The Union Minister of State for Forests and Environment, Mr. Jairam Ramesh has said that Jammu and Kashmir is a place of rich biodiversity and the Union Government at the Centre is seriously concerned for its protection.<br/><br/>Speaking at a function organized at Lake Mansar in Samba district of Jammu Region, in connection with the World Wetland Day today, the Minister said that the wetland ecology of the State needs proper and timely attention for its conservation and both the Centre and the State Governments are taking the necessary initiatives in this direction.<br/><br/>He said that Rs. 350 Crore and Rs. 300 Crore have been earmarked for the conservation and cleanliness of world famous Wullar and Dal Lakes of Kashmir valley respectively. The Minister also announced a grant of Rs. 3 Crore for the development of the Mansar Lake and establishing Mahatma Gandhi Chair for Ecology and Environment at Baba Ghulam Shah Badshah University in Rajouri district of the State. <br/><br/>The Minister informed that the first Wetland Atlas of Jammu and Kashmir – a work by the experts of Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) shall be released within next three months.