292
8. Ponds/tanks, man-made wetlands , e.g. Harike
in Punjab and Pong Dam in Himachal Pradesh
9. Reservoirs , e.g. Idukki, Hirakud Dam,
Bhakra–Nangal Dam, Umiam Dam, Kopili
Dam, Khadakwasla Dam and Panchet Dam
10. Mangroves , e.g. Bhitarkanika in Orissa
11. Coral reefs , e.g. Lakshadweep
12. Creeks , Thane Creek in Maharashtra, etc.
20.1.3 Status of Wetlands in India
India is blessed with water resources in the form
of numerous rivers and streams. By virtue of its
geographical position and varied terrain and climatic zones, it supports a rich diversity of inland
and coastal wetlands. Wetlands distributed from
the cold arid Trans-Himalayan zone to wet Terai
regions of Himalayan foothills and Gangetic
plains extend to the fl oodplains of the Brahmaputra
and the Barak rivers, swamps of northeastern
(NE) India and also the saline expanses of Gujarat
and Rajasthan. Along the east and west coasts,
wetlands occur in the deltaic regions to the wet
humid zones of southern peninsula and beyond
to the Andaman and Nicobar Islands and
Lakshadweep. India also shares several of its wetlands in the Sundarbans deltas with Bangladesh.
These wetland systems are directly or indirectly
associated with river systems of the Ganges,
Brahmaputra, Barak, Narmada, Tapti, Godavari,
Krishna and Cauvery. Southern peninsular India
has very few natural wetlands, although there are
a number of man- made water storage reservoirs
constructed virtually in every village known as
‘tanks’ providing water for human needs and nesting sites for a variety of avifauna.
Wetlands have been drained and transformed
by anthropogenic activities like unplanned urban
and agricultural development, industrial sites,
road construction, impoundment, resource
extraction and dredge disposal causing substantial long-term economic and ecological loss.
However, correct data on loss of wetlands in
India are not available. However, survey conducted by the Wildlife Institute of India (WII)
revealed that 70–80 % of the freshwater marshes
and lakes in the Gangetic fl oodplains have been
lost in the last fi ve decades. At present, only
approx. 50 % of India’s wetlands exist. They are
being lost at 2–3 % every year. Indian mangrove
areas have been halved almost from 700,000 ha
in 1987 to 453,000 ha in 1995.
The Directory of Indian Wetlands published
by the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF)India and Asian Wetland Bureau in 1995 records
147 wetland sites. It was revealed that c 32 % of
these sites were lost primarily through hunting
and associated disturbances, while c 22 % were
lost due to human settlements. Further, c 19 %
were lost due to fi shing and associated disturbances, and 23 % through drainage for agriculture. Removal of vegetation in the catchment
leads to soil erosion and siltation which is estimated to contribute to >15 % of wetland loss.
c 20 % of wetlands have been lost mainly due
to pollution from industries (WCMC 1998 ). A
recent study based on remote sensing shows
existence of only 4,000 km
2 area of mangrove
resource in India. The present rate of wetland
loss in India could lead to serious consequences
as large populations of human beings and
other biota depend on these wetlands.
India accounts for c 16 % of the world’s
population in 2.42 % of the earth’s surface.
About 74 % of India’s population is rural.
Diverse types of wetlands are distributed in different provinces of India (Tables 20.1 and 20.2 ).
Wetlands are under stress due to different
anthropogenic activities. The Indians are closely
associated with wetlands since the Indus Valley
Civilisation, which fl ourished along the banks
of River Indus. The waterbodies and their
resources have been an integral part of the social
and cultural ethos of the Indians. People living
close to wetlands follow the natural cycle of
fl oods and adjust themselves to the seasonal
movements of the fi sh. The fi shes are harvested
based mainly on changing water levels. Due to
poor resource base and livelihood insecurity in
some parts of the country, there is generally irrational harvest from the wetlands. Such activities
lead to rapid degradation and destruction of the
wetlands. Almost an equivalent situation is in
vogue in different parts of India and its neighbouring countries.
20 Wetlands of India
8. Ponds/tanks, man-made wetlands , e.g. Harike
in Punjab and Pong Dam in Himachal Pradesh
9. Reservoirs , e.g. Idukki, Hirakud Dam,
Bhakra–Nangal Dam, Umiam Dam, Kopili
Dam, Khadakwasla Dam and Panchet Dam
10. Mangroves , e.g. Bhitarkanika in Orissa
11. Coral reefs , e.g. Lakshadweep
12. Creeks , Thane Creek in Maharashtra, etc.
20.1.3 Status of Wetlands in India
India is blessed with water resources in the form
of numerous rivers and streams. By virtue of its
geographical position and varied terrain and climatic zones, it supports a rich diversity of inland
and coastal wetlands. Wetlands distributed from
the cold arid Trans-Himalayan zone to wet Terai
regions of Himalayan foothills and Gangetic
plains extend to the fl oodplains of the Brahmaputra
and the Barak rivers, swamps of northeastern
(NE) India and also the saline expanses of Gujarat
and Rajasthan. Along the east and west coasts,
wetlands occur in the deltaic regions to the wet
humid zones of southern peninsula and beyond
to the Andaman and Nicobar Islands and
Lakshadweep. India also shares several of its wetlands in the Sundarbans deltas with Bangladesh.
These wetland systems are directly or indirectly
associated with river systems of the Ganges,
Brahmaputra, Barak, Narmada, Tapti, Godavari,
Krishna and Cauvery. Southern peninsular India
has very few natural wetlands, although there are
a number of man- made water storage reservoirs
constructed virtually in every village known as
‘tanks’ providing water for human needs and nesting sites for a variety of avifauna.
Wetlands have been drained and transformed
by anthropogenic activities like unplanned urban
and agricultural development, industrial sites,
road construction, impoundment, resource
extraction and dredge disposal causing substantial long-term economic and ecological loss.
However, correct data on loss of wetlands in
India are not available. However, survey conducted by the Wildlife Institute of India (WII)
revealed that 70–80 % of the freshwater marshes
and lakes in the Gangetic fl oodplains have been
lost in the last fi ve decades. At present, only
approx. 50 % of India’s wetlands exist. They are
being lost at 2–3 % every year. Indian mangrove
areas have been halved almost from 700,000 ha
in 1987 to 453,000 ha in 1995.
The Directory of Indian Wetlands published
by the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF)India and Asian Wetland Bureau in 1995 records
147 wetland sites. It was revealed that c 32 % of
these sites were lost primarily through hunting
and associated disturbances, while c 22 % were
lost due to human settlements. Further, c 19 %
were lost due to fi shing and associated disturbances, and 23 % through drainage for agriculture. Removal of vegetation in the catchment
leads to soil erosion and siltation which is estimated to contribute to >15 % of wetland loss.
c 20 % of wetlands have been lost mainly due
to pollution from industries (WCMC 1998 ). A
recent study based on remote sensing shows
existence of only 4,000 km
2 area of mangrove
resource in India. The present rate of wetland
loss in India could lead to serious consequences
as large populations of human beings and
other biota depend on these wetlands.
India accounts for c 16 % of the world’s
population in 2.42 % of the earth’s surface.
About 74 % of India’s population is rural.
Diverse types of wetlands are distributed in different provinces of India (Tables 20.1 and 20.2 ).
Wetlands are under stress due to different
anthropogenic activities. The Indians are closely
associated with wetlands since the Indus Valley
Civilisation, which fl ourished along the banks
of River Indus. The waterbodies and their
resources have been an integral part of the social
and cultural ethos of the Indians. People living
close to wetlands follow the natural cycle of
fl oods and adjust themselves to the seasonal
movements of the fi sh. The fi shes are harvested
based mainly on changing water levels. Due to
poor resource base and livelihood insecurity in
some parts of the country, there is generally irrational harvest from the wetlands. Such activities
lead to rapid degradation and destruction of the
wetlands. Almost an equivalent situation is in
vogue in different parts of India and its neighbouring countries.
20 Wetlands of India