KATHMANDU:  In the program “From the Mountain to the Sea-Wetlands at work for us”  in the capital on Sunday, officials stressed on more awareness campaigns on the usefulness and conservation of wetlands across the country.

The program was organized jointly by Nepal Forum of Environmental Journalists (NFEJ) and IUCN-The World Conservation Nepal.

Wetlands are those areas, where there is stagnant water with plants and herbs around it like marshes, lakes and ponds.

Nepal National Wetland Strategy BS 2059 has defined wetlands as, “Underground water or the stagnant rain water, natural or unnatural stagnant water, flowing or stagnant water, swamp, marsh, riverine floodplain, lake, pond, water storage areas, agricultural land are called wetlands.”

Wetlands provide innumerable advantages like water for drinking and irrigation, the herbs and trees around the area purifies the air and others.

It is also helps in maintaining the ecosystem as it provides breeding place to different spices. Besides, it also acts as a tourism spot.

Officials, however said, due ignorance people take wetlands as waste land.  Hinting that many high ranking people also don’t know about wetlands, Country Representative of IUCN, Dr Mahesh Baskota said, “Even I used to think wetlands are waste lands until I started working in IUCN.”

He further said that due to the ignorance, people encroach into such lands for farming and sheltering and unless it is stopped in time it can be costly for us.

Meanwhile, the Chief Guest of the program and Vice president of National Planning commission Dr. Shanker Sharma emphasized on the need of joint effort from government, NGOs and INGOs to achieve the target.

He further said, “Without the support of local people, the target cannot be achieved. So, we should actively involve the local people in the  conservation of wetlands.”

President of NFEJ, Tirtha Koirala, Assistant secretary of National Park and Wild Life Conservation Department, Shyam  Bajimaya also expressed their views at the program.