Conserving wetlands in the Ganga basin
Wetlands are one of the most crucial sources of freshwater and one of the most productive ecosystems on the planet. The Gangetic wetlands are the largest riverine wetland system in India. National Mission for Clean Ganga (NMCG) and WWF-India jointly published a report that presents four-year action plan drawing on the Ganga Basin Environment Management Plan (2015), Ganga Authorities Order (2016) and the Wetland (Conservation and Management) Rules 2017 to achieve four objectives for the wise and sustainable use of wetlands in the Ganga basin: Wetlands critical to maintain the hydrological, geomorphological and ecological balance of the Ganga basin are identified, their health status established and measures identified for conservation. Ecosystem based, community-led models of rejuvenating wetlands are demonstrated to enhance aviralta and nirmalta and strategy for scale up in the basin level is developed. Enabling policies for integrating wetland conservation in relevant and supporting programmes at the State and National level to facilitate restoration of aviral Ganga are developed. Stakeholders are empowered to contribute constructively to conservation of river-wetland continuum.
