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"Preservation of water bodies at any cost"

Staff Correspondent

CHANDIGARH: While there is an urgent need for all States to chalk out a coordinated plan to preserve existing water bodies, including wetlands, by preventing human as well as commercial encroachments, the Punjab Government has reiterated its commitment to ensure that paucity of funds and resources does not hinder the conservation of three major sites at Harike, Kanjli and Ropar.

These views were expressed by the State's Technology and Environment Minister Bikram Singh Majithia while inaugurating an inter-State workshop on Ramsar sites here on Wednesday.

Mr. Majithia said that Punjab which was once a water surplus State is now faced with an acute shortage of water resulting in lowering of the groundwater table.

Role of wetlands

He stressed the need for preservation of all available water resources which were grossly degraded due to over exploitation, drainage and siltation.

The Minister said wetlands play a great role in flood control, recharge of aquifers, regulating water quality treatment of waste waters, reducing sediment load, production of organic material at rates equalled by few other eco-systems. Wetlands have been an integral part of natural ecology and rural socio-cultural heritage, he recorded.

Mr. Majithia said the State Government would keep a close watch on the deliberations at the workshop as it expects the event to pave the way for developing an integrated and multi-dimensional approach to safeguard these precious resources.

The Additional Secretary for Science, Technology and Environment at the Centre, B S Parsheera, said water and wetlands played a vital role for the rural poor to survive. He said 25 such wetlands in India had been declared as Ramsar sites of international importance so far.

Six more sites have also been processed and sent for approval.

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"Preservation of water bodies at any cost"

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