Imphal | The Manipur State Wetlands Authority (MSWA) has called for coordinated efforts among government departments, experts and other stakeholders to strengthen the conservation and sustainable management of the state’s wetland ecosystems.

Deputy Chief Minister Losii Dikho, who also holds the Forest, Environment and Climate Change portfolio, chaired the sixth meeting of the MSWA on Thursday at the Deputy Chief Minister’s Conference Hall at the Civil Secretariat in Mantripukhri.

The meeting reviewed the status of wetland conservation initiatives across the state and discussed measures to improve the protection, management and sustainable use of wetland ecosystems.

Director of the Environment and Climate Change Department and MSWA Member Secretary, Dr T. Brajakumar Singh, placed five agenda items before the authority. These included confirmation of the proceedings of the previous meeting and reconstitution of MSWA committees; the notification status of seven State Priority Wetlands; physical demarcation of wetlands awaiting notification; preparation of Brief Documents and Health Cards for 71 ground-truthed wetlands; the status of Integrated Management Plans (IMPs) and Ramsar Site proposals; and matters related to W.P. (Civil) No. 304 of 2018 concerning wetlands before the Supreme Court.

The authority approved the agenda items after deliberations.

Dr Singh also presented an overview of the MSWA’s mandate, activities and achievements. He briefed members on the preparation of Brief Documents, Health Cards and IMPs, besides the notification status of wetlands in various districts and sites identified for IMP preparation under the National Plan for Conservation of Aquatic Ecosystems (NPCA).

According to the presentation, 132 wetlands have been ground-truthed in the state. Of these, 71 have been digitally demarcated or delineated, while seven have undergone ground demarcation. Three wetlands have so far been notified. Loktak Lake remains Manipur’s only Ramsar Site and has held the designation since 1990 under Ramsar Site No. 463.

The meeting was also informed that the publications Wetlands of Manipur Version 1.0 and Version 1.1 were brought out in 2025. Construction of a Cultural and Wetland Museum has also begun as part of efforts to promote awareness of the state’s wetland resources.

Dikho stressed the need for greater coordination among departments, technical experts and other stakeholders to ensure effective conservation of wetlands. He called for collective efforts to ensure the long-term sustainability and protection of Manipur’s wetland ecosystems, while welcoming the discussions and decisions taken during the meeting.

The meeting was attended by senior officials, forestry and fisheries experts, representatives of the Loktak Development Authority, Manipur Remote Sensing Application Centre, Manipur University, NIT Manipur and Wetlands International South Asia, among others.