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.