Protecting Urban Wetlands: Policies, Laws, and Initiatives

Urban wetlands are under constant pressure from expanding cities, industrial pollution, and land-use changes. These ecosystems-marshes, lakes, floodplains, and mangroves within or near urban centres-provide critical services like flood control, groundwater recharge, water purification, and habitat for biodiversity. Protecting them requires a layered approach involving international agreements, national laws, and community-driven action. This post breaks down the key policies, laws, and initiatives that work together to safeguard urban wetlands.

The role of international conventions 🔗

Wetland conservation at the global level is anchored by the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands, the oldest modern intergovernmental environmental treaty. Signed in the Iranian city of Ramsar in 1971, the convention came into force in 1975 and focuses on the conservation and sustainable use of wetlands. It remains the only global treaty dedicated specifically to a single type of ecosystem.

How the Ramsar Convention works 🔗

The mission of the convention centres on the conservation and wise use of all wetlands through local, national, and international cooperation, contributing toward sustainable development worldwide. Member countries-called Contracting Parties-commit to three core pillars:

Wise use of wetlands: Every member nation agrees to work toward the sustainable use of all wetlands within its territory, not just designated sites. This principle encourages integrating wetland conservation into national land-use planning and development policies.

Designation of Ramsar Sites: Countries can designate specific wetlands as “Wetlands of International Importance” (Ramsar Sites), which are then recognised and protected for their ecological rarity, uniqueness, or importance for conserving biological diversity. As of February 2025, the global list included over 2,531 Ramsar Sites covering more than 2.6 million square kilometres.

International cooperation: Member nations are expected to collaborate on transboundary wetlands and shared wetland species, particularly migratory waterbirds that depend on wetlands across national borders.

The convention’s governance structure 🔗

The policymaking body of the convention is the Conference of the Contracting Parties (COP), where member nations meet every three years to review progress and allocate resources. The convention is administered by its Secretariat, based at the IUCN headquarters in Gland, Switzerland. It also relies on the Scientific and Technical Review Panel (STRP) for expert guidance and works closely with six International Organisation Partners, including Wetlands International, BirdLife International, IUCN, and WWF.

Why it matters for urban wetlands 🔗

The Ramsar framework is especially important for urban wetlands because cities are often where wetland loss is most rapid. Designation as a Ramsar Site brings international recognition, attracts funding, and obligates the host country to maintain the site’s ecological character. Wetlands also offer cost-effective solutions for global environmental challenges such as climate change mitigation through peatland protection and climate adaptation through mangroves that help reduce storm damage. In urban settings, these services translate directly into reduced flooding, cleaner air, and cooler microclimates.

India’s legal framework for wetlands 🔗

India ratified the Ramsar Convention on 1 February 1982 and is committed to the conservation and wise use of all wetlands within its territory. Over the past decade, the country has dramatically scaled up its wetland protection efforts. As of January 2026, India has 98 Ramsar Sites covering approximately 13.6 lakh hectares, making it the country with the highest number of Ramsar Sites in Asia.

Wetlands (Conservation and Management) Rules, 2017 🔗

The most important domestic legal instrument for wetland protection in India is the Wetlands (Conservation and Management) Rules, 2017. Notified by the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEF&CC) under the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986, these rules establish the regulatory framework for conserving, managing, and maintaining the ecological character of wetlands without restricting wise use.

The 2017 Rules replaced the earlier 2010 Rules, which had a centralised regulatory structure. Key changes and provisions include:

Decentralised governance: The 2017 Rules shifted the focus of wetland management from a central authority to state-level bodies, with the National Wetland Committee serving in an advisory role to guide state bodies on integrated wetland management based on the wise-use principle.

State Wetland Authorities (SWAs): Each state and union territory is mandated to establish a State Wetland Authority, headed by the respective state’s environment minister, comprising specialists in hydrology, socioeconomics, landscape design, fisheries, and wetland ecology.

Prohibited activities: The rules explicitly prohibit activities such as encroachment, establishment and growth of industries, waste disposal, and the discharge of untreated wastes and effluents within notified wetlands.

Digital inventory: The rules mandate the creation of a comprehensive digital inventory of all wetlands, with updates required every 10 years. This is a critical step for urban wetlands, many of which remain undocumented and unprotected.

Integrated Management Plans: State authorities are required to prepare site-specific management plans for notified wetlands, addressing threats and outlining conservation actions.

The National Lake Conservation Plan and its evolution 🔗

India’s efforts to protect freshwater bodies in urban areas date back to the National Lake Conservation Plan (NLCP), launched in 2001, which targeted the conservation and restoration of polluted and degraded urban lakes. Alongside it, the National Wetlands Conservation Programme (NWCP), launched in 1987, provided financial assistance for the conservation and restoration of wetlands at the state level.

To avoid overlap and promote better synergy, both the NWCP and NLCP were merged into a centrally sponsored scheme called the National Plan for Conservation of Aquatic Eco-systems (NPCA) in February 2013. The NPCA is now the primary central government vehicle for funding wetland and lake conservation projects across the country.

Other relevant legal protections 🔗

Urban wetlands in India also benefit from overlapping protections under several other laws. These include the Indian Forest Act (1927) for wetlands within forest areas, the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972 for wetlands designated as sanctuaries or national parks, and the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986, which serves as the parent legislation for the Wetlands Rules. The Coastal Regulation Zone (CRZ) notifications also protect coastal wetlands like mangroves and estuaries in and around urban areas.

Community and government initiatives 🔗

Laws and rules provide the framework, but effective wetland conservation often depends on how actively governments and communities engage on the ground. India has launched several targeted initiatives in recent years.

National Plan for Conservation of Aquatic Eco-systems (NPCA) 🔗

The NPCA operates on a cost-sharing basis between the central and state governments. Activities covered under the scheme include wastewater interception and treatment, shoreline protection, lake-front development, in-situ cleaning such as de-silting and de-weeding, storm water management, bioremediation, catchment area treatment, biodiversity conservation, and community participation.

So far, MoEF&CC has sanctioned proposals for conservation of 164 wetlands across the country and released approximately ₹1,066 crore as the central share. The scheme has supported important urban wetlands such as Chilika Lake (Odisha), Loktak Lake (Manipur), Nainital Lake (Uttarakhand), Bhoj Wetlands (Madhya Pradesh), and Vembanad Lake (Kerala).

The Wetlands Rejuvenation Programme 🔗

Initiated by MoEFCC in 2020, this programme aims to rejuvenate over 500 wetlands across India through baseline data collection, rapid assessments, stakeholder engagement, and management planning. It follows a four-pronged approach:

Wetland Brief Document: Develops baseline information on each wetland’s ecological characteristics, threats, and conservation status.

Wetland Health Card: Provides a rapid assessment of wetland conditions using a standardised framework, helping to identify priority areas for restoration.

Wetlands Mitras: These are groups of self-motivated individuals who volunteer to take care of identified wetlands across the country. This is one of the most innovative aspects of the programme, turning local citizens into active stewards of nearby wetlands.

Integrated Management Plans: Site-specific plans that address biodiversity, ecosystem services, and threats in a holistic way.

In the first cycle, 130 wetlands were selected in consultation with State Governments, and the programme is now being scaled up to 1,000 wetlands reaching all districts of the country.

Amrit Dharohar Capacity Building Scheme 🔗

Launched in 2023, this scheme trains government officials, conservationists, and local communities to enhance wetland management using sustainable practices and traditional knowledge. It recognises that effective wetland protection requires skilled people at every level-from district-level officials to village-level volunteers.

Community-led conservation success stories 🔗

Some of India’s most remarkable wetland conservation stories come from community-driven efforts. A powerful example is Khichan in Rajasthan, where local villagers have built feeding zones called chugga ghars to provide food for over 30,000 migratory Demoiselle cranes each winter. This grassroots effort earned Khichan recognition as a Ramsar Site in 2025.

Similarly, the village of Menar in Rajasthan’s Udaipur district has banned hunting, created bird-watching zones, and organises an annual bird festival to promote conservation and eco-tourism. Both examples demonstrate how community action, even without large government budgets, can produce outstanding conservation outcomes.

Centre for Wetland Conservation and Management (CWCM) 🔗

Established on World Wetland Day 2021, this centre focuses on addressing research needs and knowledge gaps in wetland conservation. It works alongside the Wetlands of India Portal, launched in October 2021, which serves as a comprehensive information platform with capacity-building materials, data repositories, and state-level dashboards.

Challenges that remain 🔗

Despite significant progress, protecting urban wetlands remains a challenge. Urbanisation pressure, untreated sewage, industrial waste, delays in fund release, weak inter-departmental coordination, and poor enforcement continue to undermine conservation efforts. Many smaller urban wetlands-local ponds, tanks, and marshes-still fall outside the scope of formal notification and remain vulnerable to encroachment and land reclamation.

The 2017 Rules improved upon the 2010 framework by establishing state authorities and promoting community involvement, but ongoing challenges include weak regulation enforcement and the exclusion of smaller wetlands. Bridging this gap requires stronger local governance, better integration between urban planning and wetland conservation, and sustained public awareness.

The way forward 🔗

Urban wetlands sit at the intersection of ecological conservation and city planning. Protecting them requires international frameworks like the Ramsar Convention to set standards, national laws like the Wetlands Rules 2017 to create enforceable regulations, and government schemes like the NPCA and Wetlands Rejuvenation Programme to fund and execute restoration work. But perhaps most importantly, it requires communities that understand the value of the wetlands around them and are willing to act as their guardians.

India’s growing network of Ramsar Sites, its decentralised governance model, and community-led efforts like those in Khichan and Menar offer a promising path forward. The real test, however, lies in extending these protections to the thousands of smaller, unnamed urban wetlands that are disappearing without notice.

What do you think? Can decentralised governance through State Wetland Authorities truly protect urban wetlands, or does the lack of central oversight leave too much room for local political interests to override conservation? And in your city, are there wetlands that you think deserve more attention and protection than they currently receive?

References

1. https://www.ramsar.org/
2. https://www.fws.gov/program/international-affairs/ramsar-convention-wetlands
3. https://www.wetlands.org/wetlands/ramsar-convention/
4. https://indianwetlands.in/our-work/wetlands-conservation-and-management-rules-2017/
5. https://www.pib.gov.in/PressReleaseIframePage.aspx?PRID=1911129&reg=3&lang=2
6. https://www.pib.gov.in/PressNoteDetails.aspx?NoteId=152029&ModuleId=3&reg=3&lang=2