Question : National Plan for Conservation of Aquatic Ecosystems

(a)whether the National Plan for Conservation of Aquatic Ecosystems (NPCAEs) was launched by the Union Government in 2013 to support States in integrated management of these ecosystems and if so, the details thereof;

(b) whether the aforesaid scheme is being implemented in all States with some changes and if so, the details thereof and if not, the reasons therefor;

(c) whether the tenure of the Central Wetlands Regulatory Authority (CWRA)- a nodal agency to coordinate with multiple stakeholders in the country for conservation and sustainable management of wetlands has expired and if so, the details thereof;

(d)whether the Union Government has so far not notified all wetlands under the Wetlands (Conservation and Management) Rules and if so, the reasons therefor; and

(e) the names of the States who have not constitute State Wetland Authorities and corrective measures taken by the Union Government in this regard?

MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE (DR. MAHESH SHARMA)

(a) & (b) The Ministry had been implementing two separate programmes, namely National Wetland Conservation Programme (NWCP) and National Lake Conservation Plan (NLCP) for conservation and management of identified lakes and wetlands in the country. To have better synergy and avoid overlap, both the programmes have been merged in February, 2013 into an integrated scheme of National Plan for Conservation of Aquatic Eco-systems (NPCA). The various activities covered under the scheme include interception, diversion and treatment of waste water, shoreline protection, lake front development, de-silting, bioremediation, catchment area treatment, lake beautification, survey & demarcation, biofencing, fisheries development, weed control, biodiversity conservation, education and awareness creation, community participation, etc.

So far, an amount of Rs. 168.30 crores has been released to the States and other organizations for conservation and management of 82 wetlands in the country. Similarly, an amount of Rs. 719.627 crores has been released for 64 lakes and work on 36 lakes has been completed.

(c) to (e) For more effective conservation and management of wetlands in the country, the Central Government, in consultation with the States, Union Territories, Central line Ministries and other stakeholders, have notified the Wetlands (Conservation & Management) Rules, 2017 on 26.09.2017 superseding the Wetlands (Conservation and Management) Rules, 2010. Vide these 2017 rules, the State/Union Territories (UT) Wetland Authorities have been constituted (in place of Central Wetlands Regulatory Authority) and powers for notification of wetlands have been delegated to the State Governments and UT Administrations.

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