6.1 Multiplicity of Wetland Definitions and Management
Approaches
There is a multiplicity of definition and interpretation of wetlands used by different
ministries of the Government of India. The MoEFCC subscribes to the wider
definition of wetlands as agreed to in the text of Ramsar Convention, yet operates
multiple schemes to fund conservation of different wetland types. While the NPCA
guidelines call for catchment scale planning for wetlands (MoEFCC 2019), the
guidelines for management planning for protected area (Sawarkar 2005) used as a
reference for wetlands designated as of location within the protected area network
underplay the role of hydrological regimes and catchment scale processes. The
Ministry of Jal Shakti on the other hand distinguishes between wetlands and water
bodies. The National Water Policy of 2012 mentions wetlands only once, together
with water bodies, with restoration efforts recommended to be directed to the latter
(MoWR 2012). The manual prepared for census of water bodies uses a diffuse
definition and indicates these entities to be any area of water, salty or fresh, large
and small, distinct from one another in various ways (GoI 2018a). The minor
irrigation census includes only those water bodies which are used for storing water
or other purposes, and excludes lagoons, mangroves and other coastal systems (GoI
2018a). The Water Resources Information System of the MoWR includes information on water bodies and does not use the term wetlands at all. The Department
of Land Resources of the Ministry of Rural Development in their inventory of
wastelands includes several wetland categories (such as waterlogged and marshy
land, land affected by salinity, sands coastal and snow glacier-dominated areas), but
excludes water bodies (GoI 2019b).
6.2 Limited Effort to Translate Information on Wetlands
Structure to Wetland Functions
For wetlands to be considered within water resources planning and
decision-making, an inventory which renders an understanding of how wetlands
function and deliver their hydrological functions may be more relevant, using
approaches, such as hydro-geomorphic classification of wetlands (Brinson 1993).
The classification used in wetlands inventories prepared by the MoEFCC is based
on a mix of parameters, key being morphology, vegetation and inundation
(Panigrahy et al. 2012; Garg 2015). This information is useful to give a broad
understanding of wetlands structure and key influencing ecosystem processes. The
inventory of water bodies under the irrigation census or water resources information
system does not dwell much on types and instead looks at their use and water
source. Inventory of water bodies prepared for use in water resources planning such
as the minor irrigation census or river basin atlases tends to obfuscate wetlands
types clubbing them into ecologically meaningless categories.
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R. Kumar et al.
Approaches
There is a multiplicity of definition and interpretation of wetlands used by different
ministries of the Government of India. The MoEFCC subscribes to the wider
definition of wetlands as agreed to in the text of Ramsar Convention, yet operates
multiple schemes to fund conservation of different wetland types. While the NPCA
guidelines call for catchment scale planning for wetlands (MoEFCC 2019), the
guidelines for management planning for protected area (Sawarkar 2005) used as a
reference for wetlands designated as of location within the protected area network
underplay the role of hydrological regimes and catchment scale processes. The
Ministry of Jal Shakti on the other hand distinguishes between wetlands and water
bodies. The National Water Policy of 2012 mentions wetlands only once, together
with water bodies, with restoration efforts recommended to be directed to the latter
(MoWR 2012). The manual prepared for census of water bodies uses a diffuse
definition and indicates these entities to be any area of water, salty or fresh, large
and small, distinct from one another in various ways (GoI 2018a). The minor
irrigation census includes only those water bodies which are used for storing water
or other purposes, and excludes lagoons, mangroves and other coastal systems (GoI
2018a). The Water Resources Information System of the MoWR includes information on water bodies and does not use the term wetlands at all. The Department
of Land Resources of the Ministry of Rural Development in their inventory of
wastelands includes several wetland categories (such as waterlogged and marshy
land, land affected by salinity, sands coastal and snow glacier-dominated areas), but
excludes water bodies (GoI 2019b).
6.2 Limited Effort to Translate Information on Wetlands
Structure to Wetland Functions
For wetlands to be considered within water resources planning and
decision-making, an inventory which renders an understanding of how wetlands
function and deliver their hydrological functions may be more relevant, using
approaches, such as hydro-geomorphic classification of wetlands (Brinson 1993).
The classification used in wetlands inventories prepared by the MoEFCC is based
on a mix of parameters, key being morphology, vegetation and inundation
(Panigrahy et al. 2012; Garg 2015). This information is useful to give a broad
understanding of wetlands structure and key influencing ecosystem processes. The
inventory of water bodies under the irrigation census or water resources information
system does not dwell much on types and instead looks at their use and water
source. Inventory of water bodies prepared for use in water resources planning such
as the minor irrigation census or river basin atlases tends to obfuscate wetlands
types clubbing them into ecologically meaningless categories.
120
R. Kumar et al.