632
forming c 1.32 % of the state’s total area. This
itself is an indication of its wetland potential.
2. Besides providing with fi shes for nutrition,
habitat for biota, etc., the wetlands also
provide livelihood support to many people.
They also help in navigation and fl ood
management.
3. As an example, Harike Wetland is a multifaceted habitat for a wide variety of organisms.
Keeping in view the present land use pattern,
water spread, turbidity and aquatic vegetation,
it has to be cared and conserved.
Problems
(a) The wetlands now occupy c 0.46 % of the
state’s total area. The total area under wetlands, which are >10 ha, is just c 15,000 ha.
Further, about 32 natural wetlands, which
had existed in the early 1940s, are extinct
today. All these are glaring examples of
grave problems in the wetlands scenario of
Punjab.
(b) Further , siltation, pollution, eutrophication,
encroachment, etc., are some of the general
problems of the wetlands.
(c) A list of extinct wetlands (which are now
cultivable lands and, hence, said to be
‘extinct’) of Punjab may be pertinent to note
here in order to assess the gravity of situation: Bhupinder Sagar, Patiala (earlier area
1,280 ha), Chhangli Chhamb in Ferozepur
(earlier area 1,000 ha), Chhangli Tabo in
Ferozepur (140 ha), Chhamb Gurditiwala,
Ferozepur (100 ha), Sangeri in Mansa
(41 ha), Sharamkot in Gurdaspur (12 ha),
Gaunspur Chhamb in Hoshiarpur (100 ha),
Jandwal Chhamb in Hoshiarpur (100 ha)
Rahon de Chhamb in Jalandhar (300 ha), etc.
(d) As an example, some of the problems in
Harike wetland are weed infestation, siltation, pollution, etc.
29.2.5.9 In Jammu and Kashmir
(J and K)
In J and K, the wetlands are precious resources, but
are being rapidly lost due to population pressure
and indiscriminate exploitation. Such functions of
wetlands generally go unnoticed.
Potentials
1. The wetlands are decentralised water storage
systems which allow people to maintain their
subsistence over a very long span of time.
However, their value also needs to be assessed
in terms of the role they play in shaping the
social and cultural milieu of a particular
community.
2. Besides providing with fi shes for nutrition,
habitat for biota, earnings of the administration through tourism, etc., the wetlands also
provide livelihood support to many people.
They also help in navigation and fl ood
management.
Problems
(a) The recent millennium assessment of ecosystems puts freshwater biodiversity as the
most threatened of all types of biodiversity.
(b) Siltation, pollution, eutrophication, encroachment, etc., are some of the general problems
of the wetlands in J and K. Even wetlandrelated tourism may be a concern for the
health of the wetlands in J and K.
(c) Further, as an example, the famous Dal Lake
of Kashmir, which is located at 1,584 m
MSL, has undergone tremendous changes
due to various anthropogenic pressures.
Further, most of these ecosystems have been
dried up and reclaimed for fulfi lling an insatiable demand for land. According to one
estimate, c 50 % of the world’s wetlands
have already been lost.
29.2.5.10 In Rajasthan
In Rajasthan, the wetlands scenario encircle
around Bharatpur Lake and the Keoladeo NP and
the lakes in Jaipur, Udaipur, etc.
Potentials
1. Besides providing with fi shes for nutrition
(many are vegetarians here), habitat for biota,
recreation and sports, earnings of the administration through tourism, etc., the wetlands
also provide livelihood support to many people. They also help in navigation and fl ood
management.
2. Sambhar Lake is a source of salt.
29 Potentials and Problems of Wetlands
forming c 1.32 % of the state’s total area. This
itself is an indication of its wetland potential.
2. Besides providing with fi shes for nutrition,
habitat for biota, etc., the wetlands also
provide livelihood support to many people.
They also help in navigation and fl ood
management.
3. As an example, Harike Wetland is a multifaceted habitat for a wide variety of organisms.
Keeping in view the present land use pattern,
water spread, turbidity and aquatic vegetation,
it has to be cared and conserved.
Problems
(a) The wetlands now occupy c 0.46 % of the
state’s total area. The total area under wetlands, which are >10 ha, is just c 15,000 ha.
Further, about 32 natural wetlands, which
had existed in the early 1940s, are extinct
today. All these are glaring examples of
grave problems in the wetlands scenario of
Punjab.
(b) Further , siltation, pollution, eutrophication,
encroachment, etc., are some of the general
problems of the wetlands.
(c) A list of extinct wetlands (which are now
cultivable lands and, hence, said to be
‘extinct’) of Punjab may be pertinent to note
here in order to assess the gravity of situation: Bhupinder Sagar, Patiala (earlier area
1,280 ha), Chhangli Chhamb in Ferozepur
(earlier area 1,000 ha), Chhangli Tabo in
Ferozepur (140 ha), Chhamb Gurditiwala,
Ferozepur (100 ha), Sangeri in Mansa
(41 ha), Sharamkot in Gurdaspur (12 ha),
Gaunspur Chhamb in Hoshiarpur (100 ha),
Jandwal Chhamb in Hoshiarpur (100 ha)
Rahon de Chhamb in Jalandhar (300 ha), etc.
(d) As an example, some of the problems in
Harike wetland are weed infestation, siltation, pollution, etc.
29.2.5.9 In Jammu and Kashmir
(J and K)
In J and K, the wetlands are precious resources, but
are being rapidly lost due to population pressure
and indiscriminate exploitation. Such functions of
wetlands generally go unnoticed.
Potentials
1. The wetlands are decentralised water storage
systems which allow people to maintain their
subsistence over a very long span of time.
However, their value also needs to be assessed
in terms of the role they play in shaping the
social and cultural milieu of a particular
community.
2. Besides providing with fi shes for nutrition,
habitat for biota, earnings of the administration through tourism, etc., the wetlands also
provide livelihood support to many people.
They also help in navigation and fl ood
management.
Problems
(a) The recent millennium assessment of ecosystems puts freshwater biodiversity as the
most threatened of all types of biodiversity.
(b) Siltation, pollution, eutrophication, encroachment, etc., are some of the general problems
of the wetlands in J and K. Even wetlandrelated tourism may be a concern for the
health of the wetlands in J and K.
(c) Further, as an example, the famous Dal Lake
of Kashmir, which is located at 1,584 m
MSL, has undergone tremendous changes
due to various anthropogenic pressures.
Further, most of these ecosystems have been
dried up and reclaimed for fulfi lling an insatiable demand for land. According to one
estimate, c 50 % of the world’s wetlands
have already been lost.
29.2.5.10 In Rajasthan
In Rajasthan, the wetlands scenario encircle
around Bharatpur Lake and the Keoladeo NP and
the lakes in Jaipur, Udaipur, etc.
Potentials
1. Besides providing with fi shes for nutrition
(many are vegetarians here), habitat for biota,
recreation and sports, earnings of the administration through tourism, etc., the wetlands
also provide livelihood support to many people. They also help in navigation and fl ood
management.
2. Sambhar Lake is a source of salt.
29 Potentials and Problems of Wetlands