Wetland City Udaipur: International Recognition as Rajasthan’s First Wetland City
‘Wetland City’ has now been awarded to Udaipur, the first city in Rajasthan and only the 31th city in the world. This international declaration has been made by the Ramsar Convention and it does not only mean honor to the lakes of Udaipur but also stands as proof of the efforts of the city in conservation heritage and culture.
The designation of ‘Wetland City’ shall ensure the whole environment and the city’s biodiversity remains protected. With the tag of ‘City of Lakes’, realization by the people all over the world-now with this announcement by Ramsar Convention, Udaipur’s height has reached to the level of international status. This is given to Udaipur and Indore for the first time in India.
The definition of Wetland City puts this new tag on conservation to lakes including Pichola and Fateh Sagar. As per the guidelines of Ramsar Convention, for the city to be recognized as Wetland City, the city must have a wetland area of significance. Udaipur’s case was made stronger by including Menar as a major wetland. The award also strongly relied on Udaipur’s traditional water conservation practices and its cultural ambience.
Now, according to Wetland City status, Udaipur will carry out its conservation tasks for water bodies and heritage as per the Ramsar rules. Conservation of water resources and cultural heritage, as well as creating sustainable livelihood sources to bring down poverty, will be part of this development model environmentally sound.
Of the 44 wetlands notified by the government in the state in 2023, one is Udaipur’s Menar, popularly called the ‘Bird Village’. This was a part of a bigger endeavor designed to conserve these natural habitats. Menar was singled out as the Menar Pond Wetland Complex. The department has begun its work of conservation of Menar Wetland ever since.
Declaration of Udaipur as a Wetland City sounds like a historic achievement for us. The City of Lakes gets an international stamp for this status: with this status, the lakes will now be better protected; biodiversity will be preserved, and catchment areas will improve. We have been voicing the cause since 1997-98. Now, it becomes everyone’s responsibility-the government and citizens alike-to maintain this honour.
The Significance of the Wetland City Designation
- Environmental Conservation: Such notification would mean stricter conservation measures of the lakes and surrounding areas within Udaipur i.e., the water bodies such as Pichola, Fateh Sagar, etc.- will remain alive and really balanced ecologically.
- Cultural and Historical Preservation: Water bodies would then get better protective cover being a key part of an extensive cultural heritage of Udaipur; which also involves the old modes of conservation that have fed and nurtured the city.
- Economic Implications: The whole could potentially turn either a boon to eco-tourism or develop benefits of a more sustainable economic nature. Even induce their employment in environmentally associated livelihood opportunities contributing towards poverty alleviation through green jobs.
- Community Participation: Activation of the community to take active part in the conservation measures will ensure the legitimacy of ownership and responsibility with respect to their owner’s natural and cultural endowments.
- Global Recognition: An inclusion in an international list will increase rajasthan’s charm to global visitors-more likely to boost the international tourists, researchers, and conservationists interested in wetland ecosystems.
- Policy Planning: And it calls for policies as well as urban plans that all relate to water, environmental health, and sustainable urbanization, creating a reference for other cities.
As much a badge of honor, this designation is a clarion call to action to promote sustainable development and conservation. It sets Udaipur in the forefront of wetland conservation in India and encourages all stakeholders to work in concert to preserve the natural and cultural heritage of this unique city.
