems (NPCA) in the State of Andhra Pradesh;
- (e)  the details of funds that have been released to Andhra Pradesh under the Plan during the last five years, year-wise; and
- (f)   the number of projects that have been selected under the Scheme along with the physical and financial progress thereof?

## ANSWER

MINISTER  OF  STATE  IN  THE  MINISTRY  OF  ENVIRONMENT,  FOREST  AND CLIMATE CHANGE (SHRI KIRTI VARDHAN SINGH)

- (a) India is a signatory to the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands since 1 st  February 1982. As per the convention, 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 metres' .
- (b) As  per  the  information  provided  by  the  Government  of  Andhra  Pradesh,  there  are 23,352 wetlands in the state. The district-wise list of wetlands is annexed.
- (c) Kolleru Lake covering an area of 90,100 ha in Andhra Pradesh is the only wetland designated as a Ramsar site on 19 th  August 2008.
- (d)  to  (f) Under the scheme of National Plan for Conservation of Aquatic Ecosystems (NPCA), MoEF&CC  has  provided  financial  assistance  to  the  Government  of  Andhra  Pradesh  for conservation and management of Kolleru Lake during 1987 to 2010. So far, an amount of Rs. 249.569 lakhs has  been released as central  share  for  various  conservation  activities,  which

include eco-development  activities, development  of  eco-tourism, sanctuary protection, sustainable  resource  development,  livelihood  improvement,  public  awareness  and  nature education. During the last five years, no grant has been released to the Government of Andhra Pradesh under NPCA due to non-receipt of Integrated Management Plans (IMPs) from the State. Under the NPCA scheme, MoEF & CC has since inception provided financial assistance to the tune of Rs. 1138.90 crores as central share to the States/UTs for 168 wetlands across the country. Out of these, 131 projects for Rs. 1028.27 crore stand completed while works of 37 projects for Rs. 110.63 crore are under progress.

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Annexure

Annexure  referred  to  in  reply  to  part  (b)  of  Lok  Sabha  Unstarred  Q.  No.  26  to  be answered on Monday, the 25 th  November 2024 on 'National Plan for Conservation of Aquatic Ecosystems (NPCA)'

The details of the district-wise number of wetlands in the state of Andhra Pradesh:

| S. No.      | District Name (Andhra Pradesh)   |   Number of Wetlands |
|-------------|----------------------------------|----------------------|
| 1           | ANNAMAYYA                        |                 1438 |
| 2           | TIRUPATI                         |                 2064 |
| 3           | CHITTOOR                         |                 2217 |
| 4           | ANANTHAPURAMU                    |                  445 |
| 5           | SRI SATYASAI                     |                 1349 |
| 6           | VISAKHAPATNAM                    |                  250 |
| 7           | VIZIANAGARAM                     |                 2263 |
| 8           | SRIKAKULAM                       |                 1595 |
| 9           | PARVATHIPURAM MANYAM             |                  476 |
| 10          | ANAKAPALLI                       |                  992 |
| 11          | ALLURI SITHARAMARAJU             |                  197 |
| 12          | KURNOOL                          |                  333 |
| 13          | YSR KADAPA                       |                  571 |
| 14          | NANDYAL                          |                  516 |
| 15          | BAPATLA                          |                  597 |
| 16          | PALNADU                          |                  460 |
| 17          | PRAKASAM                         |                  992 |
| 18          | GUNTUR                           |                  335 |
| 19          | SRI POTTI SRIRAMULU NELLORE      |                 1616 |
| 20          | EAST GODAVARI                    |                  512 |
| 21          | ELURU                            |                 1062 |
| 22          | KAKINADA                         |                  759 |
| 23          | KONASEEMA                        |                  458 |
| 24          | KRISHNA                          |                  706 |
| 25          | NTR                              |                  356 |
| 26          | WEST GODAVARI                    |                  793 |
| Grand Total | Grand Total                      |                23352 |