Wetlands (Conservation and Management) Rules, 2017
The Wetlands (Conservation and Management) Rules, 2017, framed under the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986, are India's primary legal instrument for wetland governance. The Rules shifted management authority from a central National Wetland Conservation Committee to State/UT-level Wetland Authorities. They explicitly prohibit encroachment, conversion of wetlands for non-wetland uses, construction, solid waste dumping, and discharge of untreated effluents within wetland boundaries. They also mandate preparation of integrated management plans for each notified wetland.
- Framed under: Environment (Protection) Act, 1986 — Section 3
- Implementing body: Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC) + State/UT Wetland Authorities
- Ramsar Convention connection: India ratified Ramsar Convention on 1 February 1982; has 85 Ramsar sites covering over 13 million hectares
- The Rules require States to prepare wetland inventories — J&K's failure to protect lakes represents a direct breakdown of this obligation
● Tracked since April 06, 2026 · last seen August 05, 2026 · updates as the daily brief publishes
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