| Wetlands
Environment
: Overview of Wetlands in Assam
Preservation
of wetlands
KC Patar
Wetlands
are areas which are submerged under water or water-saturated land
permanently or for part of the year. The water table is usually
at or near the surface of or the land is covered by shallow water.
They include marshes, swamps, flood plains, bogs, peat lands,
shallow ponds and littoral zones of large water bodies. Wetlands
are formed when the excess of water accumulate on the surface
of soil and make water-logging on the land during major part or
whole year. This water accumulation on this surface of soil is
due to impeded drainage conditions.
The Ramsar Convention defines wetlands as areas of marsh, fen,
peat land or water whether natural or artificial, permanent or
temporary, with water that is static or flowing, fresh, brackish
or saltish, including areas of marine water the depth of which
at low tides does not exceed six metres. Ramsar further incorporates
into its consideration for listing riparian and coastal zones
adjacent to the wetlands, and islands or bodies of marine water
deeper than six metres at low tide lying within the wetlands.
Ramsar categorises wetlands into (i) estuaries, mangroves and
tidal flates; (ii) flood plains and deltas; (iii) freshwater marshes;
(iv) lakes; (v) peatlands and (vi) forested wetlands.
On February 2, 1971, the Convention on Wetland was signed in a
place called Ramsar in Iran. This convention is therefore popularly
known as the Ramsar Convention. This convention of wetlands is
an inter governmental treaty. Since then, February 2 is celebrated
as “World Wetlands Day”. It marks the date of signing
of the convention on wetlands. The convention on wetlands provides
the frame work for national action and international cooperation
on the conservation and sustainable use of wetlands. It is one
of the oldest global inter-governmental environmental treaties
and originated in the 1960s with recognition of the urgent need
to safeguard wetland habitats and coastal and near shore marine
systems. There are now 145 contracting parties to the convention.
As on February 2005, 1435 wetlands of international importance
have been designated, totalling 125.1 million hectares.
Wetlands harbour a wide variety of flora and fauna, all of great
economic, aesthetic and scientific importance. Wetlands are suitable
habitats for fish, tortoises and some endangered and rare species
of birds. As an ecosystem, wetlands are useful for nutrient recovery
and cycling, releasing excess nitrogen, removing toxins, chemical
and heavy water through absorption by plants. Wetlands help in
mitigating floods, recharging aquifers and reducing surface run
off and consequent erosion. During times of floods, they act as
sponge which hold water and release it slowly, allowing ground
water to recharge. Also, they are excellent cleansers of pollutants
discharge into the water. Mangrove wetlands act as buffer against
devastating storms. Some of the wetlands provide valuable areas
for education research and recreation and tourism
India has rich variety of wetland habitats. The total area of
wetlands (excluding rivers) in India is 58,286,000 ha, or 18.4
per cent of the country, 70 per cent of which comprises areas
under paddy cultivation. A total of 1,193 wetlands, covering an
area of about 3,904,543 ha, were recorded in preliminary inventory
coordinated by the department of science and technology, of which
572 were natural. There are eight different categories of wetlands
in India differentiated by region. The flood plain of the Brahmaputra
(Beels) and the marshes and swamps in the hills of North East
and the Himalayan foot hills are such two categories.
Deepor beel of Assam is one of the 21 national wetlands which
have been declared so far. Six sites have already been designated
under the Convention of Wetlands of International Importance (Ramsar
Convention) are Chilika, Keoladeo Ghana National Park, Sambhar,
Wullar, Loktak and Harike dam. The wildlife and birds sanctuary
at Point Claimer in Tamil Nadu and 10 other wetlands have been
recently included in the international Ramsar list of wetlands,
which makes them eligible for a global package for conservation.
Deepor Beel of Assam which is a fresh water lake has also been
included in the list.
Wetland resources are very rich in our country which exhibit significant
ecological diversity because of variability in climatic conditions
and in topography. India is known to support 1225 species of birds,
out of these 257 species are water birds. The most abundant and
regular winter migrants are the ducks and geese, waders or shore
birds and cranes. Wetlands are important habitats for the conservation
of all species of water birds including both migratory and resident
birds. Wetlands are used by the migratory birds as winter feeding
habitat. Wetlands in India are also a key breeding area for many
other water birds such as pygmy cormorant, pelicans, ruddy-shedluck,
lesser white fronted goose, siberian crane, different species
of storks, white winged wood duck and egrets etc. Therefore, India
has attached great importance for the preservation of wetlands
so that sustainable ecosystem is maintained.
The conservation and management of water birds is a priority under
the National Wildlife Action Plan (2002-2016) duly supported by
the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972. The action plan provides
legal framework relating to migratory birds and wetlands. In addition
there are various other legislations such as Environmental Protection
Act, Indian Forest Act, Pollution Control Act and Coastal Zone
Regulatory Act which support prevention and management of wetlands
and migratory water birds etc. India has about 81 species of migrant
water fowls which are seasonal immigrants, mostly from Palae-arctic
region beyond the Himalayas — in central and northern Asia,
and eastern and northern Europe. India remains in the core central
region of the Central Asian Flyway (CAF) and holds some crucial
important wintering population of water birds species.
Assam has 3,512 wetlands each having areas over 2.25 ha and 1,120
wetlands each having areas less than 2.25 ha. Most of the wetlands
in the Brahmaputra valley are oxbow lakes and hence bigger in
sizes. During the period of 30s and 40s many wetlands known as
beels, marshes and swamps were found to be seen in the rural areas.
These wetlands were found to be very productive. In the fringe
areas of the wetlands, different species of plants of economic
importance grew. The rural people were not at all worried about
the housing materials which were readily available. All were free
goods and collected without any price.
Wetlands everywhere have come under severe threat as a result
of ongoing drainage, land reclamation, over exploitation for their
resources. Once Assam was dotted with innumerable wetlands both
big and small. Now some of the wetlands have been completely wiped
out. The fringe areas of the wetlands have been either encroached
or settled for cultivation. Small wetlands which dry up during
dry months are completely encroached and brought under cultivation.
Wetlands are being destroyed by draining and land filling. In
town areas the water is pumped out or drained so that the area
can be used for buildings, industries or fields. Wetland ecosystem
is greatly disturbed because of over exploitation of resources.
Most of the beels are sold on auction for commercial fishing.
In this process of fishing, over exploitation of fish resources
take place leaving no scope for future breeding of fishes. Pesticides
and fertilizers applied in the nearby cultivated field, are washed
down to the beels and thereby water become heavily polluted. As
a result the wetland ecosystem is greatly damaged.
(Published on the occasion of Wildlife Week.) Source
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