Srinagar, March 3 -- In a country like the US, it was believed that wetlands were places to be avoided, and it was common to see them filled with waste and used as dumping grounds. What we have done in Kashmir over the last 20 to 25 years, the people of the US did 100 years ago. A study published by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service in 1990 revealed that more than 50% of the 221 million acres of wetlands that existed in the lower 48 states in the late 1700s were destroyed. As scientific research was conducted in later years, we came to understand that wetlands are of great importance for our environment and biodiversity. They not only serve as habitats for fish and other aquatic life but also provide fodder for our livestock. Moreover, t...