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In a bid to protect the water bodies in the national capital, the National Wetland Authority of India has come up with health cards for a total of 56 water bodies.
“According to the information available, in Delhi, ground truthing of 36 wetlands has been done, health cards of 56 wetlands have been prepared and 19 wetlands mitras have been registered,” the national body said in a report dated September 12, adding that it will continue these efforts.
Wetland mitras are reported to be the volunteers tasked with protecting water bodies and assist the government in their rejuvenation.
The idea of health cards for water bodies was incepted following the ‘Sahbhagita Mission’ which was launched in 2022. The mission entailed awareness-raising programmes on the need to protect water bodies across India. In the campaign, more than two million people were sensitised across the country, and surveying of around 80,000 wetlands had been done while health cards for more than 6,200 wetlands have been prepared and more than 18,000 wetland mitras have been registered.
Of Delhi’s 1,367 water bodies that exist officially, a physical on-ground assessment is complete for 1,291 water bodies. Of these, just 656 water bodies were found on the ground, with the remaining 635 missing and possibly encroached upon.