HNLU Raipur Hosts National Workshop On 50 Years Of Ramsar Convention, Marking Chhattisgarh's First Ramsar Site

Delivering the opening remarks, Prof. (Dr.) V.C. Vivekanandan, Vice-Chancellor, HNLU Raipur, highlighted the enduring relevance of the Ramsar Convention since its adoption in 1971. Prof. Vivekanandan remarked “The World Wetlands Day and the designation of Kopra Jalashay as Ramsar Site is not merely a celebration of an international treaty or a formal designation on a global list. It's also a reaffirmation of a powerful idea that wetlands matter to nature, to people and to our shared future.”

The keynote address was delivered by Dr. Ritesh Kumar, Director, Wetlands International – South Asia, who traced India's four-decade journey under the Ramsar framework. He highlighted India's significant progress, including the expansion of Ramsar sites and development of regulatory frameworks, while also candidly addressing persistent governance, ecological, and institutional challenges. Dr. Kumar stated “Wetlands also fall prey to ill-advised unscientific programs like concretization, beautification projects… When wetlands actually need to be placed under ICU, they are given a beauty parlor treatment”. His speech stressed the need for a national mission on wetlands, stronger research-policy integration, enhanced financing, capacity building, and mainstreaming wetlands education in academic curricula.

Mr. Pratik Verma, Legal Advisor, Chhattisgarh State Wetland Authority, Forest and Climate Change Department, spoke on the legal and governance dimensions of wetland conservation. He emphasised the Ramsar Convention's importance as a foundational instrument of international environmental law and underscored the growing role of courts in reinforcing wetland protection in India. He highlighted the significance of World Wetlands Day in creating public awareness and mobilising political and institutional will for safeguarding these fragile ecosystems.

The programme was conceived and organized by the Dr. Debmita Mondal, Head, Centre for Law & Sciences and assisted by Dr. Rana Navneet Roy, Head, Centre for Environmental Laws, HNLU, in collaboration with Wetlands International – South Asia, Chhattisgarh State Wetland Authority, and the Chhattisgarh State Biodiversity Board. Himanshi Thakur, LLM student, HNLU anchored the event.

The workshop witnessed active participation from faculty members, researchers, students of HNLU, and more than 80 participants from across the country. The event concluded with a collective call to translate the spirit of the Ramsar Convention into measurable outcomes like healthier wetlands, resilient communities, informed citizens, and sustainable development while positioning Chhattisgarh as an emerging contributor to India's wetland conservation journey.