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Conservation of Wetlands

Save our wetlands

Wetlands are areas of land where the water level remains near or above the surface of the ground for most of the year.

The association of man and wetlands is ancient, with the first signs of civilization originating in wetland habitats such as the flood plains of the Indus, the Nile Delta and the Fertile Crescent of the Tigris and Euphrates rivers.

Wetlands cover about 6% of the earth’s land surface. There are several kinds of wetlands such as marshes, swamps, lagoons, bogs, fens and mangroves. They are home to some of the richest, most diverse and fragile of natural resources.

As they support a variety of plant and animal life, biologically they are one of the most productive ecosystems.

Wetlands of India

India has a wealth of wetland ecosystems distributed in different geographical regions. Most of the wetlands in India are directly or indirectly linked with major river systems such as the Ganges, Cauvery, Krishna, Godavari and Tapti. India has totally 27, 403 wetlands, of which 23,444 are inland wetlands and 3,959 are coastal wetlands. According to the Directory of Asian Wetlands (1989), wetlands occupy 18.4% of the country’s area (excluding rivers), of which 70 % are under paddy cultivation. In India, out of an estimated 4.1 mha (excluding irrigated agricultural lands, rivers and streams) of wetlands, 1.5 mha are natural, while 2.6 mha are manmade. The coastal wetlands occupy an estimated 6,750 sq km and are largely dominated by mangrove vegetation. About 80% of the mangroves are distributed in the Sunderbans of West Bengal and the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, with the rest in the coastal states of Odisha, Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Kerala, Goa, Maharashtra and Gujarat.

Wetlands in southern peninsular India are mostly manmade and are known as yeris (tanks). They are constructed in every village and provide water for various human needs, besides serving as nesting, feeding and breeding sites for a large variety of bird species. Point Calimere in Tamilnadu; Ashtamudi, Sasthamkotta and Vembanad Kol lakes in Kerala; and Kolleru lake in Andhra Pradesh are some of the natural wetland sites in South India.

India’s wetlands are generally differentiated into 8 categories depending on their regional presence (Scott, 1989):

  • The reservoirs of the Deccan Plateau in the south, together with the lagoons and other wetlands of the southwest coast.
  • The vast saline expanses of Rajasthan, Gujarat and the Gulf of Kutch.
  • The freshwater lakes and reservoirs from Gujarat eastwards through Rajasthan (Keoladeo Ghana National Park) and Madhya Pradesh.
  • The delta wetlands and lagoons of India’s east coast (Chilka Lake).
  • The freshwater marshes of the Gangetic Plains and the floodplains of the Brahmaputra.
  • The marshes and swamps in the hills of northeast India and the Himalayan foothills.
  • The lakes and rivers of the mountain region of Kashmir and Ladakh.
  • The mangroves and other wetlands of the Andaman and Nicobar Islands.

Importance of wetlands

Wetland systems directly and indirectly support lakhs of people, providing goods and services to them. They help check floods, prevent coastal erosion and mitigate the effects of natural disasters like cyclones and tidal waves. They store water for long periods.

Their capacity during heavy rainfall to retain excess floodwater that would otherwise cause flooding results in maintaining a constant flow regime downstream, preserving water quality and increasing biological productivity for both aquatic life as well as human communities of the region. Inundated wetlands are very effective in storing rainwater and are the primary source for recharging ground water aquifers.

Many wading birds and waterfowl like egrets, herons and cranes nest in wetlands. Wetlands also provide food and shelter for mammals. They act as natural filters and help remove a wide range of pollutants from water, including harmful viruses from sewage and heavy metals from industries.

Wetlands retain nutrients by storing eutrophic parameters like nitrogen and phosphorus and accumulating them in the sub-soil, thereby decreasing the potential for eutrophication.

Mangrove forests are valued for production of fish and shell-fish, live-stock fodder, fuel and building materials, local medicine, honey and bees-wax and for extracting chemicals used in tanning leather, farming and fisheries production have replaced many mangrove areas.

Moreover, significant socio-economic values like constant water supply, fisheries, fuelwood, medicinal plants, livestock grazing, agriculture, energy resource, wildlife resource, transport, recreation and tourism are noteworthy.

Threats to wetlands

The Wildlife Institute of India’s survey reveals that 70-80% of individual freshwater marshes and lakes in the Gangetic flood plains have been lost in the last five decades. At present, only 50 percent of India’s wetlands remain. They are disappearing at a rate of 2% to 3% every year. Indian mangrove areas have been halved almost from 700,000 hectares in 1987 to 453,000 hectares in 1995 (Sustainable Wetlands, Environmental Governance-2, 1999). A recent estimate based on remote sensing shows only 4000 sq. km area of mangrove resource in India.

The loss of wetlands leads to environmental and ecological problems, which have a direct impact on the socio-economic benefits of the associated populace. Serious consequences, including increased flooding, species decline, deformity, or extinction and decline in water quality could result. Wetlands are also important as a genetic reservoir for various species of plants including rice, which is a staple food for 3/4th of the world’s population.

Urbanization

Wetlands near urban centres are under increasing developmental pressure for residential, industrial and commercial facilities. Urban wetlands are essential for preserving public water supplies.

Anthropogenic activities

Due to unplanned urban and agricultural development, industries, road construction, impoundment, resource extraction and dredge disposal, wetlands have been drained and transformed, causing substantial economic and ecological losses in the long term.

Agricultural activities

Following the Green Revolution of the 1970s, vast stretches of wetlands have been converted to paddy fields. Construction of a large number of reservoirs, canals and dams to provide for irrigation significantly altered the hydrology of the associated wetlands.

Hydrologic activities

Construction of canals and diversion of streams and rivers to transport water to lower arid regions for irrigation has altered the drainage pattern and significantly degraded the wetlands of the region.

Deforestation

Removal of vegetation in the catchment leads to soil erosion and siltation

Pollution

Unrestricted dumping of sewage and toxic chemicals from industries has polluted many freshwater wetlands

Salinization

Over withdrawal of groundwater has led to salinization

Aquaculture

Demand for shrimps and fishes has provided economic incentives to convert wetlands and mangrove forests to develop pisciculture and aquaculture ponds.

Introduced species

Indian wetlands are threatened by exotic introduced plant species such as water hyacinth and salvinia. They clog waterways and compete with native vegetation.

Climate change

Increased air temperature; shifts in precipitation; increased frequency of storms, droughts, and floods; increased atmospheric carbon dioxide concentration; and sea level rise could also affect wetlands.

Conservation of wetlands

Efforts to conserve wetlands in India began in 1987 and the main focus of governmental efforts was on biological methods of conservation rather than adopting engineering options. A national wetland-mapping project has also been initiated for an integrated approach on conservation. In certain wetland sites it is heartening to see the Government, NGOs and local community coming together to save our wetlands and thus realize the objectives of Ramsar Convention.

The National Committee on Wetlands, Mangroves and Coral Reefs, constituted for advising the Government on appropriate policies and measures to be taken for conservation and management of the wetlands, has identified 93 wetlands for conservation and management on priority basis.

 India currently has 80 sites designated as Wetlands of International Importance (Ramsar Sites), with a surface area of over 1.3 million ectares.

Sr.No.

Name of Wetland

State /  UT

Area (ha)

1 Asan Conservation Reserve

Uttarakhand

444

2

Ashtamudi Wetland

Kerala

61,400

3 Beas Conservation Reserve

Punjab

6,429

4 Bhindawas Wildlife Sanctuary

Haryana

412

5

Bhitarkanika Mangroves

Odisha

65,000

6

Bhoj Wetland

Madhya Pradesh

3,201

7

Chandertal Wetland

Himachal Pradesh

49

8

Chilika Lake

Orissa

1,16,500

9

Deepor Beel

Assam

4,000

10

East Calcutta Wetlands

West Bengal

12,500

11

Harike Lake

Punjab

4,100

12

Hokera Wetland

Jammu & Kashmir‎

1,375

13 Kabartal Wetland

Bihar

2,620

14 Karikili Bird Sanctuary

Tamil Nadu

58.4

15

Kanjli

Punjab

183

16

Keoladeo National Park

Rajasthan

2,873

17 Keshopur-Miani Community Reserve

Punjab

344

18

Kolleru Lake

Andhra Pradesh

90,100

19

Lonar Lake

Maharashtra

427

20

Loktak Lake

Manipur

26,600

21 Nalsarovar

Gujarat

12,000

22 Nandur Madhameshwar

Maharashtra

1,437

23 Nangal Wildlife Sanctuary

Punjab

116

24 Nawabganj Bird Sanctuary

Uttar Pradesh

225

25 Pallikaranai Marsh Reserve Forest

Tamil Nadu

1,247.5

26 Parvati Arga Bird Sanctuary

Uttar Pradesh

722

27 Pichavaram Mangrove

Tamil Nadu

 1,478.6

28

Point Calimere Wildlife and Bird Sanctuary

Tamil Nadu

38,500

29

Pong Dam Lake

Himachal Pradesh

15,662

30

Renuka Wetland

Himachal Pradesh

20

31

Ropar

Punjab

1,365

32 Rudrasagar Lake

Tripura

240

33 Saman Bird Sanctuary

Uttar Pradesh

526

34

Samaspur Bird Sanctuary

Uttar Pradesh

799

35

Sambhar Lake

Rajasthan

24,000

36 Sandi Bird Sanctuary

Uttar Pradesh

309

37 Sarsai Nawar Jheel

Uttar Pradesh

161

38

Sasthamkotta Lake

Kerala

373

39 Sultanpur National Park

Haryana

2,457

40 Sundarban Wetland

West Bengal

4,23,000

41 Surinsar-Mansar Lakes

Jammu & Kashmir

350

42 Sur Sarovar

Uttar Pradesh

431

43 Thol Lake Wildlife Sanctuary

Gujarat

2,458

44 Tso Kar Wetland Complex

Ladakh

9,577

45

Tsomoriri

Jammu & Kashmir

12,000

46 Upper Ganga River

Uttar Pradesh

26,590

47

Vembanad-Kol Lake

Kerala

1,51,250

48 Wadhvana Wetland

Gujarat

2,454

49

Wular Lake

Jammu & Kashmir

18,900

50

Khijadiya Wildlife Sanctuary

Gujarat 

511.70

51

Bakhira Wildlife Sanctuary

Uttar Pradesh

2,894

52

Haiderpur Wetland

Uttar Pradesh

6,908 

53

Sakhya Sagar

Madhya Pradesh

248

54

Pala Wetland

Mizoram

1,850

55

Nanda Lake 

Goa

42

56

Gulf of Mannar Marine Biosphere Reserve

 Tamil Nadu

52,671.9

57

Khijadia Wildlife Sanctuary

Gujarat

 511.7

58

Koonthankulam Bird Sanctuary

 Tamil Nadu

72

59

Satkosia Gorge

 Odisha

 98,196.7

60

Sirpur Wetland

 Madhya Pradesh 

161

61

Udhayamarthandapuram Bird Sanctuary

Tamil Nadu

43.8 

62

Vedanthangal Bird Sanctuary

Tamil Nadu

40.3
63

Vellode Bird Sanctuary

Tamil Nadu

77.2
64

Vembannur Wetland Complex

 Tamil Nadu

19.7
65

Tampara Lake

Odisha

300
66

Hirakud Reservoir

Odisha

65400 

67

Ansupa Lake

Odisha

231
68

Yashwant Sagar 

Madhya Pradesh

822.90
69

Chitrangudi Bird Sanctuary

Tamil Nadu

260.47 

70

Suchindram Theroor Wetland Complex

Tamil Nadu

94.23
71

Vaduvur Bird Sanctuary

Tamil Nadu

112.64 

72

Kanjirankulam Bird Sanctuary

Tamil Nadu

96.89
73

Thane Creek 

Maharashtra

6521.08
74

Hygam Wetland Conservation Reserve

Jammu and Kashmir

801.82
75

Shallbugh Wetland Conservation Reserve

Jammu and Kashmir

1675
76

Aghanashini Estuary

Karnataka

4801

77

Ankasamudra Bird Conservation Reserve 

Karnataka

98.8

78

Magadi Kere Conservation Reserve

Karnataka

54.4

79

Karaivetti Bird Sanctuary

Tamil Nadu

453.7

80

Longwood Shola Reserve Forest

Tamil Nadu

116

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Conclusion

Wetlands jurisdiction is diffused and falls under various departments like agriculture, fisheries, irrigation, revenue, tourism, water resources and local bodies. For instance, all mangroves in the country fall under the direct control of forest department. The lack of a comprehensive wetland policy, with each department having its own developmental priorities, works against the interests of conservation of wetlands resulting in intended or unintended spill-over that further aggravates the problem.

Wetland ecosystems are interconnected and interactive within a watershed. In India, unplanned urbanization and a growing population have taken their toll on wetlands. To counter these, management of wetlands has to be an integrated approach in terms of planning, execution and monitoring. Effective tie-ups of trained academicians and professionals, including ecologists, hydrologists, economists, watershed management specialists, planners and decision makers must be linked with local expertise for overall management of wetlands. All these would increase knowledge and understanding of wetlands and evolve more comprehensive and long-term conservation and management strategies. Spreading awareness by initiating educational programs about the importance of wetlands in local schools, colleges and among the general public in the vicinity of the water bodies, besides constant monitoring of wetlands for their water quality, would provide vital inputs to safeguard the wetlands from further deterioration.

Source : CPR Environmental Education Centre, Chennai

Last Modified : 2/1/2024



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