• Bureaucratic red-tapism across the States is indefinitely delaying the official notification of our wetlands which is essential for legal protection of our wetlands. 
• The 200,000 plus major wetlands face imminent danger of getting buried under the guise of DEVELOPMENT, causing an irreparable damage to our biodiversity.

·       As the Prime Minister Narendra Modi said: “Wetlands are very important for the existence of our Earth, as many birds and animals depend on them. Along with enriching biodiversity, they ensure flood control and groundwater recharge.”

Hence this appeal to PM Modi to step in

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Hon’ble Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi Ji,

Greetings from NatConnect Foundation on the occasion of the forthcoming World Migratory Bird Day (October 11).

We take this opportunity to congratulate you on the historic success and speedy implementation of the Next Gen GST reforms, a landmark in India’s governance journey.

On similar lines, we earnestly appeal to you to bring the same urgency and determination to the cause of conserving India’s wetlands, which are among our nation’s most precious ecological assets.

This year’s UN-driven World Migratory Bird Day theme – “Shared Spaces: Creating Bird-Friendly Cities & Communities” – highlights the pivotal role of wetlands. These ecosystems serve as crucial stopovers for migratory birds, the true “ambassadors of biodiversity”, who contribute immensely to seed dispersal, pollination, pest control, eco-tourism, education, and local livelihoods.

Yet, rapid urbanisation and unchecked human activity are endangering their survival.

India already has more than two lakh wetlands above 2.25 hectares, carefully mapped in ISRO’s National Wetland Inventory & Assessment. While the Ministry of Environment has published the Wetlands Atlas, conservation remains stalled due to pending ground-truthing by States. In the absence of official notification, these wetlands continue to be treated as developable land parcels — a deeply alarming trend.

Sir, you have consistently championed global environmental causes such as LiFE (Lifestyle for Environment), and we are inspired by your past words: “Wetlands are very important for the existence of our Earth, as many birds and animals depend on them. Along with enriching biodiversity, they ensure flood control and groundwater recharge.”

In that spirit, we humbly urge your intervention to:

Direct States to expedite ground-truthing and notification of wetlands.
Ensure wetlands receive GST-like policy speed and priority to safeguard India’s ecological and cultural heritage.
With your leadership, India can set a global example in balancing development and biodiversity conservation.

With highest regards,
Team NatConnect Foundation