The Rajasthan government is dedicated to transforming Udaipur, renowned as the City of Lakes, into India's inaugural wetland city. Their relentless efforts are poised to materialize this vision, making Udaipur a trailblazer in supporting wetland conservation and sustainable urban development.
The Recent reports confirm that the Environment and Forest Department have designated Udaipur under the prestigious Ramsar Convention, highlighting its international significance. With the best of five major lakes—Pichola, Fateh Sagar, Rang Sagar, Swaroop Sagar, and Doodh Talai—Udaipur is already an active participant in the central government's National Lake Conservation Plan (NLCP) restoration project.
It has to be noted that the tourism and the local self-government departments majorly manage the wetlands and lakes of the city. Reports suggest that the state Environment and Forest Department is submitting a nomination to the Ramsar Convention, aiming for Udaipur's recognition on an international scale for its wetlands.
In response, Monali Sen, Joint Secretary of the Environment and Climate Change Ministry, announced plans for a one-day workshop involving district officials and local body representatives to finalize the draft. An inter-departmental meeting will ensure comprehensive input from all stakeholders in shaping the proposal.
Following the Ramsar Convention guidelines, a wetland gains international importance if it showcases a rare, representative, or unique instance of a natural or nearly natural wetland type specific to the relevant biogeographic region. Additionally, its significance is elevated if it supports vulnerable, endangered, or critically endangered species and threatened ecological communities.
With a total area of 37 sq km, Udaipur has successfully met all the criteria to be recognized as a wetland city, as affirmed by state authorities. This distinguished title is a rare honour, held by only a select few cities across the globe. Alongside Udaipur, Bhopal is also actively contending for this prestigious status.
The Ramsar Convention, also known as the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands of International Importance Especially as Waterfowl Habitat, is a crucial global treaty with the objective of conserving and sustainably utilizing Ramsar-designated sites. Commonly referred to as the Convention on Wetlands, it derives its name from the city of Ramsar in Iran, where the agreement was signed in 1971.
In the year 2022, during the Convention's proceedings, a total of 25 cities were officially recognized as wetland cities. Notable mentions included Sackville in Canada, Cape Town in South Africa, and Ifrane in Morocco, among others from diverse countries. Currently, the global count stands at 42 wetland cities across 17 nations, with China leading the pack with an impressive 13 cities holding this esteemed designation.