Call for 'Ramsar Wetland City' Signboards Across Udaipur

Udaipur, July 20 – The United Nations’ Ramsar Convention has, for the first time, declared 31 cities worldwide as Wetland Cities, and Udaipur is among them. However, there is not a single signboard in the city reflecting this international recognition. It has been suggested that the administration should install signboards in both Hindi and English reading Udaipur: Ramsar Wetland City at the airport, railway station, bus stands, all city entry points, lakes and major tourist destinations.

This demand was raised during the Lake Dialogue event held on Sunday July 20.

Dr Anil Mehta, a water resource expert and member of the Environmental Appraisal Committee of the Ministry of Environment, Government of India, said that when Udaipur received the Ramsar Wetland City status, it was acknowledged by Prime Minister Modi and Union Environment Minister Bhupender Yadav, who congratulated the city. However, locally, this achievement has not been given the respect or visibility it deserves.

Dr Mehta emphasised that now that Udaipur has received this designation, it becomes a shared responsibility to conserve the interconnected lake systems of the city and enhance the ecological balance.

Lake enthusiast Tej Shankar Paliwal pointed out that the Supreme Court (SC) in 2018 clearly directed that all lakes listed in ISRO’s Wetland Atlas fall under Section 4 of the Wetland Conservation and Management Rules. Since Udaipur’s lakes are included in this atlas, their protection must be carried out seriously and strictly under wetland regulations.

According to environmental expert Nandkishore Sharma, Udaipur is also part of the National River Cities Alliance, formed by the Government of India. Therefore, appropriate locations should also display boards saying Udaipur: River City.

Educationist Kushal Rawal urged the administration to follow NGT and SC directives and Ministry of Environment guidelines to define and protect the Zone of Influence around the lakes.

As per senior citizen Drupad Singh, every citizen must contribute to spreading awareness and ensuring the preservation of Udaipur's unique Ramsar Wetland City and River City statuses.

Prior to the dialogue, a community clean-up drive was held, during which trash and weeds were removed from the lake surface and shorelines.