291
and semi-arid regions; coastal wetlands such as
lagoons, backwaters and estuaries, mangrove
swamps, coral reefs and marine wetlands; and so
on. In addition to the various types of natural
wetlands, a large number of man-made wetlands,
like reservoirs, shallow ponds and numerous
tanks, also contribute to the faunal and fl oral
diversity and add to the country’s wetland wealth
(Kar 2007a ).
According to another estimate, wetlands in
India occupy 58.2 million ha, including areas
under wet paddy cultivation (WWF Directory of
Indian Wetlands). Most of the inland wetlands
are directly or indirectly dependent on the major
rivers like Ganga, Brahmaputra, Barak, Narmada,
Godavari, Krishna, Kaveri, Mahanadi and Tapti.
(A) Himalayan Wetlands
Ladakh and Zanskar, Pangong Tso, Tso
Morad, Chantau, Noorichan, Chushul and
Hanlay marshes
(a) Kashmir Valley and Uttarakhand
1. J and K: Dal, Anchar, Wular, Haigam,
Malgam, Haukersar and Kranchu lakes
2. Uttarakhand: Nainital (Nayani tal),
Bhimtal, Naukuchiatal, Sat tal, etc.
(b) The Eastern Himalayas
Numerous wetlands in Assam, Meghalaya,
Manipur, Nagaland, Mizoram, Tripura,
Arunachal Pradesh, and Sikkim. Amongst
others, these include Beels, Haors and
Anuas of the Barak and Brahmaputra
valleys.
(B) Indo-Gangetic Wetlands
The Indo-Gangetic fl oodplain is the largest
wetland system in India, extending from the
River Indus in the northwest to the River
Brahmaputra in the east. This region includes
the wetlands of the Himalayan Terai and the
Indo-Gangetic plains.
(C) Coastal Wetlands
The vast intertidal areas, mangroves and
lagoons along the 7,500-km-long coastline
in West Bengal, Orissa, Andhra Pradesh,
Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Karnataka, Goa,
Maharashtra and Gujarat serve as examples
of coastal wetlands. Mangrove forests of the
Sundarbans and the Andaman and Nicobar
Islands and offshore coral reefs of Gulf of
Kutch, Gulf of Mannar, Lakshadweep and
Andaman and Nicobar Islands could also be
considered as examples of coastal wetlands.
(D) Deccan Wetlands
A few natural wetlands, but innumerable small
and large reservoirs and several water storage
tanks in almost every village in the region
20.1.2 Detailed Classifi cation
of Wetlands
The wetlands could be classifi ed in the following
way: According to a different estimate, in India, a
total area of c 40,494 km
2 is classifi ed as wetlands.
This accounts for c 1.21 % of the total land surface.
Most of the wetlands in India are directly or
indirectly linked with major river systems such
as the Ganga, the Brahmaputra, the Barak, the
Cauvery, the Krishna, the Godavari and the Tapti.
The variability in climatic conditions and changing
topography is responsible for signifi cant diversity.
They are classifi ed into different types based
on their origin, vegetation, nutrient status and
thermal characteristics, like the following:
1. Glacial wetlands (e.g. Tsomoriri in Jammu
and Kashmir; Chandertal in Himachal Pradesh)
2. Tectonic wetlands , e.g. Neelnag in Jammu
and Kashmir; Khajjiar in Himachal Pradesh;
Nainital, Bhimtal, etc., in Uttarakhand; and
Sone Beel, Chandubi Beel, etc., in Assam
3. Oxbow wetlands , e.g. the ‘Anuas’ in Barak
valley like the Baskandi Anua and Rupairbala
Anua, the Gomati Anua at Amarpur in
Tripura, Kabar in Bihar and Surahtal in UP
4. Lagoons , e.g. Chilika in Orissa
5. Crater wetlands , Lonar Lake in Maharashtra
6. Saltwater wetlands , e.g. Pangong Tso in
Jammu and Kashmir and Sambhar in Rajasthan
7. Urban wetlands , e.g. Dal Lake in J and K,
Nainital in Uttarakhand and Bhoj in Madhya
Pradesh
20.1 Indian Freshwater Marshes
and semi-arid regions; coastal wetlands such as
lagoons, backwaters and estuaries, mangrove
swamps, coral reefs and marine wetlands; and so
on. In addition to the various types of natural
wetlands, a large number of man-made wetlands,
like reservoirs, shallow ponds and numerous
tanks, also contribute to the faunal and fl oral
diversity and add to the country’s wetland wealth
(Kar 2007a ).
According to another estimate, wetlands in
India occupy 58.2 million ha, including areas
under wet paddy cultivation (WWF Directory of
Indian Wetlands). Most of the inland wetlands
are directly or indirectly dependent on the major
rivers like Ganga, Brahmaputra, Barak, Narmada,
Godavari, Krishna, Kaveri, Mahanadi and Tapti.
(A) Himalayan Wetlands
Ladakh and Zanskar, Pangong Tso, Tso
Morad, Chantau, Noorichan, Chushul and
Hanlay marshes
(a) Kashmir Valley and Uttarakhand
1. J and K: Dal, Anchar, Wular, Haigam,
Malgam, Haukersar and Kranchu lakes
2. Uttarakhand: Nainital (Nayani tal),
Bhimtal, Naukuchiatal, Sat tal, etc.
(b) The Eastern Himalayas
Numerous wetlands in Assam, Meghalaya,
Manipur, Nagaland, Mizoram, Tripura,
Arunachal Pradesh, and Sikkim. Amongst
others, these include Beels, Haors and
Anuas of the Barak and Brahmaputra
valleys.
(B) Indo-Gangetic Wetlands
The Indo-Gangetic fl oodplain is the largest
wetland system in India, extending from the
River Indus in the northwest to the River
Brahmaputra in the east. This region includes
the wetlands of the Himalayan Terai and the
Indo-Gangetic plains.
(C) Coastal Wetlands
The vast intertidal areas, mangroves and
lagoons along the 7,500-km-long coastline
in West Bengal, Orissa, Andhra Pradesh,
Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Karnataka, Goa,
Maharashtra and Gujarat serve as examples
of coastal wetlands. Mangrove forests of the
Sundarbans and the Andaman and Nicobar
Islands and offshore coral reefs of Gulf of
Kutch, Gulf of Mannar, Lakshadweep and
Andaman and Nicobar Islands could also be
considered as examples of coastal wetlands.
(D) Deccan Wetlands
A few natural wetlands, but innumerable small
and large reservoirs and several water storage
tanks in almost every village in the region
20.1.2 Detailed Classifi cation
of Wetlands
The wetlands could be classifi ed in the following
way: According to a different estimate, in India, a
total area of c 40,494 km
2 is classifi ed as wetlands.
This accounts for c 1.21 % of the total land surface.
Most of the wetlands in India are directly or
indirectly linked with major river systems such
as the Ganga, the Brahmaputra, the Barak, the
Cauvery, the Krishna, the Godavari and the Tapti.
The variability in climatic conditions and changing
topography is responsible for signifi cant diversity.
They are classifi ed into different types based
on their origin, vegetation, nutrient status and
thermal characteristics, like the following:
1. Glacial wetlands (e.g. Tsomoriri in Jammu
and Kashmir; Chandertal in Himachal Pradesh)
2. Tectonic wetlands , e.g. Neelnag in Jammu
and Kashmir; Khajjiar in Himachal Pradesh;
Nainital, Bhimtal, etc., in Uttarakhand; and
Sone Beel, Chandubi Beel, etc., in Assam
3. Oxbow wetlands , e.g. the ‘Anuas’ in Barak
valley like the Baskandi Anua and Rupairbala
Anua, the Gomati Anua at Amarpur in
Tripura, Kabar in Bihar and Surahtal in UP
4. Lagoons , e.g. Chilika in Orissa
5. Crater wetlands , Lonar Lake in Maharashtra
6. Saltwater wetlands , e.g. Pangong Tso in
Jammu and Kashmir and Sambhar in Rajasthan
7. Urban wetlands , e.g. Dal Lake in J and K,
Nainital in Uttarakhand and Bhoj in Madhya
Pradesh
20.1 Indian Freshwater Marshes