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NEW DELHI: India has submitted nominations of three cities – Indore, Bhopal and Udaipur – for Wetland City Accreditation (WCA) under the Ramsar Convention, an intergovernmental treaty that provides a framework for the conservation and wise use of wetlands and their resources.
These are the first three Indian cities for which nominations have been submitted for WCA.Globally, 43 cities including 13 from China and six from France are currently accredited under the WCA scheme of the international convention.
Accreditation is granted to only those cities which satisfy the six international criteria including proximity of one or more Ramsar sites fully or partly situated within its jurisdiction and taking different exceptional conservation measures to safeguard their urban wetlands.
The WCA scheme aims to promote conservation and wise use of urban and peri-urban wetlands as well as sustainable socio-economic benefits for local populations.
“This will also provide an opportunity for cities that value their natural or human-made wetlands to gain international recognition and positive branding opportunities for their efforts in demonstrating strong positive relationships with wetlands,” environment minister Bhupender Yadav said in his post on X.
“The wetlands situated in and around these (three Indian) cities provide a plethora of benefits to its citizens in terms of flood regulation, livelihood opportunities and recreational and cultural values. Sirpur Wetland (Ramsar site in Indore), Yashwant Sagar (Ramsar site close to Indore), Bhoj Wetland (Ramsar site in Bhopal), and several wetlands/lakes in and around Udaipur are lifelines to these cities,” the environment ministry in a statement.
The international convention on wetlands, adopted in 1971 in the Iranian city of Ramsar, provides a framework for the conservation and wise use of wetlands and their resources across its 172-member countries including India. At present, 75 wetlands in India are protected under the treaty.
These are the first three Indian cities for which nominations have been submitted for WCA.Globally, 43 cities including 13 from China and six from France are currently accredited under the WCA scheme of the international convention.
Accreditation is granted to only those cities which satisfy the six international criteria including proximity of one or more Ramsar sites fully or partly situated within its jurisdiction and taking different exceptional conservation measures to safeguard their urban wetlands.
The WCA scheme aims to promote conservation and wise use of urban and peri-urban wetlands as well as sustainable socio-economic benefits for local populations.
“This will also provide an opportunity for cities that value their natural or human-made wetlands to gain international recognition and positive branding opportunities for their efforts in demonstrating strong positive relationships with wetlands,” environment minister Bhupender Yadav said in his post on X.
“The wetlands situated in and around these (three Indian) cities provide a plethora of benefits to its citizens in terms of flood regulation, livelihood opportunities and recreational and cultural values. Sirpur Wetland (Ramsar site in Indore), Yashwant Sagar (Ramsar site close to Indore), Bhoj Wetland (Ramsar site in Bhopal), and several wetlands/lakes in and around Udaipur are lifelines to these cities,” the environment ministry in a statement.
The international convention on wetlands, adopted in 1971 in the Iranian city of Ramsar, provides a framework for the conservation and wise use of wetlands and their resources across its 172-member countries including India. At present, 75 wetlands in India are protected under the treaty.
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