Manipur Wetlands Authority calls for coordinated efforts to protect wetland ecosystems

Manipur Deputy Chief Minister Losii Dikho, who also holds the Forest, Environment and Climate Change portfolio, on Thursday, August 27 chaired the sixth meeting of the Manipur State Wetlands Authority (MSWA) at the Deputy Chief Minister’s Conference Hall in the Civil Secretariat at Mantripukhri.

The meeting reviewed key issues related to the conservation, management and protection of wetlands across the state, with officials and members of the authority discussing measures for the effective implementation of wetland conservation programmes and sustainable management of wetland ecosystems.

During the meeting, Dr T. Brajakumar Singh, Director, Environment and Climate Change Department and Member Secretary of the MSWA, presented five agenda items for consideration. These included confirmation of the proceedings of the fifth meeting and reconstitution of MSWA committees; review of the notification status of seven wetlands identified as State Priority Wetlands and recommendations for physical demarcation and notification of the remaining wetlands; preparation of Brief Documents and Health Cards for 71 ground-truthed wetlands; the status of Integrated Management Plans (IMPs) and Ramsar Site proposals; and matters related to W.P. (Civil) No. 304 of 2018 concerning wetlands before the Supreme Court of India.

The authority approved the agenda items following deliberations.

Dr Singh also briefed the meeting on the background, roles and responsibilities of the MSWA and its achievements and activities. He informed the participants about the status of wetlands for which Brief Documents, Health Cards and IMPs have been prepared, the notification status of seven wetlands across different districts, and wetlands identified for preparation of IMPs under the guidelines of the National Plan for Conservation of Aquatic Ecosystems (NPCA).

According to the presentation, 132 wetlands have been ground-truthed, while 71 have been digitally demarcated or delineated and seven have undergone ground demarcation. Three wetlands have been notified, while Loktak Lake has been recognised as a Ramsar Site since 1990, bearing Site No. 463.

The meeting was also informed that two publications, Wetlands of Manipur Version 1.0 and Version 1.1, were published in 2025. Construction of the Cultural and Wetland Museum has also commenced.

Losii Dikho emphasised the importance of coordinated efforts among government departments, experts and other stakeholders to strengthen the conservation and protection of Manipur’s wetland ecosystems. In his concluding remarks, he welcomed the discussions and called for collective efforts towards the sustainable management and preservation of the state’s wetlands.

The meeting was attended by Principal Secretary, Forest, Environment and Climate Change Arun Kumar Sinha; Chief Conservator of Forest (Wildlife) and CCF (A&P) Joykumar Singh; Special Secretary, Forest, Environment and Climate Change R.K. Amarjit Singh; Commissioner (Fisheries) Robert Singh Kshetrimayum; Secretary (Water Resources) W. Malemnganba Chenglei; Secretary (Tourism) Dr Rangitabali Waikhom; Additional Secretary (MAHUD) Regina Hongray; Project Director, Loktak Development Authority H. Balkrishna Singh; Director, Manipur Remote Sensing Application Centre O. Nodiachand Singh; Executive Engineer (RD&PR) Ch. Sadananda Meitei; Hydrology Expert, NIT Manipur Dr Ng. Romeji; Wetland Ecology Expert, Manipur University Dr K. Khelchandra Singh; Socio-Economics Expert, Manipur University Dr M. Lilee Devi; Fishery Expert, Manipur University Dr Y. Rameshori; Director, Wetlands International South Asia Dr Ritesh Kumar; and Professor, Manipur University Dr Kh. Pradipkumar Singh.