Asian countries broke down. The Aral Sea is
put that in practice (in a way that the forest
drying up due to water diversion in the
ecosystem enjoys)? In such an eventuality, I
upstream and the provinces of Uzbekistan,
believe, nothing tangible can happen to
around the Aral Sea are suffering greatly.
conserve wetlands particularly when it is
Till now the Central Asian republics are
challenged
avoiding the conflict and military hostilities
requiring wetlands to be filled up for smarter
but relations between Tajikistan and Kyrgyz
agenda.
Republic with Uzbekistan have strained over
Wetlands are mostly filled up by sectors like
water.
urban
The major South and Southeast Asian rivers
works, railways, highway construction and
are originating, from Tibetan plateau in
the likes. They enjoy priority in the name of
China. The Chinese want to divert waters
growth and modernisation. Unless wetland
through dam-building on the upper reaches
is governed as one single sector (like forest)
of the rivers like Brahmaputra, Irrawaddy,
armed with overwhelming legal robustness,
Chao Phraya and Mekong etc. The down
wetland regulation, however flawless we
stream countries of these rivers like India,
make it, will remain a decent government
Bangladesh,
document, provoking research interest here
Bhutan,
Thailand,
Laos,
by
development
development,
industries,
projects
public
Vietnam and Cambodia are protesting over
and there.
dams construction on these Rivers. India
India is witnessing a lot more visibility of
Pakistan conflict over Indus water sharing
spiritual leaders. Everyone is in a race to
already started.
prove themselves unputdownable. One of
Time will tell if these conflicts are resolved
the frontrunner spiritual gurus has gone
through cooperation or through war.
ahead to construct a building by filling up a
Expert’s Comment on Draft Wetland
portion of wetland in a Ramsar Site in West
Regulation 2016?
Bengal. This has happened even after being
Dr. Dhrubajyoti Ghosh the well known
alerted about the provisions of existing law.
Ecologist was asked for his comments on
Could he do it if it was a protected forest in
Draft Wetland Regulation 2016; he sent the
place of a protected wetland? We may ask.
following comments to the authority;
A strong implementing instrument needs an
“May I start with a simple question? What
equally strong political will. Political will
if we have the best set of regulations in the
related to wetlands, that mostly prevails, is
world and yet no implementing agency to
essentially
influenced
by
real
estate
2
Integrated River Basin Management Society