Army joins project to restore wetland to international glory

The project — a joint initiative of the Army, the state government, the Worldwide Wildlife Fund (WWF-India), certain non-governmental organisations (NGOs) and the people of Punjab — is a unique blend of cooperation and perhaps the only way to restore Harike lake, formed at the confluence of the Sutlej and Beas rivers, to its rightful place as an international wetland. About 20,000 migratory birds of various species arrive here every winter to rest, roost and feed.

The project, which involves mechanical removal of the hyacinth from the lake, has been divided into two phases. The first phase would be from August to November and the second from March to May, after the migratory birds have flown back to their native lands.

The Punjab government has earmarked Rs 75 lakh for the project, of which Rs 10 lakh has already been released to the Army authorities, that is the Vajra Corps under whose command this project is being executed.

The project envisages removal of the water hyacinth by mechanical cum manual means from the lake, which is one of the six wetlands of international importance in the country. To achieve this uphill task, several innovations like rakers, motorised winches and dynamic booms have been designed and fabricated by the Army engineers stationed at the Ferozepur Division Headquarters.

The Army commanders, while giving a live demonstration, explained that rakers would be thrown over the hyacinth plants by a group of Army personnel in boats. These rakers would be pulled by motorised winches and the water plant would be lifted out of the water and deposited into vehicles.

As the hyacinth is a free floating plant and moves with the water current and with the wind, the Army is using dynamic booms fabricated out of poles and nylon ropes to prevent the plant from re-entering a cleared area. The boomd are also being used to prevent the hyacinth from going into the Rajasthan and Ferozepur feeder canals, which begin from this lake.

This type of workable model of pulling out the hyacinth could become a model for wetland managers to emulate, Army commanders feel.

Besides removal of hyacinth, which would give the birds a larger surface area for resting and feeding, the project also includes benchmarking and technical documentation by study teams with a view to develop management information system. The Army and the government would also undertake the task of educating locals of the ill effect of encroachments, poaching and illegal fishing under this project.

The Army would also prepare a film on restoration of Harike wetland for mass awareness, besides undertaking afforestation of native tree species in selected areas of the wetland along with the government. A beginning in this was made today with the Governor and Chief Minister planting a sampling each.

According to commanders, with the given equipment, each Army team would be able to clear a 2,000-sq m area per day of the hyacinth. Currently, four teams of the Army are in operation simultaneously.