Shillong, May 1 -- The Meghalaya government has informed the High Court that none of the state's waterbodies currently meet the criteria for designation as Ramsar sites under the internationally recognized Ramsar Convention on Wetlands.

This information was presented in a report submitted by the Chief Conservator of Forests (Administration), Department of Forests and Environment, during a hearing for a Public Interest Litigation (PIL).

The PIL was initiated to comply with a Supreme Court order issued on December 11, 2024, which mandated all states to conduct "ground truthing" of their wetlands to identify potential Ramsar sites.

The Supreme Court's directive aimed to promote the identification, preservation, and sustainable management ...