Excelsior Correspondent
SRINAGAR, Aug 8: The Wular Conservation and Management Authority (WUCMA) organized a workshop here today in collaboration with the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEF&CC) and the German Development Cooperation (GIZ) Technical Cooperation project, titled “Wetlands Management for Biodiversity and Climate Protection.”
A WUCMA spokesperson stated that the workshop aimed to review current management actions, evaluate their effectiveness, and collaboratively identify future priorities and strategies for Wular Lake’s management.
The spokesperson stated that during the inauguration, Additional Chief Secretary (Forest) Dheeraj Gupta emphasized the Jammu and Kashmir Government’s commitment to restoring and revitalizing Wular Lake. Gupta highlighted the importance of enhanced inter-departmental collaboration to ensure cohesive and coordinated efforts across both governmental and non-governmental organizations. The spokesperson added that Gupta noted the workshop is expected to produce actionable recommendations, including a clear roadmap with specific timelines, milestones and measurable indicators to guide WUCMA’s future efforts.
The spokesperson also mentioned that the Chief Executive Director (CED) of WUCMA, T. Rabi Kumar outlined the various conservation activities undertaken so far. Kumar emphasized that the workshop provided a platform for integrating diverse stakeholder perspectives and formulating comprehensive strategies for Wular’s sustainable management.
Ritesh Kumar, Director of Wetlands International South Asia (WISA), spoke at the workshop, discussing the impact of current WUCMA activities and providing a broad outline for future management strategies.
MoEF&CC-GIZ Technical Cooperation Project, “Wetlands Management for Biodiversity and Climate Protection,” is being implemented in Jammu and Kashmir in conjunction with WUCMA, the J&K Wetland Authority, and the J&K Forest Department (DEERS), with technical support from Wetlands International South Asia (WISA).