Wetland Authority

Punjab State Wetland Authority : The Ministry of Environment, Forest & Climate Change (MoEFCC), Government of India, New Delhi notified Wetlands (Conservation & Management) Rules, 2017 vide notification No. GSR 1203(E) dated 26.9.2017. As per the provision contained under Rule 5(I) of the said rules, the Government of Punjab has constituted Punjab State Wetlands Authority with Hon'ble Minister Incharge Wildlife Preservation Department as Chairperson and Additional Chief Secretary (Forests) as Vice-chairperson. The State Wetlands Authority is an Apex Body to bring about an integrated management of Wetlands in the State. Earlier, Department of Science, Technology and Environment was the Nodal Agency for the enforcement of Wetlands (Conservation & Management) Rules, 2017 and implementation of National Action Plan for conservation of aquatic ecosystem (wetlands) in the State with financial support of MoEFCC, Government of India. Now the mandate of implementation of Wetlands (Conservation & Management) Rules, 2017 and implementation of Wetland Action Plan has been transferred to Chief Wildlife Warden, Punjab, Department of Forests and Wildlife Preservation vide Special Secretary, Government of Punjab, Science, Technology and Environment letter No.  172 dated 17.1.2018. The Chief Wildlife Warden, Punjab has also been designated as Nodal Department to implement wetland programmes in the State and its office will be Secretariat to State Wetlands Authority. The functions of the Authority include identification of new wetlands and their notification, digital inventorisation of all wetlands in the State, implementation of wetlands conservation and management rules, intersectoral and interdepartmental coordination for integrated action for the conservation and management of wetlands in the State, preparation, evaluation and implementation of Integrated Management Action Plans of all notified wetlands etc.District Level Wetland Management Committees: As part of function of Punjab State Wetland Authority, to ensure collaboration and co-operation of various Departments for the successful management of the Wetlands at the District Level, District Level Wetland Management Committees has been constituted with District Level Officials vide Notification No. 34/13/2019-FT-5/1458134/1 dated 8.4.2019. Technical Committee and Grievance Committee : The Ministry of Environment, Forest & Climate Change (MoEFCC), Government of India, New Delhi notified Wetlands (Conservation & Management) Rules, 2017 vide notification No. GSR 1203(E) dated 26.9.2017. As per the provision contained under Rule 5(I) of the said rules, the Government of Punjab constituted Punjab State Wetlands Authority vide Notification No. 34/2/2018-FT-5/1192195/1 dated 21.3.2018. The State Wetlands Authority is an Apex Body to bring about an integrated management of Wetlands in the State. As one of the provisions contained in Para (III) of Punjab State Wetlands Authority, State Government vide its Notification No. 34/14/2019-FT-5/1458065/1 dated 8.4.2019 constituted Technical Committee as well as Grievance Committee of Punjab State Wetlands Authority.