(i) Any wetland serving as a source of water supply or receiving effluent as part of a designated service to any human settlement shall be declared a fully protected wetland from any encroachment, drainage or modification.
Explanation: Wetlands can preserve the purity of water by their filtration capacity. One of the important reasons for this policy arises from extensive draining of wetlands for horticulture where these areas also serve as water purification centres. Such drainage has led to a dangerous situation where farmers and members of the community may come into bodily contact with raw sewage during farming and domestic activities.