The Indian Space Research Organisation(ISRO) is engaged in the satellite mapping of the country's wetlands and will complete the project by the end of August, Environment Minister Jairam Ramesh said on Thursday.

"It is for the first time that all wetlands in the country will be mapped. ISRO will provide us with an upto date inventory of wetlands, estimated at around 7-10 million hectares, by the end of August," said Ramesh while speaking at the launch of a course on "Appreciation Programme on Sustainable Management of Wetlands" at the Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU)here.

Stressing on the need to protect aquatic assets, he said, "They are valuable ecological niches and the concept of sustainable development should be for future generations, including today's generations."

He said the ministry will soon formulate a regulation on wetlands to prevent encroachment of precious biodiversity