The World Wetlands Day was observed in Manipur on the theme ‘Wetlands restoration’ and sub-theme ‘Roles and responsibility of community,’ on Thursday.
Manipur Governor La Ganesan accompanied by Forest Environment and Climate Change minister Th Biswajit Singh, chairman of MSPDCL, T Robindro Singh, chairman of Loktak Development Authority, M Asnikumar Singh, and MLAs Th Shanti Singh and S Premchandra, attended World Wetlands Day observation at Sendra in Bishnupur district.
Speaking on the occasion, the governor said the significance of observing the day is to create awareness on the importance of wetlands in human life.
“Wetlands play an important role in balancing our environment, thereby many living beings including the human beings are able to survive,” Ganesan said.
On the conservation of Loktak, he said the government alone cannot conserve the lake and called for collective cooperation of all
All are responsible for the conservation of wetlands, particularly the Loktak Lake, he said.
Forest Environment and Climate Change minister Th Biswajit Singh said 168 wetlands have been identified in the state and steps take up to conserve the wetlands.
Meanwhile, a state-level function was also held which was presided over by chairman (Technical committee of the state wetland authority) Dr. Khangembam Shamungou Singh at Yaralpat in the outskirts of Imphal.
The program was organised by the Directorate of Environment and Climate Change, in association with The Yaral Pat Integrated Farming Co-operative Society Ltd., and Green Gold Park and Resort.
Joint director, Environment & Climate Change, Dr. T Brajakumar, in his key note address informed that the state had recommended seven wetlands including Yaralpat for restoration under Wetlands (Management and Conservation) Rules 2017.
The importance of conserving wetlands has become a global concern as more than 80 percent of wetlands have been disappearing since 1970. Wetlands, amongst the world’s most economically valuable ecosystems and essential regulators of the global climate, are disappearing three times faster than forests.
Imphal, Jan. 2 (EMN)
