Indore and Udaipur have become the first two Indian cities to join the global list of accredited wetland cities under the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands. Prime Minister took to social media and congratulated the two cities for joining the list of 31 Wetland Accredited Cities globally. "This recognition reflects our strong commitment to sustainable development and nurturing harmony between nature and urban growth," he wrote. "May this feat inspire everyone to keep working towards creating greener, cleaner and more eco-friendly urban spaces across our nation," he added.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi was reacting to the post of Union Minister Bhupendra Yadav on X, who shared the "double joy." Mr Yadav said it is a testimony of PM Modi's vision of "marching ahead aligning economy and ecology." He said, the achievement reflects India's emphasis on holistic development of urban areas "without compromising on ecological conservation in both urban and rural centres."
Mr Yadav urged citizens to pledge to "make Viksit Bharat a Green Bharat."
Earlier this month, the Ministry of Environment, Forests, and Climate Change (MoEF&CC) submitted three nominations from India for Wetland City Accreditation (WCA) - Indore and Bhopal from Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan's Udaipur. These are the first three Indian cities for which nominations were submitted.
"The wetlands situated in and around these cities provide a plethora of benefits to its citizens in terms of flood regulation, livelihood opportunities, and recreational and cultural values," read the official press release.
Sirpur Lake, a Ramsar Site in Indore, has been recognised for water bird congregation and is being developed as a bird sanctuary.
Udaipur in Rajasthan is surrounded by five major wetlands, namely, Pichola, Fateh Sagar, Rang Sagar, Swaroop Sagar, and Doodh Talai. "These wetlands are an integral part of the city's culture and identity, help maintain the city's microclimate, and provide a buffer from extreme events," read the press release by MoEF&CC.
