State authorities in Manipur have stepped up efforts to protect and restore critical ecological water bodies, focusing on long-term ecological balance and structured preservation. During the sixth governing body meeting of the Manipur State Wetlands Authority, senior leadership examined ongoing protective steps, boundary marking progress, and legal compliance frameworks required for regional aquatic protection.
Focus on Institutional Management and Supreme Court Directives
Presiding over the conference at the Civil Secretariat's Deputy Chief Minister Conference Hall in Imphal, Deputy Chief Minister Losii Dikho highlighted the urgent need to fortify conservation mechanisms across the state. Holding the ministerial portfolio for Forest, Environment and Climate Change, Dikho directed officials to ensure that protective measures for wetland ecosystems are executed efficiently and sustainably. A key focus of the discussion centered on pending legal matters, specifically Writ Petition (Civil) No. 304 of 2018 currently under review before the Supreme Court of India, which mandates strict state compliance regarding wetland documentation and boundary preservation.
Five Key Agenda Items Tabled by Environment Department
Dr. T. Brajakumar Singh, Director of the Environment and Climate Change Department who also serves as Member Secretary of the authority, presented five major policy items for review. These agenda items included approving decisions from the fifth authority assembly, reconstituting sub-committees, and tracking the official notification process for seven designated State Priority Wetlands. Additionally, the department detailed efforts surrounding physical boundary demarcation for remaining water bodies, alongside the formulation of Integrated Management Plans aimed at nominating selected locations for international recognition as Ramsar sites. The assembly carefully examined each agenda item to align state conservation targets with national environmental mandates.
Progress on Ground-Truthing, Health Cards, and Boundary Marking
The authority reviewed extensive field work conducted under the National Plan for Conservation of Aquatic Ecosystems guidelines. Out of 132 wetlands surveyed through ground-truthing verification across various districts, digital mapping and boundary delineation have been finalized for 71 sites. Furthermore, comprehensive health cards and brief background documents have been compiled for these 71 identified wetlands to monitor water quality, biodiversity status, and ecological health parameters. To date, physical demarcation on the ground has been completed for seven wetlands, while three aquatic bodies have achieved formal government notification status across different districts.
