In recent news, four additional Indian sites, two from Gujarat and two from Haryana, have been acknowledged as international significant wetlands under the Ramsar Convention. Furthermore, according to recent reports by Wetlands International South Asia, nearly 30% of India’s natural wetlands disappeared in the last three decades. The phenomenon is more noticeable in urban areas. Wetlands International South Asia, established in 1996, operates to promote conservation and sustainable development of wetlands in the South Asian region.
Wetlands: Nature’s Endangered Ecosystems
Wetlands are ecologically rich environments saturated either seasonally or permanently with water. They constitute around 6% of the Earth’s land surface and house 40% of all plant and animal species. They could be natural such as lakes, rivers, flooded forests, marshes, coral reefs, marine areas less than six metres deep at low tide, or manmade like waste-water treatment ponds and reservoirs.
New Ramsar Sites in India
The Ramsar Convention, an international treaty for the conservation of wetlands, recently recognised four new wetlands in India. These include Bhindawas Wildlife Sanctuary in Haryana, Sultanpur National Park in Haryana, Thol Lake Wildlife Sanctuary in Gujarat, and Wadhwana Wetland in Gujarat. With these additions, India now has a total of 46 Ramsar sites.
Critical Role of Urban Wetlands
Over centuries, wetlands, particularly in urban settings, have exhibited historical importance and cultural relevance contributing to city ethos. They provide a wide range of resources and ecosystem services like food, water, groundwater recharge, flood moderation, and are essential contributors to local livelihoods through activities like fishing, tourism, and farming.
Major Threats to Wetlands
Many factors contribute to threatening wetlands. Urbanisation puts these ecosystems under increased developmental pressure for residential, industrial and commercial facilities. Anthropogenic activities, agricultural practices post the Green Revolution, hydrologic activities, deforestation, pollution, salinization, aquaculture, introduced species, and climate change are major catalysts causing significant ecological losses.
Challenges in Wetland Conservation
Major regulatory bodies like the Central Wetland Regulatory Authority remain ineffective as they only have advisory powers. Lack of defined policy for urban water management, lack of awareness, and exclusion of local communities from governing wetlands also hampers their conservation.
Global Conservation Initiatives and Indian Efforts
To combat these challenges at a global level, initiatives like the Ramsar Convention, Montreux Record, World Wetland Day, and Cities4Forests global campaign have been launched. In India, efforts such as the National Plan for Conservation of Aquatic Ecosystems (NPCA), Wetlands (Conservation and Management) Rules, 2017 and mapping wetlands using remote sensing satellites have been undertaken.
The Way Forward: Synergy with Mega Urban Schemes and Public Participation
To combat these challenges, the ecosystem services of wetlands need to be recognised in development policies, urban planning, and climate change mitigation. Mega urban schemes should incorporate sustainable management of wetlands. People’s participation is equally important for effective conservation. For instance, Delhi Development Authority inviting public comments on Master Plan Delhi 2041 or the ‘Mangrove Safari’ organised by the Swamini self-help group in Maharashtra, prove to be effective community-led conservation models.
Protecting wetlands is crucial in achieving sustainable development goals and ensuring resilient city planning, further development and poverty eradication.