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BHUBANESWAR (Orissa) : Orissa Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on Friday said that his Government will constitute a State Wetland Management Authority for sustainable management of all important wetlands.
Inaugurating the Management Planning Workshop of Chilika, the largest brackish water lake of Indian Sub Continent, the chief minister said the government took the decision as wetlands were the most productive life support systems and were of immense socio-economic and ecological importance to mankind.
Patnaik said in addition a national institute on Management of Wetlands and coastal ecosystem,'' in collaboration with the Union Forest and Environment ministry would be established in the state soon.
Speaking on the integrated management plan for the Chilika lake, he said the goal of the plan should be conservation and sustainable resource utilisation for ecological security and economic improvement of all stake holders.
The plan, he said, should establish effective management practices for Chilika lake and provide livelihood support to local communities through coordinated actions.Chilika lake, identified as one of the 19 wetlands of international importance, was designated as a Ramsar site in 1981.
But was included in Montreus record in 1993 due to change in its ecological characters.It was removed from the Montreux record in 2001 by the Ramsar Convention after a major hydrological intervention carried out by opening a new mouth to the Bay of Bengal by the Chilika Development Authority(CDA).The restoration was recognised with a Ramsar award to CDA a year later.
