The need to involve the voices of local communities in wetland conservation and other water-related issues was stressed by experts at the two-day multidisciplinary event Thaneer!Thaneer!, organised by DakshinaChitra Museum.
The two-day event that ended on Saturday included talks, exhibitions, and screening of documentary films and saw enthusiastic participation, particularly from the student community.
Jayashree Vencatesan, trustee, Care Earth Trust, expressed concern over how elitism had crept into projects to conserve wetlands and other waterbodies. She said things like building of parks, walking tracks and amphitheatres had taken centre stage in conservation project instead of the importance that ought to be given for local communities and flora and fauna.
