14 bird retreats in ‘priority’ list of wetlands

The Centre had notified a new set of rules for preservation of wetlands, which require the states to identify water bodies to be brought under this category by March next year. The Wetlands (Conservation and Management) Rules, 2017, notified on September 26, shall replace the earlier set of guidelines which came into effect in 2010. 

Dr Jayshree Vencatesan, Managing Trustee, Care Earth Trust, said that the updated version includes the term ‘wise use’ of wetlands, which is mentioned in the Ramsar Convention, which came about in 1971. Tamil Nadu constituted the State Wetlands Authority in 2016, said Dr Jayshree. “Every State has to first identify its priority wetlands based on a recurrent basis, using a decentralised consultative process at the district level. Once this is done, the department, which has jurisdiction on the wetlands, will become a primary player, working on a detailed project report on the conservation of the wetlands,” added the expert on conservation of wetlands. 

Currently, 14 bird sanctuaries in Tamil Nadu, which are all wetlands, have been identified in the initial list. Some of the sanctuaries include Chitrangudi, Kanjirankulam, Karaivetti, Karikili, Koothankulam, Melaselvanur, Point Calimere, Pulicat Lake, Udayamarthandapuram, Vaduvoor, Vedanthangal, Vellore, Vettangudi and Viralimalai.