The Salim Ali Centre for Ornithology and Natural History, Deccan Regional station Hyderabad, as a part of its ENVIS activites, celebrated World Wetlands Day 2008 on 2nd February 08 at the famous Hussain Sagar Lake of Hyderabad. More than 150 school children and several academicians, scientists, policy makers from a number of organizations took part in the event. This event was celebrated in collaboration with several organizations, Budhha Purnima Project Authority of the Hyderabad Urban Development Authority, Centre for Environment and Education, WWF-India Hyderabad chapter and Geological Survey of India.

The morning started with the bird watching programmes with school children at Sanjiviyya Park abutting Hussain Sagar. More than 150 school children from six schools (UH Campus school; St. Paul's High School; Oxford Grammar school; Army school; Nasr school; Bharatiya Vidya Bhavans school) were present at the event. Batches of 25 students each were guided by expert staffs and volunteers of bird watchers within the park where they observed not only different aquatic and woodland birds, plants, but also learnt about food habits and migration in birds but also water pollution, and the methodology for lake restoration.

In the second session, the children were given training on usefulness of Open Source softwares in biodiversity conservation. The basic training on Geographical Information System (GIS) software - OpenJump and Global Positioning System (GPS) were given to the teachers. The motto behind the awareness of free and open source software is to educate and activate the students of mapping and monitoring the wetlands of their own surroundings using GIS facilities. SACON and GSI held a demonstration to the school teachers as well as to the children. Later, it was followed by a painting competition for the school children on theme "Healthy Wetlands - Healthy People" organized by Andhra Pradesh Biodiversity Board (APBB).

The children's programme was followed by an official function commemorating World Wetlands Day. Mr. D. Sudhir Reddy, Chairman, HUDA, Dr. S. N. Prasad, Head, SACON, Ms. Farida Tampal, State Director, APSO, were also presented for this programme. The talks focused on the importance of wetlands and the role wetlands play. Representatives from other NGOs including CEE, National Green Corps, and Birdwatcher Society of Andhra Pradesh.