India's Indore, Udaipur recognised as 'Wetland Accredited Cities'
Two Indian cities have been accredited as Wetland Cities of the World for the first time, adding to South Asia’s sustainable development, WAM reports.

The two cities are Indore in Madhya Pradesh state and Udaipur in Rajasthan state, India’s Minister for Environment, Forest and Climate Change, Bhupender Yadav, has announced.
Accreditation of “Wetlands of International Importance” is done under the Ramsar Convention, an inter-governmental treaty to which 90 percent of United Nations members have acceded. The Treaty entered into force in 1975.
India joined the Ramsar Convention in 1982 and has designated 85 wetlands under its national programme.
Indore and Udaipur are, however, the first Indian cities to get international accreditation. There are 31 accredited Wetland Cities of the World.
Yadav said: “The achievement indicates an emphasis laid by India on holistic development of urban areas without compromising on ecological conservation.”
Responding to Yadav’s announcement, India’s Prime Minister, Narendra Modi, said the accreditation “reflects India’s strong commitment to nurturing harmony between nature and urban growth.”
He hoped this achievement will inspire more people to keep working towards creating “greener, cleaner and more eco-friendly urban spaces across India.”
Earlier it was reported that at least eight people died and seven more were injured in a blast at an ordnance factory in the western Indian state of Maharashtra.