Government Denies Threat to Bhoj Wetland

• 10 Aug 2024

Why in News?

Recently, The Union Government has denied that the Ramsar site, Bhoj Wetland in Bhopal faces threat of delisting from the Ramsar Convention list.

Key Points

• According to the sources, a proposed road through the Bhoj wetland catchment prompted a local activist to file a complaint against the wetland to the Ramsar Conventions secretariat.
• The Ministry of Environment, Forest & Climate Change (MoEF&CC) is implementing the National Plan for Conservation of Aquatic Ecosystems (NPCA) for conservation and management of wetlands in the country, including Madhya Pradesh.
  • The scheme covers activities such as wastewater treatment, shoreline protection, in-situ cleaning, stormwater management, bioremediation, catchment area treatment, lake beautification, survey & demarcation, fisheries development, weed control, biodiversity conservation, education and awareness, and community participation.

Bhoj Wetland

• The Bhoj Wetland, also known as Bhopal Lake is a designated Ramsar site and hence, a wetland of international importance (Ramsar Convention 1971).
• It consists of two contiguous human-made reservoirs -
  • "Upper Lake" - created in the 11th century by construction of an earthen dam across the Kolans River.
  • “Lower Lake” - constructed 200 years ago, largely from leakage from the Upper lake. It is surrounded by the city of Bhopal.

National Plan for Conservation of Aquatic Ecosystems (NPCA)

• NPCA is a single conservation programme for both wetlands and lakes.
• It is a centrally sponsored scheme, currently being implemented by the Union Ministry of Environment and Forests (MoEF).
  • It was formulated in 2015 by merging of the National Lake Conservation Plan and the National Wetlands Conservation Programme.
• NPCA seeks to promote better synergy and avoid overlap of administrative functions.