In a startling revelation, the Union Ministry of Environment, Forest & Climate Change (MoEF&CC) has admitted that just 102 wetlands across India have received legal protection -- out of over two lakhs identified by the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO). The admission has raised alarm among conservationists who fear that bureaucratic delays are allowing these vital ecosystems to vanish.
The information came in response to a petition by Mumbai-based environmental group NatConnect Foundation, which appealed to Prime Minister Narendra Modi to expedite the legal protection process for wetlands. These ecosystems play a crucial role in controlling floods, recharging groundwater, and providing safe habitats for migratory birds.
In its written reply, the MoEF&CC's Wetlands Division stated that 1,89,644 wetlands have been ground-truthed -- meaning physically verified -- and 1,16,425 boundaries have been demarcated by States and Union Territories. However, only 102 have so far been officially notified under the Wetlands (Conservation and Management) Rules.
"The verification process for the remaining wetlands is underway," wrote Wetland Scientist Pankaj Verma in a letter to NatConnect. He added that the notification process for other sites is "in progress" and being "closely monitored by the Ministry."
Environmentalists, however, believe the pace of action is far too slow. "We are concerned because, in the absence of official notification, urban planners have been treating wetlands with scant respect -- burying them under the guise of infrastructure development," said BN Kumar, Director of NatConnect Foundation. Kumar's plea, filed through the PMO's Public Grievances Portal, has since been forwarded to the Wetlands Division. He urged the Prime Minister, "a known nature lover," to personally intervene and safeguard what he called the country's "blue lungs."
The ministry said it has framed the National Plan for Conservation of Aquatic Ecosystems (NPCA) Guidelines, 2024, to help States and Union Territories strengthen protection and restoration measures through a multidisciplinary approach.
NatConnect's appeal also referenced the upcoming World Migratory Bird Day 2025 theme -- "Shared Spaces: Creating Bird-Friendly Cities & Communities." The group warned that rapid urbanisation and human encroachment are putting both wetlands and migratory birds at risk. "The government must expedite notification of all two lakh-plus wetlands above 2.25 hectares already mapped by ISRO before they vanish under concrete," NatConnect said.