Wetlands are nature's kidneys and climate buffers. Evaluate the role of participatory approaches such as Mission Sahbhagita in wetland conservation.

Wetlands filter water, recharge groundwater, buffer floods and sustain fisheries, which is why they are called nature's kidneys and climate buffers [1]. India's Ramsar network has grown to 103 sites [1]. Alongside it, MoEFCC's Mission Sahbhagita (2022) aims to make communities, not just the State, the custodians of wetlands [2]. It plays a valuable role, but it cannot do the job alone.

Strengths of participatory conservation

• Society ownership: The Sahbhagita guidelines treat wetlands as societal assets, with governments acting as trustees, and set out an "all-of-society" governance framework [2].
• Scale: Together with the Save Wetlands Campaign, it has involved over 2 million citizens and ground-truthed over 1.7 lakh wetlands [3].
• Monitoring from below: In the campaign's first phase, volunteers ground-truthed 77,087 wetlands against a target of 50,000 and produced 6,248 wetland health cards [4]. This fills data gaps that government departments leave.
• Global leadership: India's COP15 resolution on sustainable lifestyles for wise use of wetlands was adopted, carrying the LiFE–Sahbhagita approach to the international level [3].

Limitations

• Participation without power: Regulation sits with State Wetlands Authorities under the Wetlands Rules, 2017 (EPA, 1986) [5]. Volunteers can report encroachment but cannot enforce against it.
• State capacity gaps: A CAG audit found no baseline data on migratory birds, no State budget provision and weak monitoring [6]. Community goodwill cannot make up for missing institutions.
• Money follows plans: NPCA is cost-shared (70:30, or 90:10 for NE states), and central aid depends on Integrated Management Plans [7][8]. States with weak capacity fall behind no matter how many volunteers they have.
• Campaign mode: Mapping and demarcating wetlands is only the first step. Restoration needs sustained work, while volunteer drives tend to fade.

Verdict: Participation works well as a force multiplier for awareness and monitoring. It is not a substitute for enforcement and funding.

Way forward

• Give community groups a formal seat in State Wetlands Authorities and in drafting management plans.
• Link wetland health cards to the release of NPCA funds.
• Tie local livelihoods to keeping wetlands healthy.

Mission Sahbhagita has turned wetland conservation from a departmental task into a social movement. If citizen ownership is backed by statutory roles and reliable funding, these "kidneys" can keep working, advancing SDG 6.6 and India's LiFE commitments.