, 2002). Provisions under these acts range from protection of water quality and notification of ecologically sensitive areas to contributing towards conserving, maintaining,

and augmenting the floral, faunal and avifaunal biodiversity of the country’s aquatic bodies. However, the term wetland was not used specifically see more in any of these legal instruments. Until the early part of 2000, the policy support for wetland conservation in India was virtually non-existent. The action on wetland management was primarily influenced by the international commitments made under Ramsar Convention and indirectly through array of other policy measures, such as, National Conservation Strategy and Policy Statement on Environment and Development, 1992; Coastal Zone Regulation Notification, 1991; National Policy and Macro level Action Strategy on Biodiversity, 1999; and National Water

Policy, 2002 (MoEF, 2007 and Prasad et al., 2002). As a signatory to Ramsar Convention on Wetlands and recognizing the importance of protecting such water bodies, the Government of India identified two sites, i.e. Chilika lake (Orissa) and Keoladeo National Park (Rajasthan), as Ramsar check details Wetlands of International Importance in 1981 (MoEF, 2012). Thereafter in 1985–1986, National Wetland Conservation

Programme (NWCP) was launched in close collaboration with concerned State Governments. Initially, only designated Ramsar Sites were identified for conservation and management under the Programme (MoEF, 2007). Several measures were taken to arrest further degradation and shrinkage of the identified water bodies due to encroachment, siltation, weed infestation, find more catchment erosion, agricultural run-off carrying pesticides and fertilizers, and wastewater discharge. Subsequently in 1993, National Lake Conservation Plan (NLCP) was carved out of NWCP to focus on lakes particularly those located in urban and peri-urban areas which are subjected to anthropogenic pressures. Initially, only 10 lakes were identified for conservation and management under the plan (MoEF, 2007). There is also a National River Conservation Plan (NRCP), operational since 1995, with an objective to improve the water quality of the major Indian rivers through the implementation of pollution abatement works, to the level of designated best use.