Gulab Chand Kataria chairs meeting of Chandigarh Wetland Authority; proposal for declaring Sukhna Wetland as 'Ramsar Site' approved

Chandigarh [India], September 19 (ANI): The Fourth Meeting of State Wetland Authority of Chandigarh was held on September 19 under the chairmanship of the Governor of Punjab and Administrator of Chandigarh, Gulab Chand Kataria.

Chief Secretary, Home Secretary-cum-Forest Secretary, other senior officers of Chandigarh Administration, expert members from Wildlife Institute of India (WII) Dehradun and World Wide Fund (WWF) were present during the meeting, according to a release.

During the meeting, Wetland Authority considered and approved the five yearly Integrated Management plan for Sukhna Wetland prepared by Forest Department in consultation with WWF and concerned line departments in Chandigarh Administration.

The release highlighted that the Five-year integrated plan worth Rs 22.5 crore includes various works/activities to be carried out for protection conservation and scientific management of Sukhna Wetland. The plan will now be sent to Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEF&CC), Wetland Division, for releasing of funds under National Plan for Conservation of Aquatic Ecosystem Scheme.

Wetland Authority also considered and approved the proposal regarding designating Sukhna Wetland as a “Ramsar site”.

This will be the first Ramsar site in UT Chandigarh. Ramsar site will provide international recognition and will elevate the Sukhna Wetlands global profile highlighting its ecological and cultural importance, the release added.

According to the official release, the proposal for declaring Sukhna Wetland as Ramsar Site will now be forwarded to MoEF&CC, for onward necessary action in consultation with Ministry of External Affairs and Ramsar Secretariat.

Wetland Authority directed all concerned line departments to take necessary actions in a time bound manner for protection, conservation and scientific management of Sukhna Lake and other water bodies in U.T. Chandigarh. (ANI)

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