PANJIM: In a bid to conserve and manage wetlands, the Union Ministry for Environment and Forests (MoEF) has drafted new Wetland (Conservation and Management) Rules 2016, as per which State governments have to prepare a detailed inventory of wetlands and notify the same for their regulation. Goa has around 383 wetland areas covering 21,337 hectares.
The draft rules, kept open for public suggestions and objections till June 6, will supersede the 2010 Wetland Rules once notified.
While the State has to prepare its list of activities to be regulated on wetlands, the Centre has imposed uniform prohibition on activities like reclamation of wetlands, and conversion for non-wetland uses; diversion or impediment to natural water inflows and outflows of the wetland; and any activity having or likely to have an adverse impact on ecological character of the wetland.
As per the draft rules, the state government has to set up a State-level Wetland Authority headed by either the Chief Minister or Environment and Forest Minister to decide on the policy framework for notifying and regulating wetlands. The 12-member authority has to prepare an inventory of all wetlands and identify and prepare a list of wetlands to be regulated under the provisions of the rules.
The authority has to undertake demarcation of the wetland boundaries and preparation of land-use maps using remote sensing and ground truthing; notify wetlands to be regulated under these rules; define ecological character for wetlands and list out uses of the wetland which are aligned with ecological character.
“Develop a comprehensive list of activities to be regulated to ensure wise use of the site; specify the threshold levels for each; and the mode and method for regulation,” the rules state adding that the authority has to develop an integrated management plan for the notified wetlands, and identify mechanisms for convergence of implementation of the management plan with the existing State development plans and programmes.
As per the National Wetland Inventory and Assessment released by MoEF in 2011-12, Goa has 383 wetland areas with rivers and streams leading the chart. Nearly 44 percent of the wetland area is covered by rivers or streams.
Interestingly, the mapping has identified 111 mangrove wetlands across the State’s rivers that comprise 8.21 percent of the total wetland area. There are 101 inland and 282 coastal wetlands. In case of manmade wetlands, there are two reservoirs covering 2363 hectare area and 11.07 per cent of the total wetlands.
