Wetlands: High and dry

The Centre puts the figure of surviving wetlands at 14, including 12 natural and two man-made. According to the latest survey by the Punjab State Council for Science and Technology, the nodal agency on wetland preservation and conservation in the state, the total wetland area in Punjab is 3,711 hectare, out of which about 918 hectare is outside water in the form of small islands in the middle of wetlands.

“Some wetlands, including the Bhupinder Sagar in Patiala and Rahon de Chhamb in Jalandhar, were as large as 1,280 hectares and 350 hectares, respectively, but the locals have filled them up and started cultivation on its bed,” says Dr S S Ladhar, PSCST joint director (environment) who has conducted a survey of the wetlands in Punjab three years ago. His study, ‘Wetland conservation in Punjab’, done in 2005 under the purview of the PSCST, blames the swelling needs of the ever-swelling population, human insensitivity and lack of information.

The council had identified eight wetlands of economic potential five years ago and authorities say, “We are doing our best to suggest ways and means to save the wetlands we have. Harike and Kanjli wetlands, for example, have been sustaining themselves well.”

The council pegs the number of surviving wetlands at 32, a number that counts the now-extinct ones, including Badha and Gang Baksh in Ferozepur district and Lobana and Bhupinder Sagar in Patiala district. But a list of important wetlands of the state, as per the PSCST, includes 13 wetlands, including the man-made Harike and Nangal.

As per a study done by M Singh and K Brar, Punjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana, “Since 1960s, wetlands in the state were drained and reclaimed for either cultivation or urbanisation. As a result, only 11 per cent of the natural wetlands remain.”

Some of the reasons for the extinction of wetlands are reclamation of land for cultivation, leasing out of panchayati land for revenue, diversion of the water to fields and draining out the low-lying areas to use it for other purposes.

“Another big reason for the extinction of some natural wetlands is the taming of rivers by the authorities to serve short-term needs,” says Dr Bhupinder Singh, a professor at IIT, Roorki. “A case in point is the diversion of Satluj, which has resulted in extinction of several wetlands, including the Badha Lake at Fazilka in Ferozepur district,” he adds.

The authorities say they are helpless as the reclamation of wetlands on private or panchayat land is something that cannot be legally stopped.

Few of the now-dry wetlands are Chhangli Chhamb (1,000 hectares), Chhangli Tabo (140 hectares), Chhamb Gurditwala in Ferozpur (100 hectares); Sangeri in Mansa (41 hectares); Sharmkot in Gurdaspur (12 hectares); Gaunspur Chhamb (100 hectares) and Jandwal Chhamb in Hoshiarpur (100 hectares).

Surinder Singh, director, Kheti Virasat, an NGO that has done a survey on wetlands of Punjab, emphasises the historical and cultural significance of the wetlands. “The town of Nabha had a pond on all four corners, which are nowhere to be found now,” he cites. With the destruction of wetlands, not only does the water drain out, but the species of animals, mainly birds, are rendered homeless, resulting in extinction and ecological imbalance.

The lowering of water table, a huge problem in a state where more than one million tubewells suck the earth dry every season, has a lot to do with these wetlands, as the replenishment of ground water is done after the collection of water in the low-lying areas.

Extinction of vital species of birds, such as the vulture and the common house sparrow, is also indirectly linked to the destruction of wetlands. Several migratory birds have borne the brunt of the change in ecology. M P Rai, Chief Conservator of Forests (Wildlife), Punjab, says they have their task cut out only in the wetlands declared as sanctuaries, including Harike, as most of the wetlands are on private or panchayati land.

Ironically, man-made wetlands have survived and are doing comparatively well. The Harike wetland attracts hundreds of species of birds annually and rare sightings of Indus Dolphin have been reported here. But according to scientist at the PSCST, even the man-made wetlands are facing challenges of silting and the Harike wetland, which covered 41 square kilometres of area at the time of its inception in 1952, has been reduced to just 28 square kilometres.

“The problem is worldwide. Almost 50,000 hectare area goes dry or the water on it is polluted beyond repair every year in Asia alone,” says Dr Ladhar. Scientists and experts say that apart from legislations and the usual anti-encroachment drives, it is the awareness among the common man that needs to be stressed upon.

Basantha Rajkumar, Divisional Forest Officer, Ferozepur, says, “Urbanisation is one big reason behind this, especially in Punjab, where forest-based life does not exist. For example, in Orissa, wetlands would have survived as people value nature and its gifts.”

Neelima Jerath, Additional Director, Environment, PSCST, says the draft bill being prepared by the Centre for wetland conservation (see box, bottom left ) can help in saving the vital ecosystems through the concept of community participation, a concept which, Basnatha Rajkumar opines, is the only way out.