HC Starts Monitoring PIL for Protection of 6 Ramsar Sites in State

The Orissa High Court has fixed February 12 to start monitoring measures taken for conservation of six wetlands in the state which are internationally recognised under the Ramsar Convention.

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The wetlands include Chilika lake spanning 1,16,500 hectare, Bhitarkanika mangroves 65,000 hectare, Satkosia gorge 98,197 hectare, Tampara lake 300 hectare, Hirakud reservoir 65,400 hectare and Ansupa lake 231 hectare.

On December 11 last year, the Supreme Court directed each of state/UT wetland authorities to complete ground truthing as well as the demarcation of wetland boundaries of each of the wetlands which have been identified by Space Applications Centre Atlas (SAC Atlas), 2021, within three months. The apex court had also directed the high court to ensure that the Ramsar sites within their jurisdiction were properly maintained.