German Environment Parliamentary Committee Visit to Bhitarkanika, Odisha

04 Nov, 2022

The ‘Parliamentary Committee for Environment, Nature Conservation, Nuclear Safety and Consumer Protection’ of the Government of Germany (Umweltausschuss) travelled to India for a delegation visit from 26th October – 5th November 2022. As part of their visit, the delegation, along with the Consul General of Germany (Kolkata), visited Bhitarkanika Ramsar Site in Odisha. It is a selected site under the IKI-BMUV funded project ‘Wetlands Management for Biodiversity and Climate Protection’, which is being implemented with the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC).

The one-day visit included interaction with the staff from Mangrove Forest Division, Rajnagar, on the Saltwater Crocodiles of the region, their conservation and survey work carried by the Forest Department, importance of the diverse mangroves of Bhitarkanika, and ecosystem services of the wetland. The delegation visited the crocodile hatchery, the museum, the memorial for martyred forest personnel and the Mangrove nursery located in the Dangmal Range Office. This was followed by a boat ride through the mangroves during which the delegation learnt more about the plants and wildlife of the region.

The delegation then visited Junusnagar Cyclone Shelter, where they interacted with the community members from Junusnagar and nearby region who have been beneficiaries of the Green Recovery Measures - a COVID response measure implemented by the project along with APOWA to enhance community resilience through ecosystem-based actions and skill building. The interaction led to the delegation being welcomed to see some of the pilot farms in the host village.

Green Recovery beneficiary recounts her journey into sustainable farming © Shambhavi Krishna/GIZ

*

About the project

The Wetlands Management for Biodiversity and Climate Protection project aims to strengthen the institutional framework and capacities for an ecosystem-based integrated management of wetlands of international importance (Ramsar sites) in India. Four Ramsar sites have been selected as pilot sites under the project: Pong Dam and Renuka Lake in Himachal Pradesh, Bhitarkanika Mangroves in Odisha, and the Point Calimere Wildlife and Bird Sanctuary in Tamil Nadu. The project is implemented by the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH on behalf of the German Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation, Nuclear Safety and Consumer Protection (BMUV) in partnership with the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC) in close cooperation with the National Plan for Conservation of Aquatic Ecosystems (NPCA). This project is part of the International Climate Initiative (IKI). The Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation, Nuclear Safety and Consumer Protection (BMUV) supports this initiative on the basis of a decision adopted by the German Bundestag. Read More

For more information contact: biodiv.india@giz.de