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up on priority basis, most parts of this

wetland will likely be converted to

agricultural farms or for institutional

constructions in the very near future.

This is similarly true of wetlands like

Waithou Pat, Yaralpat, Khamlang Pat,

etc.

The Loktak Lake, a designated Ramsar

site of international importance and

by far the largest freshwater lake

in the northeastern parts of India,

supports a wide variety of life forms

including humans, endangered fauna

and flora, migratory water-bird and

fish population. Whereas, the lake is

today a picture of contrasting profile

• natural beauty pitted against ageing
  and degradation due to anthropogenic
  influences. The concern of both
  Government and local stakeholders
  is on long term conservation of this
  freshwater lake so that it continues
  sustaining both the human and the
  natural environment. The livelihoods
  of more than one lakh people depend
  entirely on the resources of this lake.
  The survival of the endangered Manipur
  Brow-antlered Deer depends largely
  on how healthy the lake’s ecosystem
  sustains in the years to come.

It is observed in field that in all

aspects there has been a lack of State’s

initiative to provide legal status to the

existing wetlands for their long term

conservation so as to provide different

end benefits, including ecosystem

services and sustainable livelihood for

those families dependent entirely on the

resources of the wetlands. It, therefore,

is imperative that a Governmental

review of the land holding status of

individual families in these wetlands

be conducted at the earliest in order

to prevent further encroachment in

the wetland areas, and subsequently

to chart strategic action plans for their

long term conservation. It absolutely

is also required to determine the actual

boundary of the existing wetlands so

that no further encroachments take

place.

New hopes

Emphasizing the important role of

wetlands in maintaining ecological

balance, a green bench of the Supreme

Court comprising of Justices Madan

B.Lokur and Prafulla C.Pant had in

2017 directed the Government of

India to notify 2,01,503 wetlands in

the country that were identified by the

Indian Space Research Organization

(ISRO) in 2011 on the basis of

satellite imagery. The Government

of India, in its turn, informed the

Supreme Court that it had formed a

comprehensive scheme of National

Plan for Conservation of Aquatic

Eco-systems (NPCA) for conservation

and restoration of lakes and wetlands.

The Centre informed that the relevant

ministry had identified 115 wetlands

and 63 lakes in 24 states and 2 union

territories for conservation and

management.

The Government of Manipur recently

constituted the Manipur State Wetlands

Authority (MSWA) vide a Gazette

notification on 31st January, 2018

with the expressed priority for saving

and conservation of existing wetlands

in the State. This was in pursuance

of a notification (No.GSR1203(E) of

26th September, 2017) issued by the

Ministry of Environment, Forest &

Climate Change, Government of India

as per the guidelines of the Wetlands

(Conservation and Management)

Rules, 2017. The notification contains

some vital components, such as, (i)

identification of potential wetlands

for their conservation, (ii) listing of

activities to be permitted and regulated

within the notified wetlands, (iii)

defining strategies for conservation

and wise use of wetlands – wise

use being a principle for managing

wetland ecosystems which incorporates

sustainable uses such as capture

fisheries at subsistence level or harvest

of aquatic plants as being compatible

with conservation, and (iv) support

traditional uses of the wetlands which

are harmonized with the ecological

character.

The MSWA is currently in the process

of taking up measures to conserve 23

identified wetlands in the State in order

to restore the ecosystem of these water

bodies to serve different end benefits

including ecosystem services, providing

sustainable livelihood to local people

dependent on the resources of the

wetlands, and to rejuvenate wildlife

population including migratory water-

birds.

Suggestions

The followings are a few suggestions for

the long term conservation of wetlands

that merit conservation on priority

basis, vis-à-vis their present status and

scopes for conservation to enhance

ecosystem services of the wetlands, and

promotion of wetland friendly activities

such as eco-tourism and fishery to

generate revenue and contribute

towards sustainable livelihood of local

people, particularly fishers who depend

solely upon the resources of wetlands

for their living.

Firstly, in the context of gradual losing

of wetlands due to various factors,

it is absolutely necessary to conduct

digital mapping of original boundary

of wetlands and to identify encroachers

through grid mapping. This entails

re-verification of land ownership

documents in areas within the identified

boundary of wetlands. Encroachment

in all forms and physical modification

of the wetlands has to be deterred to

achieve meaningful conservation of the

wetlands.

Secondly, the declaration of wetlands as

protected by law under the provisions

of Wetlands (Conservation and

Management) Rules, 2017 , and

to engage in charting conservation

strategies through local community

participation in the Public Private

Partnership model for meaningful

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