Latest news with #RamsarConvention
Otago Daily Times
2 days ago
- General
- Otago Daily Times
Panel to decide if lagoon should be opened
The Waituna Lagoon is located southeast of Invercargill within the 20,000ha Awarua-Waituna Wetland. PHOTO: SUPPLIED A Southland lagoon will be the subject of a hearing to decide if periodic openings to the sea should be allowed. Waituna Lagoon is located southeast of Invercargill next to Toetoes Bay, and forms part of an internationally significant wetland. But the area has been troubled with both high water levels and algae outbreaks in recent years due to nutrient buildup, with runoff from surrounding farmland proving an issue. A previous resource consent for opening the lagoon expired in 2022, meaning two openings in 2024 were completed under emergency powers. Last July, Environment Southland received a resource consent application from itself, Te Rūnanga o Awarua and the Department of Conservation to periodically open the lagoon to the sea. The goal was to create a regime for managing the lagoon's water levels, a report said. A total of 51 submissions were received during a public notification period, of which 42 opposed the application and wanted to be heard at a hearing. On Thursday, Environment Southland appointed three people to an independent panel to decide the application's fate — accredited hearing commissioners Mark St. Clair, Megan McKay and Dr Ian Boothroyd. Council chairman Nicol Horrell said staff had worked hard to get commissioners in place. "I think that'll be appreciated by some of the submitters, so well done." The hearing will be held at Environment Southland from July 29-31. The council has already sent the dates to relevant parties. Submitters in favour of the consent include Southland Conservation Board, Te Ao Mārama Inc and Te Rūnanga o Ngāi Tahu. Federated Farmers opposed it based on proposed water levels for opening, while Forest & Bird was mostly supportive but also took issue with some of the proposed levels. Waituna Lagoon is home to native birds, fish and plants. In 1976, the area became the first in New Zealand to be recognised under the Ramsar Convention as a wetland of international significance. ■LDR is local body journalism co-funded by RNZ and NZ On Air.
Time of India
2 days ago
- Politics
- Time of India
Lake protection: Kerala HC proposes formation of Ashtamudi wetland authority
Kochi: High court on Thursday proposed the formation of the Ashtamudi Local Wetland Authority (ALWA) to implement the management plan for Ashtamudi Lake in Kollam. The bench of Chief Justice Nitin Jamdar and Justice Basant Balaji was considering a public interest litigation (PIL) filed by Adv Boris Paul and others, which highlighted that the depletion and deterioration of the Ashtamudi wetlands are due to multiple factors, including pollution from drainage discharge and encroachments. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now The petitioners emphasised the need for an authority other than the State Wetland Authority of Kerala (SWAK) to oversee the conservation and protection of the lake. Initially, the state govt opposed the suggestion, contending that the constitution of a separate authority other than SWAK may not be necessary. However, considering the current condition of Ashtamudi Lake, which is a notified Ramsar site, the court concurred with the petitioners' suggestion. A Ramsar site is a wetland identified as being of international importance under the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands which is an international treaty for the conservation and sustainable use of wetlands. The court, meanwhile, also took note of the petitioners' point that the indiscriminate discharge of sewage and solid waste from residential areas and commercial establishments into the lake has been a major concern. HC observed that, in addition to the general supervision by the state wetland authority, specific attention through a dedicated authority or committee for the Ashtamudi wetland is necessary. It further directed the state govt to clarify whether an integrated management plan has been prepared for the Ashtamudi wetland, as envisaged under the Wetlands (Conservation and Management) Rules, 2017, and the guidelines of the Ramsar Convention. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now It was also suggested that the members of ALWA may be drawn from various departments. The court stated that the environment department principal secretary shall finalise the composition of the committee and recommend one expert each in wetland ecology, hydrology, fisheries, landscape planning and socio-economics, along with two experts in wetland management, preferably with expertise related to the Ashtamudi wetland. The principal secretary shall file an affidavit indicating the procedure by which the Authority will function. Accordingly, HC adjourned the petition to July 1.
Time of India
14-06-2025
- Time of India
Forest department starts bus safari to Nandur Madhyameshwar Wildlife Sanctuary from Nashik
Nashik: The forest department on Saturday started a bus safari service to the Nandur Madhyameshwar Wildlife Sanctuary, located roughly 30km from Nashik city, aiming to enhance tourism and provide better access to visitors. The 20-seater bus service will operate daily from Nashik city to Nandur Madhyameshwar during morning hours on all weekdays. The inaugural ceremony was led by Nashik's divisional commissioner Praveen Gedam. Notable attendees included chief conservator of forest G Mallikarjuna, Nashik zilla parishad CEO Ashima Mittal, deputy conservator of forest (Wildlife) Gajendra Hire, deputy conservator of forest (East) Umesh Wavre, and assistant conservator of forest Hemant Ubale. The daily service starts at 7am from the chief conservator of forest office near the Central Bus Stand along the old Mumbai-Agra highway, returning to Nashik by noon. Visitors can enjoy various amenities, including bird watching and breakfast, at nominal charges. Situated in Niphad taluka, the sanctuary houses 536 species of aquatic and terrestrial plants, eight mammal species, 265 bird species, 24 freshwater fish species, and 41 butterfly species. The wetland attracts numerous migratory birds between Oct and March, corresponding with increased visitor numbers during this period. In Jan 2020, the sanctuary achieved the distinction of becoming Maharashtra's first Ramsar site, receiving international recognition under the Ramsar Convention for wetland conservation. Follow more information on Air India plane crash in Ahmedabad here . Get real-time live updates on rescue operations and check full list of passengers onboard AI 171 .
NDTV
05-06-2025
- Politics
- NDTV
India Is Home To 2 New Ramsar Wetland Sites, Tally Touches 91
New Delhi: Two more sites from India have been added to the list of wetlands of international importance, taking the number of such sites in the country to 91. The latest to join the list of Ramsar sites in India are Khichan in Phalodi and Menar in Udaipur, both in Rajasthan. Sharing the news on X, Prime Minister Narendra Modi posted: "Great news! India's strides in environmental conservation are happening with great vigour and are powered by public participation." Union Environment Minister Bhupender Yadav posted on X, "This addition takes our tally to 91. The achievement is yet another testament to the fact that PM Shri @narendramodi ji's focus on environmental conservation is successfully helping India build a greener tomorrow." Great news! India's strides in environmental conservation are happening with great vigour and are powered by public participation. — Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) June 4, 2025 The aim of the Ramsar list is to develop and maintain an international network of wetlands, which are important for the conservation of global biological diversity and for sustaining human life, through the maintenance of their ecosystem components, processes and benefits. The Ramsar Convention is an international treaty for the conservation and wise use of wetlands. It is named after the Iranian city of Ramsar, on the Caspian Sea, where the treaty was signed on February 2, 1971. India ratified the convention on February 1, 1982.
Hindustan Times
05-06-2025
- General
- Hindustan Times
Kichan, Menar in Rajasthan get Ramsar tags
The Union environment ministry announced on Wednesday that two new wetlands — Kichan in Phalodi and Menar in Udaipur — from Rajasthan have been designated as Ramsar sites, taking up the list of such wetlands in India to 91. Ramsar sites are wetlands of international importance designated under the Ramsar Convention, headquartered in Gland, Switzerland. Commenting on the development, PM Modi said on X, 'Great news! India's strides in environmental conservation are happening with great vigour and are powered by public participation.' 'The achievement is yet another testament to the fact that PM Shri @narendramodi ji's focus on environmental conservation is successfully helping India build a greener tomorrow,' Union environment minister Bhupender Yadav wrote on X. HT had reported on May 19 that in Rajasthan, a small village, less than 50 km off Udaipur, has emerged as a biodiversity hotspot with sightings of several threatened and near-threatened bird species over the last few years. These sightings and community-driven conservation efforts have bestowed Menar with the moniker of 'bird village'. Recent sightings include species such as cinereous vulture, long-billed vulture, Himalayan griffon vulture and Egyptian vulture in the grasslands, besides Asian wooly-necked stork, ferruginous pochard, Dalmatian pelican, and black-tailed godwit in the Menar wetlands. India has the largest number of Ramsar wetlands in Asia, according to the ministry. Under the Convention on Wetlands, an intergovernmental treaty for conservation of wetlands, contracting parties are expected to identify and place suitable wetlands onto the List of Wetlands of International Importance, or the Ramsar List.
