Photo: HTNew Delhi: In a major decision, the union environment ministry notified the new Wetland (Conservation and Management) Rules 2017 on Tuesday which prohibit a range of activities in wetlands like setting up and expansion of industries, waste dumping and discharge of effluents. The draft of the Wetland Rules was first presented by the Union Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC) in April 2016. The new rules stipulate setting up of a State Wetlands Authority in each State and union territories that will be headed by the State’s environment minister and include a range of government officials. “The new Wetland Rules have laudable objectives. He stated that the other big gap is the subjective definition of “wise use” which is to be determined by the state wetland authority.

Source: Mint September 27, 2017 19:07 UTC