Indore: World Can Learn A Lot From India About Saving Wetlands, Says Ramsar Convention Chief

Indore (Madhya Pradesh): The world can learn a lot from India regarding the conservation of biodiversity by saving wetlands, Dr Musonda Mumba, secretary general of the Switzerland-based Ramsar Convention on Wetlands, said here on Friday.

Speaking at an event themed "Wetlands and Human Well-being", Mumba congratulated the Union Government for the recent increase in the number of notified Ramsar sites in India from 75 to 80 and appreciated the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

"A lot of work is being done in India for biodiversity conservation by saving wetlands. The world can learn a lot from India in this regard," Mumba said in the programme organised on the banks of Sirpur Lake on World Wetlands Day.

She appealed to the people of India to share stories about the conservation of wetlands with the world.

"The Government of India acceded to the Ramsar Convention in 1982. Initially, India had only two Ramsar sites notified - Keoladeo (National Park) of Rajasthan and Chilka Lake of Odisha. Today, the number of such sites in the country has increased to 80," Mumba said.

"We have a gift for India. Give us some time to disclose this," she said without elaborating.

'Amazed to learn about country's history in saving water bodies'

Mumba said she was visiting India for the first time and was amazed to learn about the country's history in the conservation of water bodies.

Speaking on the occasion, Chief Minister Dr Mohan Yadav said there was a greater need to save water sources such as rivers, lakes and ponds in the present times.

Lifestyle changes and the discharge of effluents are polluting water sources and adversely affecting the ecosystem and animals, he said.

The chief minister expressed hope that the Central government will soon give Indore the status of a wetland city.

According to officials, there are four Ramsar sites in Madhya Pradesh, and there is a proposal to notify Tawa reservoir as a Ramsar site.