Bird deaths question wetland management

In late November, over 18,000 migratory birds have reportedly died in an around Rajasthan’s Sambhar Lake in India. This is even as India is set to host the 13th Conference of Parties (COP) of the Convention on the conservation of migratory species of wild animals (CMS) in Gujarat in February 2020. Initial assessments suggest that the reason for such mass deaths is said to be a paralytic illness named Avian Botulism. It is considered to be the leading cause of mortality among wild birds since the last century.

The wetland area where Sambhar Salt Lake (India’s largest inland saltwater lake) has been recognised as a wetland of international importance under the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands. Following the incident of mass bird deaths, many environmentalists have questioned the management of the wetland lake area. Located in Jaipur district of Rajasthan, it spreads across 190 to 230 square kilometres. The lake has always attracted a host of migratory birds from various places across the globe.

Recently, the Indian government had identified as many as 100 wetlands to be restored within the next five years to help combat land degradation. A wetland is a land area that is saturated with water, either permanently or seasonally and it takes on the characteristics of a distinct ecosystem. Nearly 30% of country’s land area has been degraded through deforestation, over-cultivation, soil erosion and depletion of wetlands increasing climate change impact.

Rajasthan’s Sambhar Lake is among the eight worst-rated wetlands in the country when it comes to ecosystem management, according to a draft report prepared by the environment ministry in consultation with several independent experts.

According to the Union government publication National Wetland Atlas, India has 7.5 lakh wetlands and hold close to 5% of freshwater. Reports state that the ministry asked state forest departments to self-evaluate the wetlands in their territories on various parameters and submit a report.

India showed an early commitment to protecting wetlands and became one of the first signatories to the Ramsar Convention in 1981, declaring six wetland sites as Ramsar Sites. Today, the Ramsar Sites in the country have stricter governance of natural resources to keep them protected from deterioration and misuse.

In September 2017, India adopted the Wetlands (Conservation and Management) Rules, which prohibits conversion of wetland for non-wetland uses, setting up of industries near wetlands, and waste dumping into the water. It also stated that a State Wetlands Authority be set up in each state and union territory to monitor the notified wetlands in their state.

Wetlands in India are protected through another over a dozen laws variously related to fisheries, forestry, biodiversity, etc. Experts say that high levels of water extraction in rural areas and real estate development in urban areas have posed a major threat to the continued existence of many wetlands. While no proper estimate of wetland loss has been attempted so far, there is enough evidence of shrinkage and loss of water bodies all over the country.

Earlier this year, the Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change (MoEFCC) directed states to prepare a list of wetlands for priority restoration in the next five years. Altogether, 130 wetlands were identified across the country and the MoEFCC proposed the wetland health card on August 26.

India’s prominent wetlands include Chilika lake areas (Odisha), Wular lake (J&K), Renuka (Himachal Pradesh), Sambhar lake (Rajasthan), Deepor Beel (Assam), East Kolkata wetlands (West Bengal), Nal Sarovar (Gujarat), Harika (Punjab), Rudra Sagar (Tripura) and Bhoj wetland (Madhya Pradesh).

An article titled ‘Status of wetlands in India: A review of extent, ecosystem benefits, threats and management strategies’ published in the Journal of Hydrology states that India has about 757.06 thousand wetlands, which cover 4.7% of the total geographical area of the country. Gujarat has the highest proportion and Mizoram has the lowest proportion of area under wetlands in the country. Among Union Territories, Lakshadweep has the highest and Chandigarh the lowest geographical area under wetlands in the country.

Pointing out that research on wetlands in India also seems to be limited, the article argues that more research needs to be done on the physical, socio-economic and institutional factors influencing the condition of wetlands and their use, and that there is an urgent need to devise comprehensive management strategies for wetlands that are increasingly under threat in India.

The need is also to involve the most important stakeholders, especially those who live near wetlands to achieve conservation success.