Punjab, April 22nd, 2021 : Danone India and WWF India have announced a partnership to work together to enhance the ecological integrity of the Kali Bein Conservation Reserve with a focus on the Kanjli wetland in the Kapurthala district of Punjab. Working closely with key Government departments, civil society organizations, experts, communities, and industries, this three-year project will support the development of an integrated management plan for the conservation of Kanjli wetland, a roadmap for restoring (environmental) freshwater flows and put in place a multi-stakeholder mechanism for conservation of the wetland.
Kanjli Wetland is a 183-hectare man-made wetland constructed across the Kali Bein river for irrigation in 1870. It was declared as a Ramsar site in 2002 . This wetland holds religious significance, being a part of the Kali Bein, a holy rivulet associated with Guru Nanak Dev ji. It also plays a vital role in maintaining groundwater regimes of the region and ecology of the Harike Wildlife Sanctuary – another Ramsar site. In 2019, with an objective to channelize efforts for conservation, the Government of Punjab declared the 210 hectares Kali Bein river along with Kanjli wetland as the Kali Bein Conservation Reserve.
Various factors threaten the health of the wetland, such as over-abstraction and diversion of freshwater flows, water-chemical intensive agriculture, and pollution. This partnership will develop pathways to address these threats and enhance its ecological health by adopting an integrated basin approach, which will contribute towards strengthening the natural interaction and interconnectedness of Kanjli, Kali Bein and the Harike Wildlife Sanctuary.
Ravi Singh, Secretary-General and CEO, WWF India, shared, “The project will work towards restoring the ecological and hydrological connectivity of three key freshwater ecosystems in Punjab – Kanjli, Kali Bein and the Harike Wildlife Sanctuary. This will contribute to the long-term health of the rich biodiversity dependent on these systems, particularly the endangered Indus River Dolphins and overall wellbeing of communities.”
Himanshu Bakshi, Managing Director, Danone India said, “Danone India has partnered with WWF India as Water stewardship is important to our One Planet.One Health agenda and our endeavor is to strengthen the existing efforts by WWF India to conserve the Kali Bein Conservation Reserve and Kanjli Wetland. The Kanjli wetland is one of the important Ramsar sites (wetland of international importance) of Punjab, and I am confident this partnership will make a positive impact on the populations and habitat of aquatic species in the Kali Bein ecosystem.”
WWF India will also undertake capacity building, education and awareness programme to promote the wise use of the wetland and create a network of Wetland Mitras (Friends of Wetlands) to demonstrate a model for multi-stakeholder engagement in wetland conservation. A Water School programme will be implemented in 30 schools in the area. The initiative will also work closely with local communities to adopt better management practices in agriculture to reduce water, chemical fertilisers and pesticide use in their farms.
About WWF India
WWF India is committed to creating and demonstrating practical solutions that help conserve India’s ecosystems and rich biodiversity. Marking 50 years of conservation journey in the country, WWF India works towards finding science-based and sustainable solutions to address challenges at the interface of development and conservation. WWF India is part of the WWF network, with offices in over 100 countries across the world. WWF India works in over 20 states across different thematic areas, including- the conservation of key wildlife species and their habitats; management of rivers, wetlands and their ecosystems; climate change adaptation; driving sustainable solutions for business and agriculture; empowering local communities as stewards of conservation; combatting illegal wildlife trade and inspiring students and citizens to take positive action for the environment through outreach and awareness campaigns. http://www.wwfindia.org
For any further query, please contact
Komal Chaudhary
Senior Manager, Media & PR, WWF India
kchaudhary@wwfindia.net
Viraj Gokhale
Assistant Manager, Corporate partnerships, WWF India
vgokhale@wwfindia.net
About Danone India
Danone is a leading multi-local food and beverage company building on health-focused and fast-growing categories in 3 businesses: Essential Dairy & Plant-Based products, Waters and Specialized Nutrition. With its ‘One Planet. One Health’ frame of action, which considers the health of people and the planet as intimately interconnected, Danone aims to inspire healthier and more sustainable eating and drinking practices. In India, Danone started its nutrition business in 2012 through the acquisition of the nutrition portfolio from Wockhardt Group. Danone India embodies a holistic approach offering a full range of products for pregnant mothers, infants, young children as well as adults, under recognized brands like Aptamil, Neocate, Farex, Protinex, Dexolac and Nusobee.
For media queries, please contact from Danone:
|
Geetu Batra Phone# 9873458682 Geetu.batra@danone.com Aniket Singh Saran +91 9560476715 Aniket@avianwe.com |