Smt. Konda Surekha, the State Minister for Forests and Environment, directed officials to accelerate the conservation of wetlands (tanks and water bodies) in Telangana state, as well as the process for their official notification. A meeting of the Telangana State Wetlands Authority was held on Monday at the Ambedkar Secretariat, presided over by the Minister.
Speaking on the occasion, the Minister emphasized that wetlands play a pivotal role in environmental conservation within the state. She directed the concerned departments to strictly implement the provisions of the Wetlands (Conservation and Management) Rules, 2017, and to expedite the identification of wetland boundaries and the digital mapping process.
Officials informed the meeting that the “ground-truthing” process—verifying data on the ground—has been completed for 12,249 wetlands identified across the state in the SAC Atlas. They further stated that the demarcation of boundaries has been completed for approximately 4,023 wetlands to date. The Minister instructed the Irrigation and Revenue departments to jointly conduct and rapidly complete surveys in the remaining areas, and to prepare the corresponding “Brief Documents.” She underscored the necessity of inter-departmental coordination to ensure that accurate reports are received from the District Wetlands Authorities.
It was also revealed during the meeting that draft notification proposals have been prepared for 28 specific locations, including major wetlands situated in the districts of Khammam, Jagtial, and Nizamabad. Officials noted that these proposals are soon set to proceed to the stages of official Gazette notification and public consultation. The meeting also included discussions regarding the proposal submitted to accord the Manjeera Wildlife Sanctuary recognition as a Ramsar Site of international importance. Officials stated that this proposal is currently with the Irrigation Department for final review and comments, after which it will be forwarded to the Union Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change.
Minister Konda Surekha emphasized that expert opinions and scientific studies are crucial for the conservation of wetlands. She suggested sharing successful models to raise public awareness and conducting counseling programs at the local level. The Minister clarified that activities such as encroachment on wetlands, the dumping of solid waste, and the discharge of untreated sewage are strictly prohibited under the 2017 regulations. Principal Secretary of the Forest Department Ahmed Nadeem, Head of Forest Force Dr. Suvarna, Chief Wildlife Warden Vinay Kumar, and officials from other departments participated in the event.
