Environmentalists Urge Maharashtra CM to Protect Wetlands
Fast-track MMR’s wetland protection: Greens urge Maharashtra CM
The Times Of IndiaImage: The Times Of India
On International Day for Biological Diversity, environmentalists called on Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis to expedite legal protections for over 23,000 wetlands in the state. They warned that ongoing neglect could lead to biodiversity loss and increased climate vulnerability, stressing the wetlands' role as natural carbon sinks and ecological buffers.
- 01B N Kumar, director of NatConnect Foundation, emphasized the wetlands' importance for biodiversity and climate resilience.
- 02The delay in legal protection has led to significant ecological damage in sensitive areas like Uran and the Mumbai Metropolitan Region.
- 03The National Centre for Sustainable Coastal Management has nearly completed the verification of 23,404 wetlands out of 23,415 identified in Maharashtra.
- 04Environmentalists argue that the process for wetland protection has been unnecessarily prolonged for 16 years since the National Wetland Atlas was launched.
- 05Wetlands help absorb floodwaters, recharge groundwater, and mitigate the impacts of climate change.
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On May 22, International Day for Biological Diversity, environmentalists urged Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis to expedite the long-awaited legal protection for over 23,000 wetlands across the state. B N Kumar, director of NatConnect Foundation, highlighted the critical role of wetlands in maintaining biodiversity and ecological balance, stating that they serve as natural carbon sinks, absorb excess floodwaters, recharge groundwater, and mitigate climate change impacts. Kumar warned that neglecting these vital ecosystems accelerates biodiversity loss and increases vulnerability to climate change. He pointed out that the delay in granting legal protection has already caused extensive damage in ecologically sensitive regions, such as Uran and the Mumbai Metropolitan Region, due to debris dumping, encroachments, and large-scale reclamation. The appeal for urgent intervention comes as the National Centre for Sustainable Coastal Management has nearly completed the verification of 23,404 wetlands, out of 23,415 identified in Maharashtra. Kumar stressed that the government must act swiftly to notify and secure these wetlands under law, as the process should not have taken 16 years since the launch of the National Wetland Atlas.
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The protection of wetlands is essential for maintaining local biodiversity and mitigating climate change effects, which directly affects communities reliant on these ecosystems.
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