OpinionsThreats and Conservation of Wetlands in India-II

Threats and Conservation of Wetlands in India-II

Date:

By Shravan Nune

The first part of the article discussed about ‘What are Wetlands, their spread, policy and associated schemes, its significance etc?' The 2nd part of the article is being presented to the readers for information.

The Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change on 31 May 2016 released the Draft Wetlands (Conservation and Management) Rules, 2016 for public comments. The new set of rules seeks to conserve and manage the wetlands across the country in a more effective way by replacing the Wetland (Conservation and Management) Rules of 2010.

The release of draft rules became necessitated in the backdrop of growing concern regarding the health of wetlands as their deterioration led to large scale destruction of natural and manmade environment recently.

For example, the Chennai flashfloods in November 2015 and Srinagar flash floods in September 2014, according to experts, was largely caused by severe damage inflicted upon the network of lakes and water bodies spread across the two cities that used to act as natural buffers/storage points of seasonal rain water.

What are the threats to wetlands?

Since the advent of industrialization and urbanization the wetlands came under severe threat due to increased anthropogenic-pressures. As per an estimate, has lost 38 percent of its wetlands between 1991 and 2001 alone.

  • Urbanization and land use changes: During the 90 year period from 1901 to 1991, the number of urban centres doubled while urban population has increased eightfold. This magnitude of growth exerted tremendous pressure on wetlands and flood plain areas for meeting water and food demand of growing population.
  • For example, the Kanwar lake in Bihar, Asia's largest freshwater oxbow lake, has shrunk to one-third of its size due to encroachment, much like Jammu and 's Dal lake. And, about 34000 hectares of the water spread area of the Kolleru lake (Andhra Pradesh) have been reclaimed for agriculture in recent years.
  • Agricultural residues: As a result of intensification of agricultural activities over the past four decades, fertilizer consumption in India has increased from about 2.8 million tonne in 1973–1974 to 28.3 million tonne in 2010–2011.
  • As per estimates, 10–15 percent of the nutrients added to the soils through fertilizers eventually find their way to the surface water system. High nutrient contents stimulate algal growth, leading to eutrophication of surface water bodies.
  • Municipal and Industrial pollution: Less than 31 percent of the domestic wastewater from Indian urban centres is treated, compared to 80 percent in the developed world, which is largely discharged in the natural water bodies such as streams and rivers.
  • For example, River Yamuna, which passes through 6 Indian States, receives about 1789 MLD of untreated waste water from the capital city of Delhi alone. This is about 78 percent of the total pollution load that flows in to the river every day.
  • Similarly, untreated industrial effluents have become a major threat to the survival of wetlands. For instance, the Bellandur Lake in Bengaluru city was ‘on fire' in May 2015 due to the discharge of effluents (especially nutrient rich foams) by the surrounding industries.
  • Climate Change: In 2007, the UNESCO estimated that Global climate change is expected to become an important driver of loss and change in wet-land ecosystem. These findings are important for India which has been experiencing the flood-drought-flood cycle for the last 2 decades.
  • As per a study, wetlands located in high altitude as well as coastal areas, like mangroves and coral reefs, are some of the most sensitive classes that will be affected by climate change.
  • For example, climate change caused rise in level of Tsomoriri Lake in , a glacial fed high altitude lake, thereby causing submerged important breeding islands in the lake where endangered migratory birds like the Black-necked Crane and Bar-headed Goose would breed.
  • As per an estimate, India will lose about 84 percent of coastal wetlands and 13 percent of saline wetlands with climate change induced sea water rise of 1 metre.

Apart from the above major threats, immersion of idols and religious ritual waste, introduction of exotic species, encroachments and unregulated aquaculture (e.g. Kolleru lake) backed by Bureaucrats-Politicians-Businessmen nexus, dredging, un planned urbanization and development projects  are some of the other dangers threatening the existence of wetlands across the country.

What the Draft Wetlands (Conservation and Management) Rules, 2016 proposes to face these threats?

  • The wetlands shall be conserved and managed in accordance with principle of ‘wise use' for maintaining their ecological integrity.
  • ‘Wise use of wetlands' was defined as the maintenance of their ecological character, achieved through implementation of ecosystem approaches, within the context of sustainable development.
  • It prohibited any diversion or impediment to natural water inflows and outflows of the wetland and activities having or likely to have an adverse impact on ecological character of the wetland.
  • Wetland Authority will be set up by the State Governments or UTs to deal with wetland conservation, regulation and management. The authority, which will be headed by the Chief Minister, will replace the now defunct CWRA.
  • For the purpose of managing wetlands having multiple issues, the concerned State Government or UT Administration may, if required, constitute a specific Wetland Authority. These steps towards decentralization are in tune with the powers bestowed on the State Government under the Entry 17 (water) of the Schedule VII of the Constitution.

However, these provisions were criticized environmental activities on the grounds that they relinquished the primary responsibility of the Union Government in conserving the wetlands, non-inclusion of experts, vague terms like ‘wise-use',  absence of rules regarding the trans-boundary wetlands, etc.

Conclusion

Wetlands are amongst the most productive ecosystems on the Earth. Historically, they have been at the centre of evolution of human civilization for millennia as they are means of precious ecological goods and services. However, unfortunately, they are also ecologically most sensitive eco-systems and are under threat due to increased anthropogenic-pressures.

As the theme of 2016 World Wetlands Day (2 February) rightly suggested wetlands are our future and are the means for ensuring sustainable livelihoods. Mahatma Gandhi's ingenious statement – “There is enough for everyone's need but not for everyone's greed” – is in fact better suited to illustrate and guide India's wetland policies and conservation strategies.

(Concluded)

Northlines
Northlines
The Northlines is an independent source on the Web for news, facts and figures relating to Jammu, Kashmir and Ladakh and its neighbourhood.

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