415
100 mm approx. The temperature generally
ranges from 4 to 45 °C. Sometimes, the minimum
may be <4 °C. Ropar’s historical signifi cance is
refl ected by the fact that Maharaja Ranjit Singh
and Lord William Bentinck had signed an agreement on defi ning the Anglo–Sikh relations and
territories, probably, on the shore of this wetland
on 26 October 1831. River Sutlej is the primary
infl ow. It has a total surface area of 1,365 ha
(which includes 30 ha under marshy land), while
its depth varies from 0.5 to 6.0 m. On an overall
basis, the water of Kanjli is of average to good
quality. The soil is well drained consisting mainly
of sandy loam. Ropar Wetland (listed as Ropar
Lake) is a Ramsar site.
Flora
The area is a Reserve Forest (RF). Principal vegetation includes thorny bushes, reeds, grasses and
sedges. A total of 19 species of trees and 14 species of bushes and grasses have been recorded.
Some of the trees are Acacia catechu, Ameles
modesta, Acacia nilotica, Albizia lebbeck,
Azadirachta indica, Bombax ceiba, Cassia fi stula,
Dalbergia sissoo, Eucalyptus tereticornis, Ficus
bengalensis, Ficus religiosa, Mangifera indica,
Melia azedarach, Moringa oleifera, Morus
indica, Prosopis julifl ora, Salix willow, Syzygium
cumini (jambul), Ziziphus jujuba, etc. Further,
some of the AM are Typha sp., Eleocharis sp.,
Sagittaria sp., Nymphaea sp., Potamogeton sp.,
Vallisneria sp., Eichhornia sp., Lemna sp., etc. In
addition, wheat, rice, sugarcane, sorghum, etc.,
are grown in the farm lands in the area surrounding the wetland, but the hills have thin vegetation
because they are exposed to intense grazing.
Fauna
Principal fauna include wild boar, jackal, mongoose, hare and fruit bat. Studies showed that
there are 10 species of protozoans, 11 species of
rotifers, 9 species of macro-crustaceans, 9 species of other arthropods, 35 species of fi shes, 4
species of amphibians (frogs), 5 species of lizards, 11 species of snakes, 154 species of birds
(migratory and local) and 9 species of mammals.
Plate 20.80 Ropar wetland
20.3 Wetlands of Other Regions in India
100 mm approx. The temperature generally
ranges from 4 to 45 °C. Sometimes, the minimum
may be <4 °C. Ropar’s historical signifi cance is
refl ected by the fact that Maharaja Ranjit Singh
and Lord William Bentinck had signed an agreement on defi ning the Anglo–Sikh relations and
territories, probably, on the shore of this wetland
on 26 October 1831. River Sutlej is the primary
infl ow. It has a total surface area of 1,365 ha
(which includes 30 ha under marshy land), while
its depth varies from 0.5 to 6.0 m. On an overall
basis, the water of Kanjli is of average to good
quality. The soil is well drained consisting mainly
of sandy loam. Ropar Wetland (listed as Ropar
Lake) is a Ramsar site.
Flora
The area is a Reserve Forest (RF). Principal vegetation includes thorny bushes, reeds, grasses and
sedges. A total of 19 species of trees and 14 species of bushes and grasses have been recorded.
Some of the trees are Acacia catechu, Ameles
modesta, Acacia nilotica, Albizia lebbeck,
Azadirachta indica, Bombax ceiba, Cassia fi stula,
Dalbergia sissoo, Eucalyptus tereticornis, Ficus
bengalensis, Ficus religiosa, Mangifera indica,
Melia azedarach, Moringa oleifera, Morus
indica, Prosopis julifl ora, Salix willow, Syzygium
cumini (jambul), Ziziphus jujuba, etc. Further,
some of the AM are Typha sp., Eleocharis sp.,
Sagittaria sp., Nymphaea sp., Potamogeton sp.,
Vallisneria sp., Eichhornia sp., Lemna sp., etc. In
addition, wheat, rice, sugarcane, sorghum, etc.,
are grown in the farm lands in the area surrounding the wetland, but the hills have thin vegetation
because they are exposed to intense grazing.
Fauna
Principal fauna include wild boar, jackal, mongoose, hare and fruit bat. Studies showed that
there are 10 species of protozoans, 11 species of
rotifers, 9 species of macro-crustaceans, 9 species of other arthropods, 35 species of fi shes, 4
species of amphibians (frogs), 5 species of lizards, 11 species of snakes, 154 species of birds
(migratory and local) and 9 species of mammals.
Plate 20.80 Ropar wetland
20.3 Wetlands of Other Regions in India