Assistant Professor

Department of Botany

SBMS College

 Sualkuchi, Assam, India 

Assistant Professor

Department of Zoology

SBMS College

Sualkuchi, Assam, India

Introduction

A patch of land that develops pools of water after a rain storm would not be considered a "wetland," even though the land is wet. Wetlands, recently identified as one of the most useful natural resource systems are essential life support systems playing an important role in controlling water cycles and clearing the environment. Wetland habitat constitutes the transition zone between terrestrial habitats and deepwater bodies. These include swamps, paddy fields, riverine floodplains, lakes, coastal swamps and so on. These habitats support specialised vegetations cover with characteristics fauna and serve as the breeding grounds of many migratory birds. Wetlands that contain water all year round are called permanent wetlands and those that fill seasonally are called temporal wetlands. Others, called ephemeral wetlands, only contain water after heavy rains or during floods, perhaps once every few years.

Man uses wetlands in a number of ways from gathering foods to disposal of wastes. Wetlands are habitats for a number of endemics, relief regional varieties of subspecies of plants, insects and invertebrates. On global scale wetlands maintains air and water quality including nitrogen, sulphur, methane, and carbon-dioxide cycle. Many wetland plants are used as human food (e.g., rice, lotus, water chestnut, makhana), fodder and fuel (grasses), fibre (e.g. jute, cane, cat tails). Among animals’ prawn, crabs, fishes, frogs, turtles, ducks etc are used as human food. Wetlands provide biodiversity, water cycle maintenance and hydrology, flood control, shore stabilisation, bio-geochemical cycle functioning, carbon sequestration, climate stability etc.

Wetlands are considered as a unique ecological unit, which contributes enormous goods and services to human society (Prasad et al. 2002, Roy et. al., 2022). The various beneficial functions of wetlands like sustaining life processes, water storage (domestic, agricultural and industrial usage), protection from storms and floods, recharge of ground water, water purification, storehouse for nutrients, erosion control and stabilisation of local climate (such as temperature and rainfall), help maintain the ecological balance.

Most of the wetlands storefloodwaters temporarily, protecting downstream areas from flooding. By checking the floods, they maintain a constant flow regime downstream, preserve water quality and increase the biological productivity of the aquatic communities. This function becomes increasingly important in urban areas, where developmental activities (such as breaching of wetlands for residential, commercial, and industrial activities, paving of surfaces in catchment areas, etc) have increased the rate and volume of surface water run-off and the potential for flood damage. This necessitates the protection of wetlands, an important means of minimising flood damages in the future.

Wetland vegetation can reduce shoreline erosion in several ways, including increasing durability of the sediment through binding (with stilt / plank root structure); dampening waves through friction, reducing current velocity through friction, improving water quality.

Wetlands play an important role in improving the water quality by filtering sediments and nutrients from surface water. Wetlands aid in water filtration by removing excess nutrients, slowing the water allowing particulates to settle out of the water which can then be absorbed into plant roots. Studies have shown that up to 92% of phosphorus and 95% of nitrogen can be removed from passing water through a wetland. Wetlands also let pollutants settle and stick to soil particles, up to 70% of sediments in runoff. Some wetland plants have even been found with accumulations of heavy metals more than 100,000 times that of the surrounding waters' concentration. Without these functions, the waterways would continually increase their nutrient and pollutant load, leading to an isolate deposit of high concentrations further down the line. Wetlands can even filter out and absorb harmful bacteria from the water. Their complex food chain hosts various microbes and bacteria, which invertebrates feed on. These invertebrates can filter up to 90% of bacteria out of the water this way.

Wetlands being one of the most biologically productive natural ecosystems are vital for the survival of diverse flora and fauna, including many threatened and endangered species by providing shelter, food, etc., and forming a part of the complex food-web. It is estimated (Wetlands in Asia, 1997)that about 20% of the known species of life rely directly or indirectly on wetlands for their survival, as they are their primary and important seasonal habitats.

Wetlands in India

In India wetlands cover 15.26 million hectares of space (SAC, 2011, Aryaet al. 2020). The area of wetlands is changed with the change of weather. Some area of natural wetland covered in water in the rainy season but become dry in winter. It is estimated that freshwater wetlands alone support 20 per cent of the known range of biodiversity in India (Prasad et.al., 2002). Wetlands in India occupy 58.2 million ha, including areas under wet paddy cultivation (Directory of Indian Wetlands).

In Assam, wetland occupy 1, 01232 ha area. With 9.74 % wetland of the total geographical area of Assam is in the 7^th position among the other state of India. District- wise 3513 numbers of wetlands are identified in Assam-by-Assam Remote Sensing Application Centre, Assam. There are around 1,392 wetlands out of which, the number of registered wet lands is only 394 (30.38%) covering an area of around 70,000 ha. (Kar, 2019).

Convention on Wetlands:

The Convention on wetlands of International Importance, also known as Ramsar Convention, is an international treaty designed to address global concerns regarding wetland loss and degradation. The primary purposes of the treaty are to list wetlands of international importance and to promote their wise use, with the ultimate goal of preserving the world's wetlands. Methods include restricting access to the majority portion of wetland areas, as well as educating the public to combat the misconception that wetlands are wastelands. The Convention works closely with five International Organization Partners. These are: Birdlife International, IUCN, International Water Management Institute, Wetlands International and World Wide Fund for Nature. The partners provide technical expertise, help conduct or facilitate field studies and provide financial support.

In Assam Deeparbeel is one of the largest inland fresh water wetland in the country. It is a candidate Ramsar site, it declared as Ramsar site on November, 2002 (Wetland of International Importance). Deeparbeel is a permanent fresh water lake, in a former channel of the Brahmaputra River, which is located to the south west of Guwahati city, in Kamrup district of Assam. The Deeparbeel plays a unique role in conservation of wildlife and management of the ecosystem of Guwahati city to a large extent. It acts as a natural storm water reservoir during the monsoon season for the Guwahati city (stated to be the only major storage water basin for the city’s drainage), with about four meters depth of water during monsoon dropping to about one meter during the dry season.

Today Wetlands are in Threat:

Wetlands are one of the most threatened habitats of the world. Wetlands in India, as elsewhere are increasingly facing several anthropogenic pressures. Thus, the rapidly expanding human population, large-scale changes in land use/land covers, burgeoning development projects and improper use of watersheds have all caused a substantial decline of wetland resources of the country. Significant losses have resulted from its conversion threats from industrial, agricultural and various urban developments. These have led to hydrological perturbations, pollution and their effects. Unsustainable levels of grazing and fishing activities have also resulted in degradation of wetlands.

Conservation Strategy:

 In India wetlands support around 2400 species of migratory birds. But losses in habitat have threatened the diversity of these ecosystems (Mitchell & Gopal 1990, Prasad et.al., 2002). The macrophytes like water hyacinth (Eichornia crassipes) and salvinia (Salvinia natuns), Hydrilla (Hydrlla verticillate) etc have going to threatened due the decreases of wetlands. The primary necessity today is to protect the existing wetlands of the nation. Active monitoring of these wetland systems over a period of time is essential. There has been no comprehensive inventory of all the Indian wetlands despite the efforts by the Ministry of Environment and Forests, Asian Wetland Bureau and World-Wide Fund for Nature.

For achieving any sustainable success in the protection of these wetlands, awareness among the general public, educational and corporate institutions must be created. The policy makers at various levels, along with site managers, need to be educated. 

National Wetland Conservation Programme (NWCP): A programme on conservation of wetlands was initiated in 1987 with the basic objective of assessment of wetland resources, identification of wetlands of national importance and formulation and Implementation of management action.Under the National Wetlands Conservation Programme (NWCP), the Ministry has identified 115 wetlands in 24 States and 2 Union Territories of the country for conservation and management(Table 1).

Table 1: List of wetlands identified under National Wetland Conservation Programme (MoEF,2012)

S. No.	State/UT	Nos of wetland	Name of the wetland
1	Andhra pradesh	1	Kolleru
2	Assam	3	Deepar Beel, Urpad Beel, Sone Beel
3	Bihar	3	Kabar, Barilla, KusheshwarAsthan
4	Gujrat	8	Nalsarovar, Great Rann of Kachh, Thol Bird Sanctuary, Khijadiya Bird Sanctuary, Little Rann of Kachh, Parej,Wadhawana, Nanikarad
5	Haryana	2	Sultanpur, Bhindawas
6	Himachal Pradesh	5	Renuka, Pong Dam, Chandratal, Rewalsar, Khajjiar
7	Janmmu and Kashmir	12	Wullur, Tso Morari, Tisgul Tso, Chisul Marshes, Hokersar,, Mansar-Surinsar, Ranjitsagar, Pangong Tsar, Gharana, Hygam, Mirgund, Shalbugh, Chushul&Honely
8	Jharkhand	2	Udhwa, Tilaiya Dam
9	Karnataka	7	Magadhi, Gudavi Bird Sanctuary, Bonal, Hidkal and Ghataprabha, Heggeri, Ranganthittu, K.G.Koppa Wetland
10	Kerala	5	Ashtamudi, Sasthamkotta, Kottuli, Kadulandi, Vembnad Kol
11	Madhya Pradesh	13	Barna, Yashwant Sagar, Wetland of Ken River, National Chambal Sanctuary, Ghatigaon, Ratapani, Denwa Tawa Wetland, Kanha Tiger Reserve, Pench Tiger Riserve, Sakhyasagar, Dihalia, Govindsagar, Sirpur
12	Maharashtra	3	Ujni, Jayakawadi, Nalganga Wetland
13	Manipur	1	Loktak
14	Mizoram	2	Tamdil, Palak
15	Orissa	5	Chilka, Kuanria Wetland, Kanjia Wetland, Daha Wetland, Anusupa
16	Puducherry	1	Ousteri lake
17	Punjab	4	Harike, Ropar,Kanjli, Nagal
18	Rajasthan	1	Smbhar
19	Sikkim	6	Khechuperi Holy Lake, Tamze Wetland, Tembao Wetland Complex, Phendang Wetland Complex, Gurudokmar Wetland, Tsomgo Wetland
20	Tamilnadu	3	Point Calimer, Kaliveli, Pallaikarni
21	Tripura	2	Rudrasagar, Gumti reservoir
22	Uttar Pradesh	16	Nawabganj, Sandi, Lakh Bahoshi, Samsapur, Alwara Wetland, Semari Lake, Nagaria Lake, Keetham Lake, Shekha Wetland, Saman Bird Sanstuary, Sarsai Nawar, Patna Bird Sanctuary, Chandotal, Tal Bhaghel, Taal Ganbhiravan and Taal Salona, Aadi Jal Jeev Jheel
23	Uttarakhand	2	Bangana Jhilmil Tal, Asan
24	West Bengal	6	East Kolkata Wetland, Sunderbans, Ahiron Beel, Rasik Beel, Santragachi, Patlakhawa- Rasomati
25	Meghalaya	1	Umiam Lake
26	UT(Chandigarh)	1	Sukhna Lake

Ramsar Sites Conservation in India

Ramsar Sites are wetland regions of international importance described under the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands of UNESCO in 1971 in the city of Ramsar of Iran. The Ramsar Convention was agreed for the declaration of the conservation and wise use of domestic, national, and international wetland regions for attaining sustainable development in the world. In the case of India, the Ramsar Convention came into effect on 1st February 1982. Till November, 2022there are 75 Ramsar sites in India (Table 2). These are wetlands deemed to be of "international importance" under the Ramsar Convention.The purpose of declaring Ramsar sites under the Ramsar Convention is to stop the worldwide loss of wetlands and conserve them through wise use and management (Satyaveer et.al, 2022).

Table II: List of wetlands of international importance under Ramsar Convention (India)

S. No.	State/UT	Name of the wetland	Date of declaration	Area
1	Andhra Pradesh	Kolleru Lake	19th Aug., 2002	901.00
2	Assam	Deepor Beel	19th Aug., 2002	40.00
3	Bihar	Kabartal Wetland	21st July, 2020	26.20
4	Goa	Nanda Lake	6th Aug., 2022	0.42
5	Gujarat	KajadiaWetland Sanctury	13th April, 2021	5.12
6	Gujarat	Nalsarovar Bird Sanctury	24th Sept., 2012	120.00
7	Gujarat	Thol Lake Wild life Samctury	5th April, 2021	6.99
8	Gujarat	Wadhvanta Wetland	5th April, 2021	6.30
9	Haryana	Vindawas Wildlife Santury	25th May, 2021	4.12
10	Haryana	Sultanpur National Park	25th May, 2021	1.43
11	Himachal Pradesh	Chandertal Wetland	8th Nov., 2005	0.49
12	Himachal Prasesh	Rong Dam Lake	19th Aug., 2002	156.62
13	Himachal Pradesh	Renuka Wetland	8th Nov., 2005	0.20
14	Himachal Pradesh	Chandertal	8th Nov., 2005	13.75
15	Jammu & Kashmir	Hygam Wetland Conservation Reserve	13th Aug., 2022	8.02
16	Jammu & Kashmir	Shallbugh Wetland Conservation Reserve	13th Aug., 2022	16.75
17	Jammu & Kashmir	Surinsar-Mansar Lakes	8th Nov., 2005	3.50
18	Jammu & Kashmir	Wular Lake	23rd March, 1990	189.00
19	Karnataka	Ranganathittu Bird Sanctuary	15th Feb., 2022	5.18
20	Kerala	Asthamudi Wetland	19thAugu 2002	61.40
21	Kerala	Sasthamkotta Lake	19th Aug, 2002	3.73
22	Kerala	Vembanad Kol Wetland	19th Aug, 2002	1512.50
23	Ladakh	Tso Kar Wetland Complex	17th Nov., 2020	95.77
24	Ladakh	Tsomoriri Lake	19th Aug, 2002	120.00
25	Madhya Pradesh	Bhoj Wetlands	19th Aug 2002	32.01
26	Madhya Pradesh	Sakhya Sagar	1st July, 2022	2.48
27	Madhya Pradesh	Sirpur Wetland	Ist July, 2922	1.61
28	Madhya Pradesh	Yashwant Sagar	13th Aug., 2022	8.23
29	Maharashtra	Lonar Lake	22nd July, 2020	4.27
30	Maharashtra	NandurMadhameshwar	21st June, 2019	14.37
31	Maharashtra	Thane Creek	13th Aug., 2022	65.21
32	Manipur	Loktak Lake	23rd March, 990	266.00
33	Mizoram	Pala Wetland	31st Aug., 2021	18.50
34	Odisha	Ansupa Lake	13th Aug., 2022	2.31
35	Odisha	Bhitarkanika Mangroves	19th August, 2002	650.00
36	Odisha	Chilka Lake	1st Oct., 1981	1165.00
37	Odisha	Hirakud Reservoir	13th Aug., 2022	654.00
38	Odisha	Satkosia Gorge	10th Dec., 2021	981.97
39	Odisha	Tampara Lake	13th Aug., 2022	3.00
40	Punjab	Beas Conservation Reserve	26th Sept., 2019	64.29
41	Punjab	Harike Lake	23rd March,1990	41.00
42	Punjab	Kanjli Lake	22nd Jan., 2002	1.83
43	Punjab	Keshopur-Miani Community Reserve	26th Sept., 2019	3.44
44	Punjab	Nangal Wildlife Sanctuary	26th Sept., 2019	1.16
45	Punjab	Ropar Lake	22ndJan,.2002	13.65
46	Rajasthan	Keoladeo Ghana NP	1st Oct., 1981	28.73
47	Rajasthan	Sambhar Lake	23rd March, 1990	240.00
48	Tamil Nadu	Chitrangudi Bird Sanctuary	13th Aug., 2022	2.60
49	Tamil Nadu	Gulf of Mannar Marine Biosphere Reserve	04th Aug., 2022	526.72
50	Tamil Nadu	Kanjirankulam Bird Sanctuary	13th Aug., 2022	0.97
51	Tamil Nadu	Karikili Bird Sanctuary	4th Aug., 2022	0.58
52	Tamil Nadu	Koonthankulam Bird Sanctuary	11th Aug., 2021	0.72
53	Tamil Nadu	Pallikaranai Marsh Reserve Forest	4th Aug., 2022	12.48
54	Tamil Nadu	Pichavaram Mangrove	4th Aug., 2022	14.79
55	Tamil Nadu	Point Calimere Wildlife and Bird Sanctuary	19th August, 2002	385.00
56	Tamil Nadu	SuchindramTheroor Wetland Complex	13th Aug., 2022	0.94
57	Tamil Nadu	Udhayamarthandapuram Bird Sanctuary	04.08.2022	0.44
58	Tamil Nadu	Vaduvur Bird Sanctuary	13th Aug., 2022	1.13
59	Tamil Nadu	Vedanthangal Bird Sanctuary	4th Aug., 2022	0.40
60	Tamil Nadu	Vellode Bird Sanctuary	4th Aug., 2022	0.77
61	Tamil Nadu	Vembannur Wetland Complex	4th Aug., 2022	0.20
62	Tripura	Rudrasagar Lake	8th Nov., 2005	2.40
63	Uttar Pradesh	Bakhira Wildlife Sanctuary	29th June, 2021	28.94
64	Uttar Pradesh	Haiderpur Wetland	8th Dec., 2021	69.08
65	Uttar Pradesh	Nawabganj Bird Sanctuary	19th Sept., 2019	2.25
66	Uttar Pradesh	Parvati Agra Bird Sanctuary	2nd Dec, 2019	7.22
67	Uttar Pradesh	Saman Bird Sanctuary	2nd Dec, 2019	5.26
68	Uttar Pradesh	Samaspur Bird Sanctuary	3rd Oct., 2019	7.99
69	Uttar Pradesh	Sandi Bird Sanctuary	26th Sept, 2019	3.09
70	Uttar Pradesh	Sarsai Nawar Jheel	19th Sept, 2019	1.61
71	Uttar Pradesh	Sur Sarovar	21st Sept2020	4.31
72	Uttar Pradesh	Upper Ganga River	8th Nov., 2005	265.90
73	Uttarakhand	Asan Conservation Reserve	21st July, 2020	4.44
74	West Bengal	East Kolkata Wetlands	19th August, 2002	125.00
75	West Bengal	Sunderbans Wetland	30th Jan., 2019	423

(Source:  Ministry of Environment & Forests, Government of India)

Conclusion:

Wetlands provide several benefits to people and nature, including flood control, maintenance of hydrological cycle, water purification, erosion control, weather regulation etc. It provides habitat for different types of flora, fauna and microbes.It also the vital habitats for millions of migratory birds enhancing the aesthetic beauty of nature. At present unfortunately, wetlands are being lost at an alarming rate due to natural and different anthropogenic activity as and they are still being disappeared three times faster than forests.Thus, in the present scenario, it is suggested more attention is required to prepare better conservation strategies forthewetland ecosystems. Including the government strategies public awareness is also needed and, public organization, NGO etc should take the initiatives in this case.

The Minister of State, for Environment, Forest and Climate Change, Sh. Babul Supriyo announced the establishment of a Centre for Wetland Conservation and Management (CWCM), as a part of the National Centre for Sustainable Coastal Management (NCSCM), Chennai, an institution under the Ministry on the occasion of World Wetland Day, 2^nd February 2021. The Centre will help in building partnership and networks with relevant national and international agencies. The centre would also assist the national and State /UT Governments in the design and implementation of policy and regulatory frameworks, management planning, monitoring and targeted research for its conservation.

Referances

1. Arya, AK, Joshi, KK and Bachheti, A (2020). A review on distribution and importance of wetlands in the perspective of India. Journal of Applied. & Natural Science. 12(4): 710 – 720

2. Mitchell, S. &Gopal, B (1990). Invasion of tropical freshwater by alien species. pp. 139-154. In: P. S. Ramakrishnan (ed.) Ecology of Biological Invasion in the Tropics

3. Prasad SN, Ramachandra TV, Ahalya N, Sengupta T, Kumar A, Tiwari AK, Vijayan VS, Vijayan L (2002) Conservation of wetlands of India—a review. TropEcol 43(1):173–186

4. Roy, MB, Nag, S, Halder S and Roy, PK (2022). Assessment of wetland potentialand bibliometric review: a critical analysisof the Ramsar sites of India. Bulletin of the National Research Centre: 46:59

5. SAC (2011). National wetland atlas. Space application Center (SAC). Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) Ahmedabad, India

6. Kar, D. (2019). Wetlands and their Fish Diversity in Assam (India).Transylv. Rev. Syst. Ecol. Res. 21.3: 47 -94

7. Satyaveer, NK Suyani, KB Rajanna, SS Rathore and Verm, DK (2022). Status of Ramsar sites in India 2022. The Pharma Innovation Journal; SP-11(11): 2088-2094