Lok Sabha Question No. 123 (STARRED), answered on 2016-05-03
Subject: Conservation of Wetlands
Ministry: ENVIRONMENT,  FORESTS AND CLIMATE CHANGE
Asked by: FEROZE VARUN GANDHI, CH. MALLA REDDY

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

## MINISTRY OF ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE

## LOK SABHA STARRED QUESTION NO. 123

TO BE ANSWERED ON 03.05.2016

## Conservation of Wetlands

- *123.  SHRI FEROZE  VARUN GANDHI: SHRI CH. MALLA REDDY:

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

- (a) the details of wetlands identified in the country, State-wise;
- (b) whether  several  wetlands  have  been  encroached  upon  and  others  have disappeared;
- (c) if  so, the details thereof and the reasons therefor along with the steps taken for  protection  and  preservation  of  wetlands  including  small  wetlands  that  have  not been notified;
- (d) whether the Government has taken cognizance of the report by the Centre for Water Resource Development and Management (CWRDM) on the threat to wetlands in North Kerala due to rampant human encroachment; and
- (e) if so, the action taken against the concerned authorities for posing a threat to the ecology of the area along with the specific measures taken for conservation of the said wetlands?

## ANSWER

MINISTER OF STATE (INDEPENDENT CHARGE) FOR ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE (SHRI PRAKASH JAVADEKAR)

- (a) to (e) A Statement is laid on the Table of the House.

*****

Statement referred to in reply to parts (a) to (e) of Lok Sabha Starred Question No. 123 to be answered on Tuesday , the 3 rd May, 2016 on 'Conservation of Wetlands ' raised by Shri Feroze  Varun Gandhi and Shri Ch. Malla Reddy.

(a) The Ministry has so far, identified 115 wetlands in 24 States and two Union Territories for conservation and management under the National Wetland Conservation Programme (NWCP). The State-wise list of these wetlands is given in Annexure.

(b) & (c)  A few wetlands in the country have reportedly been impacted due to rapid urbanization, industrialization, various developmental activities and other anthropogenic pressures. This Ministry had been earlier implementing two separate programmes,  namely  National  Wetland  Conservation  Programme  (NWCP)  and National  Lake  Conservation  Plan  (NLCP)  for  conservation  and  management  of identified  lakes  and  wetlands  in  the  country. To  have  better  synergy  and  avoid overlap,  both  the  programmes  have  been  merged  in  February,  2013  into  an integrated  scheme  of  National  Plan  for  Conservation  of  Aquatic  Eco-systems (NPCA).  The  various    activities  covered  under  the  scheme  include  interception, diversion and treatment of waste water, shore line protection, lake front development, de-silting, bioremediation, catchment area treatment, lake beautification,  survey  &  demarcation,  bio-fencing,  fisheries  development,  weed control, biodiversity conservation, education and awareness creation and community participation,  etc.  So  far,  an  amount  of    .146.94  crore  has  been  released  to  the States  and  other  organizations  for  conservation  and  management  of  identified wetlands in the country.

The Central Government has notified the Wetlands (Conservation and Management)  Rules  2010  for  conservation  and  management  of  wetlands  in  the country.  Under  the  Rules,  26  wetlands  designated  as  Ramsar  sites  have  been notified  for  regulation  of  activities  within  the  wetlands.    Also,  in  order  to  conserve lakes, wetlands and other water bodies 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, and strengthening researchmanagement interface, etc.

(d)    &  (e)    The  Government  of  Kerala  have  informed  that  the  Centre  for  Water Resources  Development  and  Management  (CWRDM),  Kozhikode  has  prepared  a detailed  Management  Action  Plan  (MAP)  for  Kavvayi  wetland  of  North  Kerala  in 2014. The report reveals that Kavvayi, a large coastal backwater wetland, is facing threat from land reclamation and encroachment, rapid urbanisation, industrialisation, various  developmental  activities  and  other  anthropogenic  pressures.  The  CWRDM has subsequently undertaken a project sanctioned by the Government of Kerala for the implementation of some of the selected components under the MAP of Kavvayi wetland through various Local Self Government institutions and departments such as Fisheries, Forest, Irrigation, etc.

The Government of Kerala has also set up the State Wetland Authority, Kerala in November, 2015 under the chairmanship of Minister of Environment, Government of Kerala for conservation and management of all wetlands and lakes in the State, including North Kerala, in a holistic and integrated manner.

*****

Annexure referred to  in  reply  to  part  (a)  of  Lok  Sabha  Starred  Question  No. 123  to  be  answered  on  Tuesday,  the  3 rd May,  2016  on  'Conservation  of Wetlands ' raised by Shri Feroze  Varun Gandhi and Shri Ch. Malla Reddy.

State-wise  list  of  wetlands  identified  under  National  Wetlands  Conservation Programme

| S. No.   | State/Union Territory   |   S. No. | Wetland                     |
|----------|-------------------------|----------|-----------------------------|
| 1.       | Andhra Pradesh          |        1 | Kolleru                     |
| 2.       | Assam                   |        2 | Deepar Beel                 |
| 2.       | Assam                   |        3 | Urpad Beel                  |
| 2.       | Assam                   |        4 | Sone Beel                   |
| 3.       | Bihar                   |        5 | Kabar                       |
| 3.       | Bihar                   |        6 | Barilla                     |
| 3.       | Bihar                   |        7 | Kusheshwar Asthan           |
| 4.       | Gujarat                 |        8 | Nalsarovar                  |
| 4.       | Gujarat                 |        9 | Great Rann of Kachh         |
| 4.       | Gujarat                 |       10 | Thol Bird Sanctuary         |
| 4.       | Gujarat                 |       11 | Khijadiya Bird Sanctuary    |
| 4.       | Gujarat                 |       12 | Little Rann of Kachh        |
| 4.       | Gujarat                 |       13 | Pariej                      |
| 4.       | Gujarat                 |       14 | Wadhwana                    |
| 4.       | Gujarat                 |       15 | Nanikakrad                  |
| 5.       | Haryana                 |       16 | Sultanpur                   |
| 6.       | Himachal Pradesh        |       18 | Renuka                      |
| 6.       | Himachal Pradesh        |       19 | Pong Dam                    |
| 6.       | Himachal Pradesh        |       20 | Chandratal                  |
| 6.       | Himachal Pradesh        |       21 | Rewalsar                    |
| 6.       | Himachal Pradesh        |       22 | Khajjiar                    |
| 7.       | Jammu & Kashmir         |       23 | Wullar                      |
|          | Jammu & Kashmir         |       24 | Tso Morari                  |
|          | Jammu & Kashmir         |       25 | Tisgul Tso & Chisul Marshes |
|          | Jammu & Kashmir         |       26 | Hokersar                    |
|          | Jammu & Kashmir         |       27 | Mansar-Surinsar             |
|          | Jammu & Kashmir         |       28 | Ranjitsagar                 |
|          | Jammu & Kashmir         |       29 | Pangong Tsar                |
|          | Jammu & Kashmir         |       30 | Gharana                     |
|          | Jammu & Kashmir         |       31 | Hygam,                      |
|          | Jammu & Kashmir         |       32 | Mirgund                     |
|          | Jammu & Kashmir         |       33 | Shalbugh                    |
| 8.       | Jharkhand               |       35 | Udhwa                       |
| 8.       | Jharkhand               |       36 | Tilaiya Dam                 |
| 9.       | Karnataka               |       37 | Magadhi                     |
| 9.       | Karnataka               |       38 | Gudavi Bird Sanctuary       |
| 9.       | Karnataka               |       39 | Bonal                       |
| 9.       | Karnataka               |       40 | Hidkal & Ghataprabha        |
| 9.       | Karnataka               |       41 | Heggeri                     |
| 9.       | Karnataka               |       42 | Ranganthittu                |
| 9.       | Karnataka               |       43 | K.G. Koppa wetland          |

|   10. | Kerala         |   44. | Ashtamudi                  |
|-------|----------------|-------|----------------------------|
|    10 | Kerala         |    45 | Sasthamkotta               |
|    10 | Kerala         |    46 | Kottuli                    |
|    10 | Kerala         |    47 | Kadulandi                  |
|    10 |                |    48 | Vembanad Kol               |
|    11 | Madhya Pradesh |    49 | Barna                      |
|    11 | Madhya Pradesh |    50 | Yashwant Sagar             |
|    11 | Madhya Pradesh |    51 | Wetland of Ken River       |
|    11 | Madhya Pradesh |    52 | National Chambal Sanctuary |
|    11 | Madhya Pradesh |    53 | Ghatigaon                  |
|    11 | Madhya Pradesh |    54 | Ratapani                   |
|    11 | Madhya Pradesh |    55 | Denwa Tawa                 |
|    11 | Madhya Pradesh |    56 | Kanha Tiger Reserve        |
|    11 | Madhya Pradesh |    57 | Pench Tiger Reserve        |
|    11 | Madhya Pradesh |    58 | Sakhyasagar                |
|    11 | Madhya Pradesh |    59 | Dihaila                    |
|    11 | Madhya Pradesh |    60 | Govindsagar                |
|    11 | Madhya Pradesh |    61 | Sirpur                     |
|    12 | Maharashtra    |    62 | Ujni                       |
|    12 | Maharashtra    |    63 | Jayakawadi                 |
|    12 | Maharashtra    |    64 | Nalganga                   |
|    13 | Manipur        |    65 | Loktak                     |
|    14 | Meghalaya      |    66 | Umiam lake                 |
|    15 | Mizoram        |    67 | Tamdil                     |
|    15 | Mizoram        |    68 | Palak                      |
|    16 | Odisha         |    69 | Chilka                     |
|    16 | Odisha         |    70 | Kuanria                    |
|    16 | Odisha         |    71 | Kanjia                     |
|    16 | Odisha         |    72 | Daha                       |
|    16 | Odisha         |    73 | Anusupa                    |
|    17 | Punjab         |    74 | Harike                     |
|    17 | Punjab         |    75 | Ropar                      |
|    17 | Punjab         |    76 | Kanjli                     |
|    17 | Punjab         |    77 | Nangal                     |
|    18 | Rajasthan      |    78 | Sambhar                    |
|    19 | Sikkim         |    79 | Khechuperi holy lake       |
|    19 | Sikkim         |    80 | Tamze                      |
|    19 | Sikkim         |    81 | Tembao Wetland Complex     |
|    19 | Sikkim         |    82 | Phendang Wetland Complex   |
|    19 | Sikkim         |    83 | Gurudokmar                 |
|    19 | Sikkim         |    84 | Tsomgo                     |
|    20 | Tamil Nadu     |    85 | Point Calimere             |
|    20 | Tamil Nadu     |    86 | Kaliveli                   |
|    20 | Tamil Nadu     |    87 | Pallaikarni                |
|    21 | Tripura        |    88 | Rudrasagar                 |
|    21 | Tripura        |    89 | Gumti reservoir            |
|    22 | Uttar Pradesh. |    90 | Nawabganj                  |
|    22 | Uttar Pradesh. |    91 | Sandi                      |
|    22 | Uttar Pradesh. |    92 | Lakh Bahoshi               |
|    22 | Uttar Pradesh. |    93 | Samaspur                   |
|    22 | Uttar Pradesh. |    94 | Alwara                     |
|    22 | Uttar Pradesh. |    95 | Semarai                    |
|    22 | Uttar Pradesh. |    96 | Nagaria                    |

|     |                  |   97. | Keetham                       |
|-----|------------------|-------|-------------------------------|
|     |                  |    98 | Shekha                        |
|     |                  |    99 | Saman Bird Sanctuary          |
|     |                  |   100 | Sarsai Nawar                  |
|     |                  |   101 | Patna Bird Sanctuary          |
|     |                  |   102 | Chandotal                     |
|     |                  |   103 | Taal Bhaghel                  |
|     |                  |   104 | Taal Gambhirvan & Taal Salona |
|     |                  |   105 | Aadi jal Jeev Jheel           |
| 23. | Uttarakhand      |   106 | Ban Ganga Jhilmil Tal         |
|     |                  |   107 | Asan                          |
| 24. | West Bengal      |   108 | East Kolkata wetlands         |
|     |                  |   109 | Sunderbans                    |
|     |                  |   110 | Ahiron Beel                   |
|     |                  |   111 | Rasik Beel                    |
|     |                  |   112 | Santragachi                   |
|     |                  |   113 | Patlakhawa- Rasomati          |
| 25  | Chandigarh (UT)  |   114 | Sukhna                        |
| 26  | Puducherry ( UT) |   115 | Ousteri                       |